Gardaí believe they know who killed 80-year-old Vincent Plunkett in Dublin last week and say that members of the public were involved in a row with the killer hours before the murder and may hold the key to solving the crime.
They believe the man got into a taxi in the city centre with his alleged killer, who was known to him, in the early hours of Sunday, August 13th.
However, a row broke out at the taxi rank on Aston Quay and Mr Plunkett's companion got out of the taxi and verbally threatened a person in the queue. He then got back into the car and he and Mr Plunkett were taken to the pensioner's sheltered accommodation home at Robinson's Court, off Cork Street, in the south inner city.
There was a reported sighting of Mr Plunkett close to his home on the evening of August 13th. However, this has now been discounted and gardaí believe Mr Plunkett was killed early that morning. His body lay on the floor before being discovered by a home help at about noon last Monday. Mr Plunkett had been stabbed a number of times and his throat had been cut.
Gardaí said there were no signs of a break-in at the flat. They learned from neighbours that Mr Plunkett had frequently brought different men back to his flat to stay the night.
The murder investigation now centres on the dead man's movements in the city centre on the night of August 12th and the early hours of August 13th. Gardaí believe that at some point early on Saturday night Mr Plunkett met his killer. Strong evidence has emerged which proves the two men were in each other's company drinking in a number of pubs for at least four hours.
They then decided to leave town some time before 1.30am on Sunday morning. They got into a taxi at Aston Quay when the row took place between 12.30am and 1.30am.
Gardaí are anxious to speak to anybody who was in the Aston Quay rank queue who may have been involved in or witnessed the altercation.
"We are very hopeful that we will get a result but we could not overestimate how important it is for us to talk to anybody who was on the taxi rank," said one senior source. The night in question was the eve of the Mayo versus Laois match at Croke Park.
Mr Plunkett's van was taken from his home after the killing but has since been found in Clondalkin. Gardaí intend to cross-check any DNA or fingerprint evidence found in the vehicle with the chief suspect.
Mr Plunkett was originally from Athlone. He was involved in a high-profile stalking case in the town in the mid-1990s and was convicted in connection with the harassment of a young couple, Brian and Michelle Mullen.
Mr Mullen (24) took his own life a short time after the case during which he told the court Mr Plunkett spread rumours that he, Mr Mullen, was gay, a Garda informer and a drug dealer.
Anybody who was on the Aston Quay taxi rank between 12.30am and 1.30am on Sunday August 13th is asked to call Kevin Street Garda station on (01) 6669400.
