PSNI believes jacket crucial to Jennifer Dornan murder inquiry

Detectives investigating the murder of a mother of three are searching for a jacket they believe could link the main suspect to the dead woman.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland has appealed to the public for assistance in tracing the garment they believe the murder suspect was wearing at the time of the killing but which remains unaccounted for.

Jennifer Dornan was stabbed to death at her home on the outskirts of Belfast last Sunday week, August 2nd, before the property was set alight, with her remains still inside.

The PSNI believes the arson attack represented a crude attempt by her killer to conceal the murder.

However, a postmortem examination revealed a violent attack claimed her life rather than the fire that engulfed the home the 30-year-old shared with her three children – aged eight, five and three – at Hazel View, Lagmore, Dunmurry.

Ms Dornan had been out socialising with friends on the night of Saturday, August 1st, while her three children were being cared for by grandparents. Her partner was not staying in the house at the time.

It is believed she knew the man the PSNI suspects killed her.

Bomber-style jacket

Det Supt

Kevin Geddes

from the PSNI Serious Crime Branch said the investigation team was keen to find a man’s cream-coloured, bomber- style jacket.

“Our inquiries are continuing and, at this stage, I am keen to locate the cream jacket as we believe it is crucial to our investigation,” he said. “The public have been very helpful to date and we really appreciate the support.

“Now I am appealing to anyone who may see a similar looking jacket discarded anywhere, particularly between Hazel View and Poleglass, or who has any other information to contact us.”

Murder weapon

He confirmed a knife was undergoing forensic examination to determine if it was the murder weapon.

“Jennifer’s death is a tragedy. Three young children have been robbed of their mother and we need the public’s support to ensure we can bring her killer to justice,” Det Sup Geddes added.

The suspect was arrested across the Border in Donegal last Friday evening after a five-day cross-Border manhunt.

Temporary release

With almost 100 convictions, he had been in prison in the Republic when he failed to return from a period of temporary release last April.

The authorities in Northern Ireland are expected to seek his extradition in relation to Ms Dornan's murder.

A man was seen leaving Ms Dornan’s house in the early hours of August 2nd and the PSNI had been seeking him for questioning before the arrest in Donegal last Friday.