IS THIS THE MAN WHO STABBED TEENAGER RAONAID TO DEATH?; Photofit clue in hunt for murderer.
THIS is the face of the chief suspect in the brutal murder of teenager Raonaid Murray.Gardai compiled the photofit image after speaking to a taxi driver who picked up the man shortly after the time of the horrific attack and noticed blood on his clothes.
They now want to trace the suspect who claimed he spent all night at Scruples disco in Dun Laoghaire last Saturday morning.
The man, who is believed to be in his mid-20s, flagged down the cab on Georges Street at 1.30am, just minutes from the quiet lane where Raonaid's body was found.
Garda sources said the suspect, who has short dark hair and was wearing blood-stained light-brown trousers, had first asked to be taken to a house at the Avondale estate in the plush suburb of Blackrock.
However, when he arrived, he changed his mind and asked to be driven to the nearby Granville estate.Detectives believe he never entered the second home after he got out of the taxi.
The man paid the driver, but although he walked up the driveway, he did not enter the house and may have hid until the taxi left.
"This is most bizarre behaviour to say the least," a Garda source said last night.
"The taxi driver said the man was acting very strangely although there was no smell of drink off him whatsoever.
"When he got in first he said he had been to Scruples nightclub. But we have nothing to confirm that.
"The taxi driver said he was acting very strangely and had blood on his clothing.
"He thought it very unusual, but obviously never bothered reporting his suspicions until he heard that a girl had been murdered.
"At this stage this man is our chief suspect in the attack.
"If he is not responsible, hopefully he will come forward and we will be able to eliminate him from our inquiries."
Gardai last night said they had interviewed the owners of both houses who knew nothing about the man.
Both have told officers that nobody matching the man's description had entered their homes at the time in question.
Meanwhile, the knife used to kill Raonaid has still not been found despite the efforts of a team of search specialists.
Gardai are also investigating a box found in the area by a bin man days after the murder.
The box, which contained a pair of scissors and a packet of toilet roll, was being analysed for clues by forensic experts yesterday.
However, detectives say it is more likely that a large catering knife may have been the weapon used.
Restaurant and bar workers in the area were being questioned yesterday to see if the photofit jogs any memories.
The team of 50 detectives, being led by Chief Supt Pat Culhane, have questioned all of Raonaid's wide circle of friends.
They have also interviewed anyone who may have seen her last Friday when she left her part-time job at the Sally West Boutique in George's Street in Dun Laoghaire.
Student Raonaid, who was planning to re-sit her Leaving Cert, left work in the clothing store and joined a pal for a drink at Scotts before walking home.
The 17-year-old was knifed four times in neck and made a desperate bid to crawl home after the brutal stabbing. But she was found just yards from her house in Glenageary.
Raonaid was buried on Tuesday amid emotional scenes at St Joseph's Church in Glasthule, where her distraught brother Daniel paid tribute to his "beautiful little sister".
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| Author: | Tallant, Nicola |
|---|---|
| Publication: | The Mirror (London, England) |
| Date: | Sep 11, 1999 |
| Words: | 588 |
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