Major Dublin criminal suspected in fatal shooting

GARDAÍ suspect a major Dublin criminal may be behind the shooting dead of a Drogheda father-of-two on Thursday morning.

Officers investigating the murder of 25-year-old Paul Reay say they cannot rule out the possibility that it could be drug-related.

He was shot dead just after 9am, after leaving the house he shared with his partner and two young sons at Marley’s Lane.

His sister, Emma Jean Reay, 22, was driving the Renault Scenic car and was also shot — she sustained a shoulder injury and is in a serious condition in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.

Mr Reay had been arrested, along with four other men in a raid on a cocaine-making plant in Co Meath last August.

He was charged with having cocaine for sale or supply on August 5 at Mooneystown, Athboy, and charged with unlawful possession of the drug, estimated to be worth in excess of €300,000.

He had been released on bail and the book of evidence was due to be served on all defendants shortly.

Sources were not surprised that someone involved in drug dealing would meet such a death.

“There would be a fairly long list of suspects and we wouldn’t be surprised if this was simply payback time and that he was shot by another dealer,” said one garda

It’s believed that the gunman and getaway driver were in another car, which was waiting at the entrance to the cul de sac that Mr Reay lived in.

As they went to leave the estate, the gunman got out and fired five shots from a semi-automatic pistol.

It’s believed Mr Reay was hit two to three times and was shot in the chest at close range. It’s unclear how many of the other shots hit his sister.

This is the second time one of the Reay family has met a violent death — in January 2000 his father, Edward ‘Nedser’ Reay, was killed by another man who struck him with a piece of timber.

Mr Reay was the father of two young sons, the youngest just a few months old.

“It is very sad for his girlfriend and children,” said one neighbour.

Another man told how he heard shots being fired and women screaming but he did not go and investigate.