:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/VT7YI7PB7L3NKFLW7QPLOYX6SI.jpg)
A man arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of murdering Ashling Murphy in Co Offaly must be charged or released by Wednesday evening, when his detention is due to expire.
The suspect (31) is being questioned by detectives at Tullamore Garda station.
He was taken there after being arrested in Dublin late on Tuesday morning following his discharge from hospital and as Ms Murphy’s funeral was under way.
The 23-year-old teacher was attacked while jogging on the Grand Canal tow path at Cappincur just outside Tullamore last Wednesday at 4pm.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/RYHN4KAVUAUU3SU7BGQRF4DASM.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/NGMPP6RRTVZL7GJ3M2EV3BXZD4.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/7CL4NOIBREGFJYNYGAS5QAXLJE.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVM4ZUGMGGIP5WNLXAL4Z7P6H4.jpg)
Evidence gathered since then, including CCTV footage from Tullamore on the day of the murder, was being put to the suspect on Tuesday night.
The man, whose partner and young children live in the Midlands, was also being questioned about his movements last Wednesday. A sample of his DNA was being cross-checked with DNA taken from the crime scene, a mountain bike believed to have been discarded by the killer and Ms Murphy’s clothes and remains.
Gardaí have been waiting to speak to the suspect since last Thursday when he presented to a Dublin hospital with serious wounds. Medical staff were suspicious about his injuries and contacted gardaí. Since then, a house in south Dublin and another in Co Offaly, as well as two cars also linked to the man, have been searched and forensically examined.
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/564969e4-d81d-474d-b348-d41dfe1aeced.png)