Gardai were no wiser about the whereabouts of Mr Stephen Byrne and his two children last night, a day after his wife, Maeve, was found dead in the couple's home outside Cuffesgrange in Co Kilkenny. Mrs Byrne (37) had been stabbed with a knife.
Yesterday gardai received several reports of sightings of the white Ford Escort hatchback which is missing from the family's home at Coolapoge, but these were ruled out following local investigations. The car in question has the registration number 94-WX-2953.
The family was last seen on Monday when Mr Byrne (41) attended his work at a water treatment plant while Mrs Byrne brought the two boys, Alan (10) and Shane (6), to school in Kilkenny. Mrs Byrne's body was found at about 3.10 p.m. on Wednesday, after a relative had contacted gardai on getting no response from the house.
"It's still difficult to estimate the time of death," said Supt Kevin Donohoe, who is leading the investigation. "It's somewhere between lunchtime on Monday and lunchtime on Wednesday." He said gardai did not know why or when Mr Byrne and the children had left the house.
"A man and two children are at large and haven't called their families or been seen since Monday," he said. Supt Donohoe pointed out that Mr Byrne had always kept in close contact with his father. "We are very concerned about them for their safety and that's why we called in Interpol, in case they have left the country. We have to keep all options open."
It is understood Mr Byrne had previously spent some time in England. Asked if it was likely that he had gone there, Supt Donohoe said he could not say. "We cannot surmise anything," he said.
The superintendent said there were no visible signs of a break-in but that could not be fully confirmed until the Garda Technical Bureau had concluded its work.
The bureau was going through the interior of the house yesterday while a division search team was combing the garden and undergrowth.
Supt Donohoe said they were searching for the murder weapon and for other trace evidence. "For operational purposes, I cannot say whether she had one or more injuries," Supt Donohoe said. Last night the Garda Air Support Unit was continuing to help the investigation.
Supt Donohoe again urged people to search their property for signs of anything suspicious.
