Joanne Lee
Joanne Lee, 38, from Dublin, was reported missing on Tuesday (13 February) before her body was found in a wardrobe. Joanne Lee / Facebook

Police have discovered the body of a missing woman in a wardrobe in a house where a man jumped out of the window and injured himself.

Irish police the Gardai launched an appeal to find missing Joanne Lee, from Dublin, Ireland, with the help of her family just 24 hours ago after she was last seen on Tuesday (13 February).

But, in what is described as a "nightmare" for her family, police discovered the 38-year-old's body in inside a wardrobe in a property on Ranelagh Road, in the south of the city.

At the address where the body was found, a man leapt out of a third-storey window causing himself serious leg injuries during the police search of the house.

Gardai say that they are treating Lee's death as suspicious and are believed to have forced their way into the building after they heard noises inside at around 3pm on Thursday (15 February).

After officers forced their way inside they discovered her remains while the man was taken to the nearby St Vincent's Hospital. The Irish Mirror reported the body remains at the scene, which has been sealed off for technical examination.

Speaking outside the crime scene, Lee's uncle, John Curry, told the Irish Sun that the family was "devastated" and that she had "never been in trouble in her life"

"I'm so upset, just can't speak. Just devastated, the whole family is taken apart. The soul is taken out of us. You just don't know what came out of this or why this happened," Curry said.

"All I can say is why, why, why, why? This is a beautiful girl, so young and so pretty, away from us all. Just devastated.

"She'd been missing for a couple of days. We had a feeling something was up. We couldn't put it together and we were searching everywhere."

Independent Dublin city councillor Ruairi McGinley said following the discovery that: "It's your worst nightmare."

In a statement, a garda spokesman said: "The body was discovered at approximately 3.45pm this afternoon, Thursday 15 February 2018.

"The body remains at the scene and the area has been sealed off for technical examination. The office of the State Pathologist has been notified."

An appeal has been issued for anyone with information to contact gardai on 1800-666-111.