Paul Quinn murder case an 'active live investigation,' says Gardaí

The murder of Paul Quinn is an “active live investigation” and subject to an ongoing review by the Garda cold case squad, Garda HQ has said.

The Garda Serious Crime Review Team issued a preliminary report last October with initial investigative recommendations but is continuing to examine the brutal killing.

Gardaí have followed more than 2,000 lines of inquiry and taken over 700 statements from people as part of their 13-year investigation into the sadistic murder of the 21-year-old.

There have been 23 arrests to date, 19 of them carried out by gardaí and four by the PSNI, but no charges have ever been brought.

Mr Quinn, from Anamar, Cullyhanna, Co Armagh, was lured to sheds at Tullyvanus, Castleblaney, Co Monaghan, on October 20, 2007.

He was attacked by a group of eight to 10 men, who broke every single bone in his body, while another 10 people are also suspected of providing logistical assistance.

Mr Quinn's family and gardaí believe he was targeted after he had a row with a relative of a local IRA man.

His mother, Breege, and father, Stephen, and his siblings have been fighting for justice over the last 13 years.

Breege Quinn mother of murdered Paul Quinn pictured at his grave-side in Cullyhanna. Pic: Ciara Wilkinson

Gardaí said last October that the Serious Crime Review Team had provided a preliminary report with recommendations to the investigation team, which was examining them.

In a statement issued today, Garda HQ said: “The murder of Paul Quinn remains an active live investigation.

“The investigation is currently subject of an examination by the Serious Crime Review Team in conjunction with investigating Gardaí from Carrickmacross Garda station.”

It said it was not going to make any further comment on individuals who may or may not have provided information to an on-going investigation.

During an RTÉ election debate last night, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said that party colleague and Stormont minister Conor Murphy had spoken to gardai and the PSNI in relation to any information he had on the murder.

Ms Quinn has been demanding that Mr Murphy give the names of IRA members in Cullyhanna he said he spoke to about the incident in 2007.

Today, Mr Murphy told RTE news that the last time he spoke to police on either side of the border about the murder was 10 years ago, but said he was “more than happy” to do so again, if they wanted him to.

Mr Murphy retracted comments he made in 2007 linking Mr Quinn to criminality and apologised to his family.

In a 2008 report, the International Monitoring Commission, which was set up to inspect paramilitary activity, said it did not attribute the killing to the IRA nor were they aware of evidence linking it to the leadership of the organisation.

But it said that the murder gang involved people “associated” with the IRA locally, including “members of the organisation”.