Gardaí investigating the 1998 murder of pensioner Eddie Fitzmaurice believe they have vital new information which links suspects in the case to the killing.
Detectives yesterday arrested seven people, all of whom are related, and detained them for questioning at Garda stations in Galway, Ballina, Swinford and Westport.
The arrests followed the receipt by gardaí of a new piece of information on the killing from a member of the public who contacted them after a fresh public appeal on the case in May, the seventh anniversary of the 83-year-old's killing.
The new information links a vehicle owned by a known west of Ireland criminal family to the scene of the crime at Mr Fitzmaurice's shop and home in Bellaghy, Charlestown, on the Sligo-Mayo border, in early May 1998.
The family who own the vehicle have been the chief suspects in the case since the murder.
Three of those arrested yesterday were detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act on suspicion of withholding information.
The other four suspects were detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act for questioning in relation to the murder.
Five of those arrested were released without charge last night.
Garda sources said although charges in the case were not expected immediately, they were satisfied the information they have received about the suspects' vehicle has strengthened their investigation.
A file is being prepared for the DPP.
Mr Fitzmaurice died of hypothermia after he was robbed, assaulted, gagged and tied to a chair in the bedroom of his house. He was a widowed father of four who lived alone over his drapery shop. It was five days before his body was found by a neighbour.
A reward of €12,000 was offered by local businesses who linked up with Crimestoppers, the Garda organisation funded by the Department of Justice and the private sector, to try and find those responsible for the murder.
Over 30 gardaí were assigned to the case but there have been no charges to date. Yesterday's operation involved local gardaí and members of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
