THE family of a Co Limerick farmer and livestock dealer, John Cusack (56), who was found shot dead outside his home at Murroe last September, yesterday offered a reward of £10,000 for information leading to the conviction of his killer.
The family said they were not wealthy and were going to raise the reward money by selling their father's farm.
A murder investigation has been taking place, headed by Supt Michael O'Keeffe of Bruff Garda Station, but the family say that "the gardai cannot do anything without the aid of the public".
A statement issued at a press conference yesterday on behalf of the family by a solicitor, Mr Daniel O'Gorman, said the tide might now be turning against criminals. "The family want to try and tap into that feeling of outrage by asking people to come forward now to help put this family at peace and the perpetrators to justice."
The statement pointed out that this was not a Garda appeal, "but an appeal by a family to a member of another family to come forward. The hurt done to the deceased is only a fraction of the hurt that has been caused and is continuing to be caused".
It added that this hurt had been going on for many months and "the lives of more than John Cusack have been affected. As always, the innocent suffer".
They explained they were offering the reward with a view to seeing if any further progress could be made, and as an additional help to the gardai, who had been painstaking in their inquiries".
John Cusack had seven adult children and was separated from his wife. He was last seen by one of his daughters at 8.30 p.m. on September 23rd last.
Yesterday's statement said Cusack had not indicated to his daughter that he was doing anything particular that night, and at the time he was dressed in his old clothes. It said he used to go for a drink to the local pub and he would not have dressed up for that. He did not mention to anyone that he was going out anywhere. He lived alone at the family farm, where his body was discovered by the local postman the following morning.
One of his daughters, Eilish (24), said yesterday. "It has been very difficult over those months and we hope something may turn up."
Information in relation to the killing may be given to Supt O'Keeffe at Bruff Garda Station (telephone 061-382103) or to the Garda confidential line (Freephone 1800-666111).
The statement concluded. "If ordinary decent hardworking people, farmers or otherwise, can be murdered for no motive, then it puts everyone in our society at risk and is, indeed, an indictment of that society."