Gardaí believe the person who killed Dundalk mother of three Irene White in her kitchen on Wednesday morning was carrying the knife used to inflict the fatal stab wounds.
A postmortem by the State Pathologist found the 43-year-old from Demesne Street, Dundalk, died from "multiple" stab wounds to her upper body.
The victim's mother, Mrs Maureen McBride (70), discovered the body lying in a pool of blood in the kitchen where it seems she had been washing the dishes after dropping her children to school.
Dundalk Garda Supt Pat Magee confirmed yesterday there was no sign of a break-in and said robbery did not appear to be a motive. Gardaí have set up an incident room in the Garda station and intensified their investigation yesterday with calls to all houses in Demesne Street and neighbouring streets and estates in an effort to find the killer.
They also renewed their appeal for anyone with information to come forward.
"We know she dropped her children to school and spent some time speaking to another woman at 9.30am on Wednesday and was home some time before 10am.
"We now want to speak to anyone who saw anything suspicious after 9.30am on Wednesday in the area of Demesne Street, MacSwiney Street, O'Hanlon Park and Ice House Hill to contact us," a spokesman said.
Garda scenes of crime and forensic experts continued to search through the detached two-storey house on the Demesne Road that she shared with her three daughters, Jennifer (17), Dairíne, aged six, and Damhan, aged four, yesterday.
Her mother, who was very badly affected by the death of her husband from cancer a number of years ago, had been living in a mobile home at the very end of the garden at the back of the house.
Gardaí say it was separated from the house by a hedge and would not have been visible from the kitchen window.
They also sealed off all entrances to Ice House Hill, a public park beside the house, and cut down bushes and shrubs to carry out a thorough search of the park closest to the house.
The postmortem indicated that the wounds were caused by a knife and there did not appear to be any items missing from the house. Sources said they suspected the killer had a knife on him or her and could not rule out the possibility that the killer knew the dead woman.
Gardaí are hoping that the forensic examination of the body and house may produce a breakthrough and give them a motive for the killing.
"This was a vicious and brutal killing of a young mother of three. We are following a number of lines of inquiry and over the next couple of days we hope they focus in on a particular area," Supt Magee said.
Meanwhile, in her home village of Omeath on the Cooley peninsula, there was great shock and distress at the violent death of such a popular woman.
Locals also confirmed that it was not the first time tragedy had struck the family. In 1963, her seven-year-old brother Michael was killed when he was knocked down by a car as he crossed the road between Omeath national school and the family home.
A close family friend said she was a light for everyone and that she was a lovely, bubbly and a very bright person. "That is how we will remember her. We are just devastated."
Distant relative and local councillor Peter Savage described her as a "bright and quick-witted woman. She was a very community-spirited person and was involved in the Omeath Development Association. She was caring as well."
