The man who gardaí believe killed missing Wexford woman Fiona Sinnott (19) was released from custody without charge last night, but detectives believe they have made sufficient progress to bring a charge against him soon.
The man, who is in his 30s and is from Wexford, was arrested just before 7am yesterday. His arrest followed the detention of five other people since Wednesday, all of whom are the suspect's family members or people close to him.
Garda sources last night said a number of statements had been made by the group over the last three days, and that these would be reviewed before the case proceeded to the next stage.
A woman known to the suspect gave vital information to gardaí around six weeks ago which was not given at the time of the initial investigation in February 1998 when Ms Sinnott first went missing.
Detectives from the Wexford area and members of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation believe this information has brought them close to solving the case. Further arrests have not been ruled out.
Gardaí also expect to be in a position soon to begin searching for the remains of the missing 19-year-old mother of one.
Three people arrested on Thursday, a man and woman in their 30s and a woman in her 50s, were also released without charge last night. They had been detained at New Ross and Enniscorthy Garda stations. They were detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act on suspicion of withholding information.
A man and woman in their 30s arrested in Wexford on Wednesday were released on Thursday. They were also questioned about withholding information.
However the chief suspect was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, meaning he was questioned in direct connection with Ms Sinnott's disappearance and presumed murder.
Ms Sinnott was originally from Bridgetown, Co Wexford. She was last seen at Butler's bar in Broadway near Rosslare at closing time on Sunday, February 8th, 1998.
She left the pub with her former partner, Seán Carroll. He was the father of Ms Sinnott's daughter Emma, who was 11 months old when her mother went missing.
Mr Carroll told gardaí at the time that he had spent the night in Ms Sinnott's cottage in Ballycushlane, Co Wexford. He said when he left the next morning she was still at the house. She has not been seen since.
