Two Irishmen wanted in connection with the murder of a young father of one in Cork have been arrested by US immigration officials in Boston where they had been working illegally.
The two men - who are both in their 20s and from the Gurranabraher area of Cork city - left Ireland shortly after they were arrested and questioned about the murder of 20-year-old John Butler in October 2002.
Mr Butler, from Knocknaheeny Avenue, Cork, was shot as he walked home with his girlfriend, Ms Rachel Thornhill, along Gurranabraher Road towards Cathedral Road in Cork city in the early hours of October 7th, 2002.
Mr Butler was rushed by ambulance to Cork University Hospital where he died just minutes after being admitted.
Gardaí believe that the killing, which happened at 1.05 a.m., was linked to a row between Mr Butler and three men in a chip shop in nearby Blarney Street earlier that night.
They arrested a total of seven people for questioning about the killing in late 2002 and early 2003, but two of the suspects left the country shortly after being released without charge and went to Boston where they were recently arrested by immigration officials.
Gardaí were aware that the two were in the US and they have been in touch with the US authorities about the two men.
It is understood that they may wait for them to be deported for breaches of immigration laws rather than seeking to have them extradited. It is expected that the two will be returned to Ireland within a number of weeks, whereupon it will open to the gardaí to decide whether or not to bring charges against them over Mr Butler's murder.
Gardaí have already successfully prosecuted one man involved in the fatal incident when they secured a conviction in May 2004 against Thomas Morey, who pleaded guilty to conspiring to assault Mr Butler on the night in question.
Det Sgt Cahill told the court that the State accepted that Morey conspired to assault Mr Butler, but knew nothing about the gun until it was produced and used by one of the other men who shot Mr Butler.
Judge Patrick Moran sentenced Morey to nine months for conspiring to assault Mr Butler.
