Posted by Gardai carry out searches in Tullamore and Dublin in hunt for Ashling Murphy’s killer
16th January 2022
Gardaí have carried out searches in Tullamore and Dublin as the hunt for Ashling Murphy’s killer continues.
The shocking murder of the a 23-year-old primary school teacher who was murdered while jogging on the Grand Canal in Tullamore has triggered an unprecedented response across the country.
A team of 50 Gardai are working on the case which is following a number of lines of enquiry.
Detectives are waiting to speak to a person of interest who is in hospital at the moment.
Another focus of the investigation is a possible link Ms Murphy’s murder and an incident reported after the murder by another woman.
The woman came forward after Gardai had made an appeal for information
RTE reports she told detectives that two hours before the murder of Ashling Murphy, she believes she was followed by a man on a bicycle along the same pathway along the Grand Canal at Cappincur.
In addition searches have been carried out in Dublin and Tullamore in properties linked to the new suspect.
On Friday evening more than 100 vigils took place across the country in memory of Ashling
The young woman’s own family visited three of the vigils held in her memory at her school, at the murder scene and at her GAA club where her father played some music.
At the vigil close to the murder scene Ashling’s father Ray Murphy played the banjo for his daughter’s favourite song, Sweet Sixteen.
He broke down in tears as the song finished.
Mr Murphy was joined by his bandmates from Best Foot Forward and local priests Fr Patrick O’Byrne and Fr Declan Thompson led prayers.
Ashling’s mother Kathleen and the couple’s two surviving children, Cathal and Amy, were also there along with Ashling’s boyfriend Ryan and other family members.
As the family, who had linked arms returned from the opposite side of the canal to where Ashling had been killed, locals formed a guard of honour.
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