Probe into drug seizure link to murder
Sean Cloherty, 27, was shot at least five times at his home in Blakestown, west Dublin, on Tuesday evening. It is thought one of his children, a 17-month-old baby girl, was upstairs at the time of the attack, which happened at around 5pm.
His other child, aged 4, and his partner, were not in the house at the time.
It is the 17th gangland-style murder so far this year.
It is not thought there was forced entry into the house. It is understood the alarm was raised by a person who was due to meet Mr Cloherty at his house on Ashcroft Grove at 8pm on Tuesday. He noticed a slumped body in the front room.
The victim, originally from the north inner city, was known to detectives for his suspected involvement in the drugs trade, but he was not considered a major player.
Last August, he was arrested by officers from the Pearse Street Drugs Unit following a small seizure of heroin in the city.
Last January, he was arrested by the same unit in relation to the seizure of 1.5kg of heroin in Balbriggan, north Dublin. The drugs had a street value of €300,000.
Gardaí will investigate whether the loss of those drugs and/or money owed as a result, may be a motive behind the murder.
They are checking intelligence to identify who else may have been involved in the drug shipment.
Mr Cloherty had convictions for public order offences. He was facing a charge of supplying diazepam, a tranquilliser, to a prisoner in Mountjoy Jail during a visit earlier this year. He was due before court next January in relation to that.
Gardaí said Mr Cloherty was found in a downstairs living room. He had been repeatedly shot and suffered fatal injuries to his neck and body. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A postmortem was conducted on his body yesterday afternoon.
Mr Cloherty is the son of Garda sergeant Shay Cloherty who retired last January and who died in May from a long illness. He has five siblings.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Blanchardstown Garda Station at 01-6667000 or the Garda Confidential Line 1-800-666-111.
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