GARDAI have eliminated from their inquiries a red car seen parked near where Ms Sophie Toscan de Plantier went walking at Barleycove in west Cork before her murder on December 23rd. The car was seen pulling away from the location where the 38 year old French woman had parked her rented Ford Fiesta.
However, following the public response to a reconstruction of her last movements in west Cork, on the RTE television programme Crimeline last night, gardai said the car had been eliminated from their inquiries.
They renewed their appeal to the person who recently telephoned Bandon Garda station about the murder to make contact again.
"The call was cut short, but the caller indicated that there would be a follow through in a matter of days. That has not happened," said a spokesman.
Detectives have interviewed everyone in the remote area near Schull where Ms du Plantier had a holiday home, and have appealed for anyone with information to come forward.
The wideranging investigation has included members of the New Age traveller community living in west Cork, as well as neighbours and people who visited the area prior to her murder.
Last night, in an effort to jog people's memories, the Garda RTE programme, Crimeline, reconstructed the events surrounding her death. It is known that Ms du Plantier arrived at Cork Airport on the morning of Friday, December 20th. She travelled to her holiday home overlooking the Fastnet Rock in a hired Ford Fiesta, registration number 96 C 14459. En route, she called to a Texaco filling station at Ballydehob and purchased kindling to make a fire.
Between 3.30p.m. and 4p.m. that day, she visited the Courtyard Bar and Restaurant in Schull before driving home, about three miles outside the town. After a brief telephone discussion with Mrs Josie Helen, the cardtaker of the house, no more was heard from Ms du Plantier that day. On the following day, she went shopping locally for groceries and withdrew money from a cash point. At 4.30 p.m. the same day, she was seen outside her house, and that evening she telephoned her husband in France. He returned her call at 11 p.m. On Sunday, December 22nd, Ms du Plantier was seen walking at the nearby Three Castle Head. She also visited friends in the neighbourhood and arranged to call again.
On Monday morning, at 10 a.m., her battered body was found lying in a laneway, not far from the house. Indoors, there was no sign of a struggle. Two chairs had been pulled up to a radiator, and two wine glasses, one with traces of wine still in it, were found on the mantelpiece and drainer.
Gardai established that the fire had been alight the night before.
Ms du Plantier's attacker had beaten her about the head with a blunt instrument, and it is suspected that a heavy object, such as a brick, may have been dropped on her head. There were also signs of blood on the wrought iron gate at the entrance to her driveway. When found, the dead woman was wearing a nightshirt and boots.
Gardai say that they have been making good progress in the investigation but stress that this is a "long haul" process.