A team of around 40 detectives has been assembled to investigate the murder of the Dublin grandmother shot dead in her home early on Saturday. Officers say she was not the intended victim.
Mrs Joan Casey (64) was in bed when two armed and masked men broke into her house in Avonbeg Park, Tallaght. Her husband and brother were also in the house at the time.
Gardaí who held a case conference at lunchtime yesterday believe that none of the three people in the house was the intended target of the intruders.
Gardaí are considering the possibility that a person known to Mrs Casey had become a target for a group of people who wanted to settle a vendetta. Officers believe this is the most likely explanation.
The murder took place at 6.20 a.m. It is believed that a single shot from a shotgun was fired from the landing or stairs area of the house through Mrs Casey's bedroom door, fatally hitting her in the chest.
The alarm was raised by a neighbour who heard a noise and saw two men running from the house.
Gardaí cordoned off the house in the quiet residential area for several hours on Saturday.
The State pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, attended the scene.
The body was later removed to Tallaght Hospital, where a post-mortem was carried out.
Labour's spokesman on justice, Mr Joe Costello TD, said the killing proved criminals have now adopted a casual approach to the way in which they used guns.
"The murder of a 64-year-old woman in her own bedroom in Tallaght over the weekend is a shocking indication of the power of the gun gangs and a serious indictment of the failure of this Government to deliver on its promises in regard to law and order.
"There has been a huge increase over recent years in the number of murders where guns were used. There were four such killings in 1998, but there were 21 in 2003.
"What is of equal concern is that of the 67 murders since 1998 involving the use of guns, proceedings were commenced in only 23 cases.
"We simply cannot allow these killings to become the norm in Irish society.
"The Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, who chases after a new hare virtually every week, has shown little interest in the level of killings or the failure to bring those responsible to justice."
A spokesman for Mr McDowell said the Minister was already focused on the firearms issue before the weekend murder.
New and tougher penalties for firearms offences would be introduced in the Garda Bill which is expected to come before the Dáil before the summer, according to the spokesman.
Gardaí have appealed to anybody with information to contact Tallaght Garda station, at 01 6666000, or the Garda confidential line at 1800 666111.