Gardai have confirmed the death of taxi driver Martin Mulligan is now being treated as murder.

It follows a post mortem on the body of the 53 year old Dundalk man.

Mr Mulligan was found near his taxi at Kilcurry, county Louth in the early hours of this morning.

The body of the 53-year-old was found in Kilcurry, Dundalk shortly after 3.00am.

He was pronounced dead at scene - and his car, a silver coloured Skoda Octavia with registration number 07-LH-5599 was also found there.

The scene at Carn More/Kilcurry has been preserved for a forensic and technical examination, and the office of the State Pathologist has been notified and has attended the scene.

A post-mortem examination is expected to take place later today at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.

A senior investigating officer and a garda family liaison officer has been appointed in the case.

Superintendent Gerry Curley at Dundalk garda station is appealing for witnesses to the incident.

He confirmed that Mr Mulligan began working as a taxi driver last night, in his car at approximately 9.30pm.

Gardaí are appealing for any person who may have used Mr Mulligan's taxi during the night to contact them - or anyone with information, particularly those who were in the Cran More/Kilcurry area between 1am and 3.30am this morning - to contact the incident room at Dundalk garda station on 042-938-8400, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800-666-111 or any garda station.

Conor Feehan is a journalist with The Herald and Irish Independent.

He told Newstalk Lunchtime the family are trying to come to terms with what has happened.