GARDAÍ INVESTIGATING the murder of a suspected drug dealer in Carrigaline, Co Cork, last week have begun examining mobile phone records in a bid to see who may have been in contact with him prior to his death.
Detectives believe father of two Darren Falsey (36) was involved in an incident in February which prompted him to move to Britain to live there with his brother. They have begun examining mobile phone records belonging to Mr Falsey during this period and in the weeks prior to his shooting dead at his home at Asbourne Court in Carrigaline last Wednesday.
Gardaí are hoping to see if they can establish any pattern of communication between Mr Falsey and other parties which might assist them in their investigation.
Garda sources have confirmed that Mr Falsey spent several weeks in Britain after the incident in February before returning to Cork in March but he left again and stayed in Britain until May.
It is not clear whether the incident involved men calling to his house or whether threats may have been made by phone and gardaí hope examining the phone records will help them.
Detectives are keeping an open mind on who might be behind the murder and are exploring at least three possible theories as to why he was shot dead at the rented home he shared with his partner and her child. They are looking at whether he may have been shot by the Real IRA who have threatened several drug dealers in Cork in a bid to extort protection money from them while purporting to be tackling the scourge of drug dealing.
They are also looking at whether Mr Falsey may have been shot because of some money he owed to drug suppliers, though it appears he had a reputation for paying his debts and generally was on good terms with his suppliers.
Gardaí are also looking at the possibility that he may have been killed by someone who owed him money, though again he did not have a reputation for threatening and beating up dealers who owed him money. Officers are understood to be somewhat surprised that no one heard any shots being fired at Mr Falsey who was hit at least three times and they are examining whether the gunman may have used a silencer on his 9mm gun.
They are also understood to be puzzled that no car has been found burned out in the Cork area that they can match to the shooting as criminals are keen to destroy any possibility of DNA evidence being found.