Hyland suspects list is shortened

GARDAÍ further shortened the list of suspects in the murder of Martin “Marlo” Hyland yesterday as the removal of the crime boss took place last night.

Undercover officers monitored those who attended the removal, but paid closer attention to which of Hyland’s associates did not show up.

Detectives have spoken to a large number of Hyland’s gang and known associates.

Hyland, 37, from Cabra, north Dublin, was murdered at his niece’s home in nearby Finglas last Tuesday.

An innocent worker in the house, Anthony Campbell, aged 20, was also shot dead by the assassins, probably to rule him out as a witness.

Gardaí kept watch outside the Church of Christ the King in Cabra yesterday, while undercover officers mingled among the crowd.

Among those who attended the removal was convicted drug trafficker Eugene “Dutchy” Holland, who spent some time with Hyland after his release from jail.

Senior gardaí yesterday indicated they were increasingly hopeful they could solve the double murder.

“We’re happy enough with the progress of the investigation. We believe we could progress this one, we could solve it,” said one.

The investigation team, backed up by a number of specialist units, is talking with all of Hyland’s gang members and associates.

“We’re narrowing the field down. A lot of people are coming forward telling us where they were, to get themselves out of the picture,” said the source.

He added some had not cooperated with inquiries. Detectives had not arrested anyone yet.

As part of their investigation, gardaí hope to talk to one of the country’s biggest drug traffickers, a man from Tallaght, west Dublin, who has been living for some time in Co Kildare.

Gardaí are investigating the theory that Hyland was killed by lieutenants within his own gang, but have not ruled out the possible involvement of a rival gang.

At the removal last night, parish priest Fr Gregory O’Brien repeatedly told mourners in the packed church that while judgement may not come in this life, God would issue judgement.

He expressed his deepest sympathies to Hyland’s family, including parents William and Nellie, his brothers and sisters, his four children and grandchild.

It took at least 15 minutes for most of the mourners to pay their respects to the family after the ceremony, such was the queue.