Gardai have issued specific appeals with regard to two murders as a result of the Hutch/Kinahan feud.
They are looking for detailed information on the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in February and the shooting of Gareth Hutch in the north inner city last week.
DAVID BYRNE MURDER AT THE REGENCY HOTEL
Crumlin man David Byrne was gunned down on February the 5th when 6 heavily armed people stormed the Regency Hotel on the 5th of February. 2,500 lines of inquiry are being followed,. 1,100 statements have been taking and gardai are looking through CCTV. Eight people have been arrested so far and one person, 24 year old Patrick Hutch of Champions Avenue, has been charged.
Supt Finbarr Murphy from Ballymun Garda Station says they are looking for the public’s help with regard to several elements of the investigation.
FORD TRANSIT VAN: They are looking for information about a silver ford transit van which was found burnt out in the Charlemount Estate just after the Regency shooting. Gardai say they are looking for information about the car prior to the murder. It was seen in Buckingham Street in the north inner city before the murder and gardai are asking anyone with information to contact them. The registration of the van is 03 D 58865. They are also looking to see if anyone saw this van on the day of the shooting at the Regency Hotel . Gardai want to track it’s movements from Buckingham Street to the Regency Hotel in Drumcondra. The van was in the area of Patrick’s College, Church Avenue, Ormond Road and Grace Park Road between 1pm and 2.30pm.
Spt Murphy says ‘We know the van was in the area for up to an hour at that time. It’s a narrow warren of little streets and roads and it may have been that the van blocked someone and someone had to move to let it pass. It may have been parked outside a house or it may have been blocking someone in.’
ST VINCENT’S GAA GROUND IN MARINO: Gardai say after the gang burnt out the van, they ran into the ground of St Vincent’s in Marino and ran to cars that were waiting for them. They are asking anyone who was in the grounds on the 5th of February at around 1pm-2.15pm to contact them.
BOXING WEIGH IN, REGENCY HOTEL: Gardai are looking to speak to anyone who was at the Regency Hotel, who hasn’t spoken to them yet, to come forward. Spt Murphy says; ‘We’ve harvested a significant amount of CCTV. There were a lot of people there. We have spoken to as many people as we can. There are some people who possibly haven’t come forward and have photo footage either on a mobile, laptop or a camera. We are interested in anyone who was at the weigh in or near the Regency. We are looking for a little bit more.’
GARETH HUTCH MURDER AT AVONDALE HOUSE, NORTH CUMBERLAND STREET
Gardai are looking to track the movements of two cars in the days before the murder and the actual day of the murder.
SILVER SKODA OCTAVIA: This car was found burnt out in Finglas at 4.30pm on the day of Gareth Hutch’s murder. Gardai are asking anyone who may have seen the car to come forward. The registration is 05 D 15049.
BLACK BMW: This car was parked in Avondale House on the day Gareth Hutch was murdered. Gardai are asking anyone who may have seen it in the days before the shooting to come forward. The registration is 02 D 39051.
Supt Dan Flavin is heading up the Gareth Hutch murder investigation, the Eddie Hutch shooting and the Michael Barr killing at the Sunset House Pub. He says 500 statements have been taking and 1,800 lines of inquiry are being followed.
Supt Dan Flavin says; ‘I’m confident further charges will be preferred. Our function here is to gather the evidence and give it to the DPP. Gathering that evidence comes from the community and I appeal to them to speak to us. If anyone has footage on their mobile phones or any information they can contact us in confidence. I want to reassure the community that we want to bring the perpetrators of these crime before the courts. We owe it to the community. The level of support we have received demands a response.’
With regard to the other murders of Martin O’Rourke on Sherriff Street and Noel Duggan in Co Meath, gardai say they are following a definite line of inquiry on both. While a man has been charged in relation to the Michael Barr murder at the Sunset House Pub.
Witnesses or anyone who can assist in any of the investigations are asked to contact Mountjoy Garda Station on 01- 6668600, Ballymun Garda Station on 01- 6664400, The Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
