Second man arrested in connection with Limerick shooting

Two men were being questioned today over the murder of the brother of a high-profile supergrass.

Daniel Treacy, 35, was shot in a dawn attack as he bought a cup of coffee at a filling station on the outskirts of Limerick.

A 29-year-old man was arrested within hours of the attack.

A second man also aged in his 20s was detained in the city late last night.

Mr Treacy was shot at point-blank range inside the Topaz shop on Ennis Road about three miles from the city as he went about his early morning bread deliveries.

Mr Treacy’s state witness brother Owen was key to the successful prosecution of five gangsters for the murder of his uncle, crime boss Kieran Keane. He was tortured before being shot in the 2003 attack while Owen Treacy escaped despite suffering 17 stab wounds.

Since the high-profile case some of the Treacy family, including Daniel’s father Philly, have had 24-hour armed garda protection.

A younger brother, Richard, was jailed for killing Darren Coughlan near Limerick IT in 2005. He died from head injuries after being kicked and beaten after being mistaken for another man.

Gardaí said they were keeping an open mind on the motive for the petrol station killing but senior detectives linked Mr Treacy’s death to the Coughlan death.

It is the second gun murder in the past 72 hours and the eighth this year.

Mr Treacy was covering his father’s bread round when he was shot dead.