A woman (24) has been arrested in connection with the murder of Donna Cleary in Coolock, Dublin, nearly two years ago.
Gardaí said the woman was arrested shortly before 9am today in Whitehall, Dublin 9, as a result of investigations into the murder of Ms Cleary (22) on March 5th 2006. She is being held at Coolock Garda station.
Witness Rhoda Flanagan
Ms Cleary, a mother of one, was killed when a gunman opened fire on a group of people attending a 40th birthday party at the house at Adare Green, Coolock. Some 50 people were celebrating the birthday of Edel Murtagh.
Ms Cleary, of Castlekevin Road, Coolock, died after she was shot in the chest by a gunman who had earlier been refused entry to the party along with other men.
The men shattered the glass doors of the house with rocks and a flower pot after the owner of the house told them they could not come in, an inquest into Ms Cleary's death heard last September.
The men returned in a silver Volvo about 10 minutes later, at about 2.30am, and a gunman emerged from the back of the car and sprayed the house with bullets.
He fired five shots from a Luger pistol, two of which entered the house and one of which fatally wounded Ms Cleary.
"I saw the gunman get out. I could see the barrel of the gun. It was long and black. He was pointing it towards the house. I heard a bang and a shot. Every time he shot he moved his hands. After the third shot I was pushed to the ground," the owner of the house Rhoda Flanagan told the inquest.
Ms Cleary was found slumped across the kitchen floor having sustained a bullet wound.
Ms Murtagh told the coroner's court: "Everyone was screaming. I could see her [Donna's] face. It was gaunt. I could see the life leaving her. She was bad. Her eyes were fixated," she said.
Ms Cleary was taken to Beaumont Hospital but died a short time later.
The inquest jury returned a unanimous verdict of death by unlawful killing under the direction of the coroner, Dr Brian Farrell.
No criminal charges have been brought in relation to Ms Cleary's death. The primary suspect, Dwayne Foster (24), died of a methadone overdose in Garda custody two days later.
Files were sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to three other suspects, but the DPP directed that no other criminal charges be brought.