Gardai investigating the murder of the south Dublin teenager, Ms Raonaid Murray, were yesterday still searching for the large knife used by her murderer.
A team of 20 search specialists were checking the hedgerows and waste grounds in the laneways around Glenageary, Dun Laoghaire and Glasthule for the knife which gardai said was probably similar to a large carving knife used in abattoirs or for catering.
Ms Murray (17) was stabbed at least four times in a savage and apparently premeditated attack. She managed to stagger about 100 yards from the scene of her attack before collapsing near her home in Silchester Park.
Detectives investigating the murder are deeply concerned at the nature of the attack and by the possibility that they might be seeking someone who is a very grave danger to young women and who may strike again.
There was no attempt to rob Ms Murray or to assault her sexually. After stabbing her repeatedly the murderer appears to have walked away, leaving her to die.
A team of 50 detectives have assembled a large amount of statement evidence from Ms Murray's wide circle of friends and from witnesses who knew her to see or saw her last Friday evening.
Gardai have also questioned all taxi drivers known to have been operating in the Dun Laoghaire area in an effort to determine whether she hailed a cab to take her home from the centre of Dun Laoghaire.
None of the drivers contacted has any recollection of seeing Ms Murray or giving her a lift.
There is uncertainty over which route she took from Scotts pub in the centre of Dun Laoghaire to her home in Glenageary.