Gardaí seek motive for double murder

GARDAÍ are “mystified” as to why two “decent enough” young men were gunned down by a professional hit team at a garage.

Detectives said they had no motive yet for the double murder of 20-year-old Glen Murphy and 23-year-old Mark Noonan as they went to make a “simple purchase” of cigarettes at a filling station late on Tuesday night.

Garda sources said the shooting was “clinical” and “well executed” by a gang of at least two armed men and a driver, who completed the hit in 30 seconds.

The gang had been waiting in a car, thought to be a BMW 5 series, for their targets at the Tesco Garage, adjoining the Clearwater Shopping Centre on Finglas Road, for up to five minutes before the murders at 11.42pm.

Gardaí said the men may not have been masked as they waited and may have been seen. They said four witnesses were at the scene at the time of the shooting and want to talk to them.

Gardaí do not know how the gang knew their targets were travelling to the garage at that time, but are investigating if Mr Murphy and Mr Noonan were set up and due to meet someone else.

This brings the number of gun killings to 23 this year.

“This is a particularly callous murder,” said Garda spokesman Superintendent John Gilligan. “The victims were very young and as far as we can tell they were there just to make a simple purchase and this event unfolded.”

“There is certainly no evidence of motive. It’s somewhat strange this incident happened.”

He added: “We are emphasising what appears to be a well-organised shooting was carried out on people who we cannot establish any kind of motive as to why they would be the victims.”

They were from Dublin’s north inner city: Mr Noonan from O’Deaveney Gardens flat complex and Mr Murphy from Drumalee Court, both off the North Circular Road.

Gardaí said the men had visited one of their girlfriends at Rathborne Drive in nearby Ashtown that night. They left at 11pm in a Toyota Avensis for the garage. Gardaí said they were not followed.

It is understood that neither were known to gardaí and neither had convictions. “They appeared to be decent enough fellas. We are mystified why they were shot,” said one garda source. One local community source said neither men were “on their radar” for causing trouble.

The shooting was caught on CCTV. Mr Noonan was standing at the hatch when a gunman in the rear passenger seat shot him several times in the back of the head.

Mr Murphy, who had got out of the car, was “cornered”. The back seat gunman got out of the BMW and shot him from behind, as the car moved slowly forward, allowing the front seat gunman to shoot Mr Murphy from the front. A total of 12-15 shots were fired.

Gardaí do not think the victims were the wrong target and will examine their mobile phone details to see if they had planned to meet someone there. They will also examine phone traffic of people close to them.

Gardaí want witnesses to the movements of the victims’ Avensis 05 D 86211 and the culprits’ car, a 06 D saloon type car, thought to be a BMW, to contact them on 01-6667532 or the Garda confidential line on 1800-666-111.