Hi °C | Lo °C A man is being questioned by police after the murder of a man in a Co Antrim village.
Victim Darren Murphy (32) was making plans to organise a charity fund-raising event for his motorcycling club just hours before his death.
The father-of-one, from Stranocum near Ballymoney, died after a disturbance broke out on Armoy's Main Street.
It is understood Darren, who had been enjoying a karaoke night at McClafferty's pub with friends, intervened in the disturbance and struck the ground in the fracas which occurred at around 1.55am yesterday.
He died at the scene and the PSNI arrested a man in his 30s and another in his 40s.
The man in his 40s was subsequently released without charge at tea-time yesterday while the other man remained in police custody last night.
Grieving relatives gathered at Darren's mother Marina's Ballymoney home yesterday.
A male relative told the Belfast Telegraph Darren's death, just two days before Christmas, has sent shockwaves through the family circle. He said relatives were too upset to talk: "The family don't want to make any comment at this stage."
Councillor Bill Kennedy spent time in Darren's company on Saturday evening at the karaoke.
Speaking from the scene, he said Darren was acting as "some kind of peacemaker" in the dispute: "Darren was a hard-working big fella, I have known him since he was a kid and he was well liked by everyone who knew him. I was in McClafferty's on Saturday night and I was chatting away to Darren, he was in great form." he said.
"Darren was a member of the Armoy Motorcycle Road Racing Club and we were talking on Saturday night about holding a fund-raising event for the club.
"He said to me, " we will talk about it in the New Year" but that conversation will never take place now. He was a great asset to the club.
"My thoughts, especially at this time of year, go to Darren's wife and three-year-old son, his mother Marina and his family circle."
Floral tributes were left at the scene where Darren - who worked as a digger driver for local motorway maintenance company Highway Barrier - lost his life. The pub was closed yesterday as a mark of respect.
North Antrim MLA Mervyn Storey, paid a personal tribute.
The DUP man said: "Darren was a very easygoing, a very jolly young fella who would always have a word for you.
"It brings it home just what a tragedy this is coming up to Christmas."
SDLP MLA Declan O' Loan said he "deplored" the murder, while UUP MLA Rev Dr Robert Coulter called on the community to remember the victim's family circle in their prayers.
A PSNI spokesman said: "Police are appealing for information about a murder in Armoy."
