Published Monday, 28 May 2012
The 21-year-old was an Irish exchange student living in Japan. (© Getty)
Nicola Furlong - a Dublin City University student from Curracloe, who was studying in Japan as part of an exchange programme at the Takasaki City University of Economics - was found dead on the floor of a hotel room, in the early hours of Thursday morning.
She is believed to have been sexually assaulted and strangled.
Nicola will always be at the centre of our lives. She stood for everything that is good in life.
Furlong family
The men arrested are understood to be a 23-year-old high-profile backing dancer and a 19-year-old musician, both from the US.
They're believed to have been arrested on suspicion of indecently assaulting the victim's friend, but are also being questioned about the death as part of the ongoing investigation.
According to reports, the two young women met the men at the concert before going with them to the hotel - where a complaint about noise from another guest at about 3.20am led to an employee finding the body.
Ms Furlong's devastated family paid tribute to her in a statement on Sunday which described her as "a warm, generous, stunning person who always had time for her family and other people".
The 21-year-old had been due home in July.