Garda house raids linked to Donohoe murder investigation

Gardaí investigating the murder of Det Garda Adrian Donohoe have searched a number of private houses not far from the scene of the killing on the Cooley peninsula in Co Louth. The properties, in the Carlingford area, were raided yesterday morning.

The operation targeted people gardaí believe are linked to some of the gang members behind the botched armed raid on Lordship Credit Union, in which the 41-year-old father of two was shot dead.

The raids yesterday followed a number of searches by the PSNI in south Armagh last month.

Gardaí believe the five-person gang at the scene of the murder on the night of January 25th are from the area of south Armagh and just south of the Border in Co Louth. The main suspects are from north of the Border.

There were no arrests yesterday and it is not believed any evidence of significance was recovered, though gardaí have repeatedly said the investigation is likely to be a protracted one.

Det Garda Donohoe was shot in the head the moment he stepped from his vehicle to check on the occupants of another car that had just pulled across the entrance of the credit union car park. He had just pulled in with his partner to provide an armed escort for credit union staff bringing cash from Lordship into a night safe in Dundalk.

Gardaí believe the gang behind the attack, all in their 20s, then sped across the Border in their stolen dark blue VW Passat, which was found on fire at Fews Forest outside Newtownhamilton. A chief suspect in the crime has in recent weeks travelled to the US.