Gardai examine material from coffin

Material taken from the coffin of murdered Dubliner Rachel O'Reilly was being examined by Garda forensic experts yesterday.

Gardaí declined to comment on reports that a note written by the woman's suspected killer had been found with her body on its exhumation on Tuesday.

However, it is understood some material was recovered during the exhumation by the Garda Technical Bureau, who examined the findings yesterday with detectives.

Mrs O'Reilly's remains were exhumed during an early morning operation by Garda technical experts five months after she was beaten to death at her home in Naul, Co Dublin.

Gardaí refused to be drawn on whether they were close to making a fresh arrest.

"The investigation is ongoing," said a Garda spokeswoman. "We are not going into specifics."

Three people, including the chief suspect, his male colleague and a female friend were arrested and questioned by gardaí last December but were released without charge.

No further arrests have been made and no charges have been brought.

However, detectives were said to be confident of completing a file on the case shortly for the DPP. Tuesday's exhumation followed a report to gardaí that material which could implicate someone in the murder had been placed in Mrs O'Reilly coffin before it was buried.

Also on Tuesday, the inquest into Mrs O'Reilly's murder was adjourned after hearing that the 30-year-old mother of two died after sustaining severe head injuries.