The Herald says it was a "genuine mistake" that an ad for wardrobe specials appeared underneath a story about the murder of Joanne Lee in Dublin.
The body of the 38-year-old woman was found in a wardrobe in an apartment on the Ranelagh Road last week.
In a statement the paper said that the ad space is left vacant until the end of the production process.
It added that it should be checked to avoid any possible insensitivity or offence but it did not happen on this occasion.
The paper has apologised to the Lee family, some of whom contacted the paper.
Their statement read: "In yesterday's Herald an unfortunate advertisement appeared beneath a story about the killing of Dublin woman Joanne Lee.
"This was a genuine mistake on our part in which the space is left vacant for a named advertisement and then the advert is placed at the end of the production process. This should of course be then checked to avoid any possible insensitivity or offence but this did not happen on this occasion, much to our regret.
"We would again apologise to the Lee family, some of whom contacted the paper, as well as our readers and the advertiser involved."