Gardaí hunt for man carrying TV in murder probe

GARDAÍ have released further information about a man they wish to speak to in connection with the murder of a 62-year-old retired barman.

Donal Manley was murdered in his home at High Street, Cork, between lunchtime last Friday and 8.30pm on Sunday. Gardaí believe a small flat-screen television was taken from his home by his attacker.

Several eyewitnesses have reported seeing a man carrying a flat-screen television under a black umbrella near Mr Manley’s home.

Superintendent Michael Finn, who is leading the Garda investigation, said the man was seen in the High Street area at around 5.30pm last Friday.

He said the man walked down Douglas Road, past St Finbarr’s Hospital and past Bellair, near the former Nemo Rangers grounds.

“People have told us that at times he was trying to flag down a taxi. We would be very interested in hearing from any taxi driver who might have picked up the man,” Supt Finn said.

Gardaí have not ruled out the possibility that the man, who was wearing a red jacket, might have dumped the television and the umbrella over a garden wall.

Supt Finn said he was appealing to householders in the areas to check their property for such items and if found to immediately contact gardaí.

“There was a lot of traffic in the area at the time and it is very likely that a lot of people saw this man. Some people have already come forward to tell us and we would like to hear from others,” he said.

Garda forensic experts are continuing to examine Mr Manley’s two-storey terraced home in an effort to find clues to the identity of the killer. They are also trawling through CCTV footage in the hope of getting a clearer picture of what the man seen carrying the television looked like.

Supt Finn said the man was over average build and height and may have been wearing jeans or light-coloured pants.

There were no signs of a break-in at Mr Manley’s home and gardaí have not ruled out the possibility that his killer was known to him.

A postmortem showed he had serious head injuries and died a violent death.

Anybody with information about the murder, no matter how significant they may think it is, should contact Anglesea Street Garda Station at [phone].