The Dublin City Coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, yesterday urged anyone with information about the murder of Ms Belinda Pereira 19 months ago to come forward and assist gardai with their inquiries.
A resumed inquest into the death of Ms Pereira (27), a Sri Lankan woman resident in London and with an address at Mellor Court, Lower Liffey Street, Dublin, was told the Garda inquiry was continuing.
Ms Pereira was found dead in her Dublin apartment on December 29th, 1996 with severe head injuries. She had arrived in Ireland on Christmas Eve and planned to return to London on New Year's Day.
At the first inquest hearing on April 16th, 1997, the State Pathologist, Prof John Harbison, said Ms Pereira had died of lacerations and contusions of the brain, subdural haemorrhage and fracturing of the skull caused by multiple blows with a blunt instrument. That evidence was read again to the jury of four women and two men yesterday.
Det Sgt Eunan Dolan, Store Street Garda station, said 350 statements had been taken; 700 specific jobs in relation to the case had been completed and others remained to be done, and a large number of fingerprints and blood samples had been taken. He said the murder remained open but the Garda did not wish any further adjournment of the inquest. Gardai were in regular contact with the victim's family, who had returned to Sri Lanka from London.
The coroner told the jury the only verdict open to them was of unlawful killing, and the jury returned that verdict.