The immediate vicinity on the outskirts of Dungannon was the subject of an intense murder inquiry before they had even managed to draw their curtains.

Local shopkeeper Shaun Fitzpatrick was last seen alive leaving Donaghy's Bar in the William Street area of the town, where he was socialising all evening, and was believed to be making his way home to the nearby Lisnahull estate.

The residential area remained cordoned off yesterday as police and forensic officers investigated the scene.

A resident on the Donaghmore Road, who did not want to be identified, told the News Letter she would often hear late night revellers walking from the town centre at weekends but heard nothing untoward on Sunday morning.

"This is just desperate," the pensioner said.

"This is a quiet area. There would be the odd fight but nothing serious. It is just terrible to wake up to this on your doorstep on Easter morning."

Local politicians representing the south Tyrone constituency condemned the fatal assault.

DUP Assembly member Lord Morrow expressed his concern at the incident saying he was "deeply shocked at the level of viciousness".

UUP MLA Tom Elliott said the attack had left people in fear.

Sinn Fein MP for the area Michelle Gildernew urged anyone with information to bring it forward to the PSNI to "ensure that those responsible for this attack are quickly apprehended and brought before the courts".

Dungannon councillor Vincent Currie said local people were in a "state of disbelief".

"This is an awful tragedy," the SDLP man said.

"People are shocked that something as brutal as this could take place along such a quiet road.

"Families live along either side of this particular stretch and it is not something they are accustomed too.

"Incidents like this have happened in the past in Dungannon but not in this area."

Dungannon Mayor Barry Monteith said Mr Fizpatrick, who had eight siblings, was a "good, hard-working fellow who kept himself to himself".

DUP councillor Harry Greenaway said: "We need more police activity in the area – officers are scarce on the ground."

Mr Greenaway also expressed his concern at a growing drinking culture among groups of young people on the streets at night.