GARDAÍ INVESTIGATING the murder of a man whose remains were found in the boot of his own car have arrested three people for questioning.
The three, two women and a man, were arrested at different locations in Navan, Co Meath, yesterday evening by local gardaí. The man being questioned is the chief suspect for the stabbing murder.
Gardaí have sealed off an apartment at the Blackcastle shopping centre in Navan town where they believe the dead man, David Sharkey, was stabbed to death in a drug-related row on Sunday some time after 8pm.
The remains of the 28-year-old from the Claremont estate, Navan, were then put into the boot of his own silver BMW 3 series and driven by the killer to Finglas.
As the suspect drove up Dunsink Lane at 10pm on Sunday, he was flagged down by a Garda patrol car passing in the opposite direction and questioned briefly about his movements.
He was allowed continue but the gardaí decided to turn around their car and follow the BMW. As they began following, the car turned into St Joseph’s Park halting site just off Dunsink Lane.
The driver crashed into a wall and fled on foot across waste ground. When gardaí searched the vehicle they found Mr Sharkey’s remains in the boot. He had sustained three stab wounds to the chest and stab wounds to his arms.
Gardaí believe he struggled with his killer and that wounds on his hands were sustained as he tried to protect himself. Mr Sharkey, whose brother Simon (18) was stabbed to death at a house party in Navan four years ago, was a drug dealer. Gardaí believe his murder was drug-related. The three people under arrest were known to Mr Sharkey. All are in their 20s.
Gardaí arrested a woman at the apartment in Blackcastle. The property will undergo an examination by members of the Garda Technical Bureau today. A man and women were later arrested in a car in Navan town. They are being held at Garda stations in Navan, Kells and Trim.
Gardaí believe the man driving Mr Sharkey’s remains around was about to dump the body off Dunsink Lane when he unexpectedly came across the Garda patrol car and panicked.
Detectives are hopeful fingerprint and DNA evidence gathered from the vehicle might help them identify the driver. The gardaí in the patrol car should also be able to identify the suspect.
Officers want to speak to anybody who may have seen the silver BMW 3 series, registration 04 D 15553, on Sunday in Navan or Finglas.