Police in Mauritius have told RTÉ that two of the three men charged in the Michaela McAreavey case have admitted involvement in the murder of the Irishwoman.
Hotel room attendants Avinash Treebhoowoon, 29, and Sandip Moneea, 41, have said they killed Mrs McAreavey, who was the daughter of Tyrone football manager Mickey Harte.
The 27-year-old was found dead at the four-star Legends Hotel on Monday while on honeymoon on the Indian Ocean island.
Hotel supevisor Raj Theekoy, 33, has been charged with conspiracy to murder. The three men appeared in court in Mauritius this morning.
During a brief hearing they spoke only to confirm their names, addresses and dates of birth.
All three were remanded in custody until 19 January.
Mrs McAreavey was found dead by her husband John in their hotel room on Monday.
Mr McAreavey told police that he went to look for his wife after she had been gone for ten minutes and found the hotel room door locked.
He knocked but did not receive any response so he went to reception and a hotel employee accompanied him back to Room 1025 where they used a master card to open the door.
A post mortem examination found that she had been strangled.
At a news conference this morning, police said when returning to their room, John found his wife's body in water in the bath.
Mrs McAreavey's brother and brother-in-law were expected in Mauritius today, as was the Irish Ambassador in South Africa Brendan McMahon.
The body of Michaela McAreavey was tonight released and is now with undertakers in Mauritius.
Husband 'numbed' after tragedy
Meanwhile, John McAreavey has spoken out for the first time about the murder of his wife.
In a statement, Mr McAreavey said: 'Words have no meaning.
'My beautiful wife, my best friend, my rock Michaela, has been taken from me and I still can't take it in.
'Our hopes, our dreams and our future together are gone. I am heartbroken and like Mickey, Marian, Michaela's brothers and my family, I am totally devastated.
'I am numbed.
'I love my wife, very, very much and my world revolved around her. I can't describe in words how lost I feel as Michaela is not just the light of my life - she is my life.
'I appreciate all the prayers and messages of support. I pray that God gives us the strength and faith that Michaela has, to cope with our horrific loss.
'She is a gift from god and I now have an angel.
'Our families now need the time, privacy and space to make the necessary arrangements to take Michaela home.'
Mickey Harte yesterday thanked all those who have offered support to the family following his daughter's death and appealed for respect for the privacy of his son-in-law.
'This is the worst nightmare that anyone can imagine. If you think things can be bad, then you go beyond that because that is where we are,' he said.
Mr Harte said his family had been left shattered.
*This is one of the saddest stories I've heard in a long time.
Hotel room attendants Avinash Treebhoowoon, 29, and Sandip Moneea, 41, have said they killed Mrs McAreavey, who was the daughter of Tyrone football manager Mickey Harte.
The 27-year-old was found dead at the four-star Legends Hotel on Monday while on honeymoon on the Indian Ocean island.
Hotel supevisor Raj Theekoy, 33, has been charged with conspiracy to murder. The three men appeared in court in Mauritius this morning.
During a brief hearing they spoke only to confirm their names, addresses and dates of birth.
All three were remanded in custody until 19 January.
Mrs McAreavey was found dead by her husband John in their hotel room on Monday.
Mr McAreavey told police that he went to look for his wife after she had been gone for ten minutes and found the hotel room door locked.
He knocked but did not receive any response so he went to reception and a hotel employee accompanied him back to Room 1025 where they used a master card to open the door.
A post mortem examination found that she had been strangled.
At a news conference this morning, police said when returning to their room, John found his wife's body in water in the bath.
Mrs McAreavey's brother and brother-in-law were expected in Mauritius today, as was the Irish Ambassador in South Africa Brendan McMahon.
The body of Michaela McAreavey was tonight released and is now with undertakers in Mauritius.
Husband 'numbed' after tragedy
Meanwhile, John McAreavey has spoken out for the first time about the murder of his wife.
In a statement, Mr McAreavey said: 'Words have no meaning.
'My beautiful wife, my best friend, my rock Michaela, has been taken from me and I still can't take it in.
'Our hopes, our dreams and our future together are gone. I am heartbroken and like Mickey, Marian, Michaela's brothers and my family, I am totally devastated.
'I am numbed.
'I love my wife, very, very much and my world revolved around her. I can't describe in words how lost I feel as Michaela is not just the light of my life - she is my life.
'I appreciate all the prayers and messages of support. I pray that God gives us the strength and faith that Michaela has, to cope with our horrific loss.
'She is a gift from god and I now have an angel.
'Our families now need the time, privacy and space to make the necessary arrangements to take Michaela home.'
Mickey Harte yesterday thanked all those who have offered support to the family following his daughter's death and appealed for respect for the privacy of his son-in-law.
'This is the worst nightmare that anyone can imagine. If you think things can be bad, then you go beyond that because that is where we are,' he said.
Mr Harte said his family had been left shattered.
*This is one of the saddest stories I've heard in a long time.
