Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 21644Murder · Co. Dublin

Inquest opens into Dublin triple murder

The bodies of woman Seema Banu, 37, her daughter Asfira Riza, 11, and son Faizan Syed, 6, were found strangled in their home in Llewellyn Court, Rathfarnham, south Dublin on 28 October 2020. Their husband and father, man Sameer Syed, 38, was arrested at the end of November 2020 and charged with the three murders. Syed took his own life in his cell at Midlands Prison in Portlaoise in June 2022, a week before he was due to stand trial at the Central Criminal Court. Inquests into the three deaths opened on 30 March 2023, hearing evidence of domestic abuse warnings given by Seema Banu in 2018 and 2020.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court30 Mar
    2 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
The bodies of Seema Banu (37), Asfira Riza (11), and Faizan Syed (6) were found strangled in their home in Llewellyn Court, Rathfarnham (also described as Ballinteer), south Dublin on 28 October 2020.
Investigation
Sameer Syed (38), the victims' husband and father, was arrested at the end of November 2020 and charged with the three murders.
Sentence
Syed took his own life in his cell at Midlands Prison in Portlaoise in June 2022, a week before he was due to stand trial at the Central Criminal Court.
In court
Inquests into the three deaths opened on 30 March 2023 before a jury of six women and two men.
Other details
  • Seema Banu told a security guard at Dunnes Stores in Sandyford on Christmas Eve 2018 that her husband was beating and torturing her and her children and that he would kill her.
  • Gardaí were called to the family home on 16 May 2020 after reports of domestic violence, and Syed appeared before Dublin District Court on 18 May 2020 where he was refused bail.
  • Seema Banu and her children had been forcibly brought to Ireland by Syed, and she had money and passports ready from mid-2019 to try to flee.
  • Syed had tried to strangle Seema in India and again in Ireland, and left India in 2019 before facing a charge of assaulting his wife.
  • Seema's nephews Kashief Ahmed and Suhan Syed travelled from the Mysore district in Karnataka, India, to visit the graves at Newcastle Cemetery, Co Dublin, ahead of the inquests.
49 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatSameer Syed was charged with the three murders but took his own life in Midlands Prison before trial. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatNephews Kashief Ahmed and Suhan Syed visited the graves at Newcastle Cemetery, Co Dublin. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatSameer had tried to strangle Seema in India and again in Ireland. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatThe bodies of Seema Banu (37), Asfira (11) and Faizan (6) were discovered in their home in Llewellyn Court, Ballinteer, Co Dublin on October 28, 2020. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSeema Banu told a supermarket security guard on Christmas Eve 2018 that they were being beaten and tortured by her husband Sameer Syed. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSeema Banu stated that her husband was dangerous and would kill her and she wanted to go back to India. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSeema and her children had been forcibly brought to Ireland by Syed. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSeema had money and passports ready since mid-2019 to try and flee from Syed but kept changing her mind. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSeema was threatened by her husband that if she reported him, gardaí would take her children away and she would not see them until they were 18. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSyed left India in 2019 before he faced a charge of assaulting his wife. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatAn official report recorded that Ms Banu was brought to a hospital in India on May 1, 2019 after being assaulted by a relative. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSyed was arrested and charged with the murders of his wife and children. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSyed (38) took his own life in his cell at Midlands Prison in Portlaoise in June 2022, a week before he was due to go on trial at the Central Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSyed appeared in court on a charge of assault causing harm to Ms Banu on May 16, 2020. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatGardaí were twice called to the family home after receiving reports of domestic violence on May 16, 2020. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSyed was released on condition he did not return to the family home and went to stay with a friend in Rathmines. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatGardaí and social workers first became aware of the domestic violence after being alerted by Dunnes Stores staff in Sandyford on Christmas Eve 2018. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatMs Banu and her daughter were seen being pulled and forcibly grabbed by a male in their company. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThey were given food including chocolate after staff learnt that Ms Banu and her children had not eaten since the previous evening. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatOther supermarket staff prevented her husband from coming into the store while Mr Khan was speaking to Ms Banu. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatMs Long reported the incident to Tusla and brought Ms Banu and the two children to a shelter in Blanchardstown. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSeema Banu told a shop security worker that her husband 'tortures her all of the time'. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatSeema Banu said her husband 'will kill me'. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatSameer Syed took his own life in Midlands Prison before he stood trial. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatSeema told the security guard her husband was beating her and her kids very badly. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatSeema and her children had not eaten since the night before the shop visit. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatAsfira said she had been slapped across the face by her father. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatSeema told the garda she had been beaten by Sameer every day since arriving in Ireland two weeks prior. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe children were taken to Sonas refuge at 6.40pm that evening. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatSeema left the refuge the following day. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatSameer Syed had worked in Dubai while Seema remained in India before they moved to Ireland. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe murders took place at Llewellyn Court, Rathfarnham, south Dublin. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whereThe nephews travelled over 8,000km from the Mysore district in Karnataka state, India. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whereSeema Banu, Asfira, and Faizan were found dead at their home in Llewellyn Court, Rathfarnham, south Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe murders occurred in October 2020. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whenSameer Syed ended his own life in his prison cell in June 2022. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whenThe three victims were found dead in October 2020. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe encounter between Seema Banu and the security guard took place on Christmas Eve 2018. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationInquests into the three deaths were scheduled for 30 March 2023. (dublinlive.ie)
  • investigationSameer was arrested at the end of November 2020 and charged with the three killings. (dublinlive.ie)
  • investigationReferrals were sent to Tusla regarding the two children. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeSameer Syed was charged with the murders of Seema Banu, Asfira, and Faizan. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtSyed appeared before Dublin District Court on May 18, 2020, where he was refused bail following a Garda objection. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe inquest hearing is before a jury of six women and two men and will resume on Friday. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtKamram Khan, a security guard at Dunnes Stores in Sandyford, gave evidence at the inquest. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtFormer garda Aisling Long, stationed at Dundrum Garda Station, was called to the Dunnes Stores incident at 3.15pm. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtSeema's nephews, who travelled from India, were present at the inquest with a translator. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherSameer had been ordered to stay away from the family and was living in a different home in Rathmines. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherThe children attended Ballinteer Educate Together National School. (dublinlive.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 30 Mar2023
    In courtirishmirror.ie, its first report
    Murdered Seema Banu wanted to flee husband - and predicted her own demise

    Inquest evidence from security guard Kamram Khan and former garda Aisling Long describing Seema Banu's visit to Dunnes Stores, Sandyford, on Christmas Eve 2018, where she described daily domestic abuse by Sameer Syed and her fear he would kill her; the family was taken to Dundrum Garda Station and then to Sonas refuge, but Seema left the next day.

    victim, Seema Banu, female, non-irish (judged from name)Seema Banuvictim, Asfira Syed, 11, female, non-irish (judged from name)Asfira Syedvictim, Faizan Syed, 6, male, non-irish (judged from name)Faizan Syedsuspect, Sameer Syed, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Sameer Syed
  2. 30 Mar2023
    In courtirishtimes.com, its first report
    Murdered Seema Banu told supermarket security guard her husband Sameer Syed was beating and torturing her

    Provides further inquest evidence including testimony from security guard Kamran Khan about the Christmas Eve 2018 incident at Dunnes Stores Sandyford, details of Seema's fear and attempts to flee, the 2020 assault charge and bail conditions for Syed, and confirmation that Syed (38) died by suicide at Midlands Prison in Portlaoise in June 2022 a week before his Central Criminal Court trial.

    victim, Seema Banu, 37, female, non-irish (judged from name)Seema Banuvictim, Asfira, 11, female, non-irish (judged from name)Asfiravictim, Faizan, 6, male, non-irish (judged from name)Faizansuspect, Sameer Syed, 38, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Sameer Syed
  3. 30 Mar2023
    Otherdublinlive.ie, first report
    Family of woman and kids murdered in Dublin home weep at first graveside visit

    Reports the first family grave visit at Newcastle Cemetery, details the inquests scheduled for 30 March 2023, and provides background on the abuse history, the suspect's arrest, and his death in prison before trial.

    victim, Seema Banu, 37, female, non-irish (judged from name)Seema Banuvictim, Asfira Riza, 11, female, non-irish (judged from name)Asfira Rizavictim, Faizan Syed, 6, male, non-irish (judged from name)Faizan Syedaccused, Sameer Syed, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Sameer Syed