GARDAÍ INVESTIGATING the shooting dead of drugs gang leader Eamon Dunne have found a car they believe was used by the killers.
The vehicle was found not far from the scene of Friday’s murder in the Faussagh House pub in Cabra, north Dublin.
The car was not burnt out although an attempt appears to have been made to set it on fire. A glove was found in the vehicle.
Gardaí are now hopeful fingerprint or DNA evidence may be found in the vehicle that could help identify members of the four-man murder gang.
A large team of detectives has been drafted in from across Dublin and specialist Garda units in an effort to solve the murder. A major case conference was held yesterday afternoon at which the recovery of the car and the progress of the investigation were discussed.
The murder, at 10pm last Friday, is regarded by gardaí as one of the most significant gangland killings in recent years.
A post mortem on Dunne by State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy found he had been shot six times in the head and upper body. The killer used a 9mm automatic pistol.
Dunne (34), Dunsoughly Drive, Finglas, was the leader of Dublin’s main drugs gang. He assumed control of the Finglas-based gang when its then leader Martin “Marlo” Hyland was shot dead by the gang in December 2006.
Under Dunne’s leadership, the gang had been linked to 14 murders. Dunne had been warned by gardaí his life was in danger. He often wore a bullet-proof vest.
Garda sources said Friday’s murder could have been a revenge attack for any of the killings to which Dunne was linked.
However, gardaí believe Dunne, a convicted drug dealer, was most likely killed by his own associates because they believed he was attracting too much media and Garda attention to their activities. Sources said he was also regarded by some of his associates as having become a liability in recent months because he had developed a cocaine habit.
Gardaí say the killing was one of the best planned they had seen in recent years. Two gunmen were involved. One shot Dunne as the other stood guard in the packed pub with his gun at the ready to shoot anybody on the premises who tried to stop the attack.
A third masked man stood at the door to prevent anybody entering the pub while the attack took place while a fourth man, the getaway driver, stayed in the getaway vehicle.
Dunne was shot while attending a 40th birthday party. He did not usually drink in the Faussagh House and gardaí believe somebody close to him supplied information of his whereabouts to the killer.
The gunman knew exactly what part of the pub Dunne was in. Gardaí believe the killers may have sent somebody into the pub to confirm for the gunmen exactly where Dunne was sitting so the attack could be carried out very quickly and without warning.
