Connor Rafferty, 19, of Clondalkin, and Anthony Delappe, 18, also of Clondalkin, were both charged at Ballyfermot Garda Station in Dublin last night, April 25, with the murder of Croatian national Josip Strok.
Rafferty and Delappe have also been charged with the assault of Strok's friend and fellow Croatian national David Druzenic, 28, who suffered severe injuries during the attack on Saturday night, March 30.
Rafferty, Delappe, and a third person were arrested on Thursday morning, An Garda Síochána said in a statement on Thursday. The third person was released without charge on Friday.
Both Rafferty and Delappe appeared before Judge Máire Conneely at Blanchardstown District Court to be charged with the murder of Strok and the assault of Druzenic on Friday.
Blanchardstown District Court heard that neither Rafferty nor Delappe gave any response when charged.
Both men have been remanded in custody to appear before Cloverhill District Court on May 2.
Judge Conneely has granted free legal aid to both of the accused.
Solicitors representing both men indicated that their clients intend to apply for bail on the assault charge when their case resumes at Cloverhill District Court on May 2.
The District Court does not have jurisdiction to consider bail on murder charges, which require applications in the High Court.
Neither of the accused have indicated how they will plead, according to RTÉ News.
Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecutions granted gardaí a minor amendment, changing the date of the murder offense from March 30 to April 3.
On Sunday, March 31, An Garda Síochána issued a witness appeal in relation to the serious assault that took place at Grange View Way in Clondalkin on Saturday night, March 30.
Gardaí said at the time that two males - later named as Strok and Druzenic - were assaulted at approximately 10:15 pm outside a residential premises in the Grange View Way area.
Druzenic received medical treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. Strok was taken to Tallaght Hospital where he was pronounced dead on April 3 after being on life support.
Speaking with RTÉ's Prime Time last week, more than three weeks after the traumatic attack, Druzinec said he and his childhood friend Strok had been working in Ireland for a number of years, mainly in agriculture.
On the evening of March 30, after spending the day together in Dublin City, the two men took the number 13 bus to Clondalkin where Druzinec had recently moved and made a stop at Tesco.
"I was speaking with Josip about what we will buy, what we will do tomorrow," Druzinec said.
"And then they [the attackers] started like, 'Speak bloody Irish. You disrespect our country, you bloody immigrants, things like that."
Druzinec said he and Strok did not engage. They left Tesco, taking another number 13 bus toward Druzinec's apartment.
Gardaí believe it was from there that Druzinec and Strok were followed. They were attacked at Grange View Road after they got off the bus around 10 pm.
Druzinec said he was hit from behind with something like a baseball bat and fell down unconscious.
When he came to a few minutes later, he saw the Strok still being attacked. Druzinec said he went to try to help Strok, but was hit four more times. The last thing he remembers is seeing lights from the ambulance; he woke up in the hospital the next day.
Druzinec endured fractures to his skull as well as injuries to his nose and ribs. He said doctors told him they were surprised he survived.
@rtenews A Croatian man whose friend was killed when they were both assaulted in Dublin three weeks ago, says he believes they were attacked because they were not speaking English. In his only interview with Irish media, David Druzinec told Prime Time how a group of young Irish males approached him and Josip Strok in a shop in Clondalkin. Mr Druzinec says the attack left him with seven bone fractures "through the skull, also in the nose, eyebrows and the ribs." #rtenews #primetime #dublin #croatia ♬ original sound - RTÉ News
Comments