Gardaí investigating the murder of a man in Co Cork last week have contacted police in the UK as they believe a suspect they are keen to speak to about the killing has fled the State.
Following the fatal stabbing of Conor Quinn (24) in Mallow town centre last Thursday evening, gardaí appealed to a local man (21) to contact them.
Officers made contact with people close to the man in the hope that he would present himself for questioning but this did not happen.They believe he panicked and, with assistance, fled to the UK.
Gardaí were on alert at airports and ports but now believe the young man was smuggled out in the back of a van that went on a ferry to the UK. They are now liaising through Interpol with British police in an attempt to locate him.
Mr Quinn had been at Cahirmee Horse Fair in Buttevant earlier on the day of his death. CCTV footage from premises around Mallow and footage from some dashcams from the area has assisted the investigation.
Garda sources have confirmed that they have secured footage of the fatal assault where Mr Quinn pulls up on a car on Bridge Street and gets out and approaches the suspect and a brief exchange takes place before Mr Quinn is stabbed and the suspect flees on foot.
Garda sources also revealed they have secured footage of Mr Quinn then flagging down an ambulance which was driving along Bridge Street and taking off his shirt to show ambulance crew where he had been stabbed in the side before collapsing on the ground.
Mr Quinn was rushed to Cork University Hospital but he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. A post-mortem by Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster revealed he had died from a single stab wound to the abdomen.
Gardaí say they are investigating all the circumstances surrounding the fatal stabbing of Mr Quinn including a possible link to a row earlier in the day amid suggestions Mr Quinn may have been seeking to meet the suspect.
It is understood CCTV footage from around Mallow town earlier on July 12th shows Mr Quinn being driven around in a car and emerging at various stages carrying a bar or bat and they are trying to establish if this was linked to the earlier row and Mr Quinn’s subsequent stabbing.
A native of Loughrea in Co Galway, Mr Quinn had grown up and gone to school in Tipperary Town and his remains will lie in repose in Whelan’s Funeral Home on the Bansha Road on Wednesday evening before being removed to St Michael’s Church for requiem mass at 10.30am on Thursday.
More recently resident in Killavullen in North Cork, Mr Quinn, who is survived by his parents, Paul and Teresa, his brother Anthony, his sister Sinead and his partner Stephanie, will be buried in St Michael's Cemetery in Tipperary Town following requiem mass.
