Gardaí quiz more than 50 people in murder probe
The body of 57-year-old Catherine Smart was found at 9.45am last Sunday in her terraced home at Bailick Court, Midleton.
Following the grim discovery a team of more than 20 gardaí have been working on the investigation, including detectives who have been drafted in from the Garda Cork North Division headquarters in Fermoy.
Gardaí yesterday refused to comment on reports that they may have found an implement which could have been used to kill the woman.
It is believed she died from head injuries.
A man in his late 40s was arrested in Cork city last Monday afternoon in connection with the inquiry.
He was taken to Midleton Garda Station where he was detained for questioning under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.
The man was subsequently released without charge at midnight last Tuesday.
Despite interviewing a number of people, Gardaí believe there are many more out there who could be helpful to the investigation.
They are particularly interested in talking to late-night revellers who may have passed by Ms Smart’s house on their way home.
“We particularly want to talk to taxi or hackney drivers who took fares to or were travelling past the Bailick Court area between 5am and 9.45am last Sunday. We also want to talk to people who may have been passengers in these taxis or hackneys,” a Garda spokesman said.
Ms Smart had been socialising in a number of bars in Connolly Street and Main Street, Midleton, during the early hours of last Sunday.
She contacted Gardaí shortly before 5am to say she was unable to get into her home. They managed to get her in a short time later.
At 9.45am they discovered her body in the kitchen of her single-storey house after a 999 call was made by a member of the public.
“There would have been a lot of people making their way home from one late-night pub and chip shops after 5am who would have passed by Bailick Court. We are anxious to talk to anybody who was in that area who may have heard or seen anything unusual.
“We also want to hear from people who may have seen anybody in or around the house at Bailick Court between 5am and 9.45am,” the Garda spokesman said.
Gardaí have set up an incident room at Midleton Garda Station and anybody with information is asked to contact 021-4631324.
