The brother of a key witness in a high-profile murder trial has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a 35-year-old delivery man at a service station near Limerick city this morning.
The incident happened at the Topaz service station on the Ennis Road shortly before 6.30am when the victim, named locally as Daniel Treacy, was having a cup of coffee after making a bread delivery.
It is understood a lone gunman entered the premises before shooting him once in the head.
Gardaí sealed off the service station, which is five kilometres outside of the city. The body was at the scene for several hours while the Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis carried out a preliminary examination. It was removed for a postmortem this afternoon.
A 29-year-old man was arrested within hours of the murder and is being questioned at Mayorstone Garda station under the provisions of Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007. He can be held for up to seven days before being charged or released. It is understood gardaí are seeking a second suspect.
Gardaí tonight said they were seeking a red Toyota Corolla, registration 96 LK 1814. Anyone with information is asked to contact Mayorstone Garda Station on 061-456980, the Garda confidential line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy today described the murder as a “despicable crime” but said he was confident those behind the killing would be brought to justice.
“The reality of life in this country, in certain areas, is that there are people prepared to do this regardless of what legislation is in place,” Mr Murphy said. “What we are doing is to arrest people, search them, bring them to justice and the new gangland type of legislation is being worked on very vigorously by my people. In fact we have three files with the Director of Public Prosecutions."
The victim is a brother of Owen Treacy, who was stabbed 17 times on the night his uncle Kieran Keane was tortured and shot dead by members of the Dundon/McCarthy gang in Co Limerick in January 2002.
Owen Treacy was the chief prosecution witness in the trial of five men who were jailed for life in 2003 after being found guilty of abducting Keane and Owen Treacy, murdering Keane, and attempting to murder Treacy.
Since the case, some of the Treacy family, including Daniel’s father Philly, have had 24-hour protection from armed gardaí.
A younger brother, Richard, was jailed for killing Darren Coughlan near Limerick IT in 2005. Mr Coughlan died from head injuries after being kicked and beaten after being mistaken for another man.
Gardaí said they were keeping an open mind on the motive for today's killing, but senior detectives have linked Mr Treacy’s death to the Coughlan death.
Today’s killing was second gun murder in the State over the past 72 hours and the eighth this year.
Fine Gael justice spokesman Charlie Flanagan warned if the killing rate continued, this would be the “bloodiest” year on record. He called on the Minister for Justice to ensure gardaí have sufficient resources to tackle the “scourge of gangland crime”.
Labour’s Limerick East TD Jan O’Sullivan said there were concerns the murder would reignite retaliation killings among gangs. “I would be fearful that thanks to the crisis in Government finances, the resources that gardaí need, both to keep a lid on the local feud and to get to the bottom of this particular crime, are now under threat.”