A 26-year-old man was still being questioned by PSNI detectives last night about the murder of Lauren O’Neill (18) in Bellaghy, Co Derry, on Saturday morning.
Her sister Brenda (21), who was wounded in the incident, remained in a serious condition in hospital last night. A local priest said that Lauren O’Neill was killed trying to protect her sister.
“When Brenda was under attack, Lauren dived in to save her and in the process lost her own life,” said the parish priest of Bellaghy, the Rev Andy Dolan.
The man was arrested within an hour of the shooting. Police sources say they are investigating a “domestic” motive for the murder and wounding. A man and a woman, both aged 28, were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender but were later released unconditionally.
The shooting happened shortly after 10.30am on Saturday at William Court in Bellaghy. Sinn Féin Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness visited the family over the weekend. “This family is clearly deeply shocked and traumatised by what has happened,” he said.
