Gardaí investigating the murder of Swiss student Manuela Riedo in Galway last week believe she was assaulted and killed on her way into the city centre from Renmore in the early evening.
Witness statements suggesting that she was seen near the city centre area late on the night that she went missing, Monday, October 8th, have been checked out by gardaí.
However, the sightings are believed to be cases of mistaken identity, Supt Tom Curley, who is heading the investigation, told The Irish Times. "We are confident from evidence we have so far that she went missing on her way into town," Supt Curley said. Ms Riedo (17), who left her host family before 7.30pm to attend a meeting with fellow students in town at 8pm, has not been recorded on any CCTV footage examined to date from various locations in the station and city centre area.
No one has been arrested since Ms Riedo's body was found on an embankment below the "military walk" between Renmore and Ceannt station in Galway early on October 9th.
Gardaí are still seeking witnesses who used the walkway between Renmore and Ceannt station the previous evening between a "critical time period" of 7.15pm and 8pm to contact them.
A reconstruction of the crime is being filmed for RTÉ's CrimeCalltelevision programme.
Mayor of Galway Tom Costello, city manager Joe McGrath and Garda liaison officers are to fly to Switzerland today for the funeral of Ms Riedo tomorrow near her home in the Bern suburb of Hinterkappeln.
The directors of Galway's three language schools are also attending. Beverly Bazler, director of the Galway Language Centre where Ms Riedo had been enrolled to study, is bringing books of condolence, along with several hundred Mass cards left into the centre by people from Galway. A spokesman for the Galway Language Centre said Ms Bazler hoped to meet Ms Riedo's parents.
Ms Riedo's host family in Renmore, Galway city councillors, students and members of the public are due to attend a special service for Ms Riedo in Renmore parish church tonight at 7.30pm.
