THE Garda has renewed its appeal to the public for help in finding the killer of two Dublin women. The badly mutilated bodies of the two were found at a house in Grangegorman early on Friday. A team of about 70 gardai is searching for the killer.
Garda headquarters said the public should be alert to anyone seen trying to dispose of blood covered clothing from Friday morning. Investigating officers also called on anyone who noticed anything suspicious at or near the house at Orchard View Road, in Grangegorman, to come forward.
A post mortem examination on one of the bodies concluded the woman had died of stab wounds. The second post mortem examination was continuing last night.
Gardai have warned that the killer carried out a "frenzied" attack and could strike again. The bodies appeared to have been mutilated after death. One seemed to have been sexually assaulted.
The victims, Ms Sylvia Shields (57) and Ms Mary Calanan (61), were outpatients at St Brendan's psychiatric hospital and lived in Eastern Health Board accommodation opposite the hospital complex. Their bodies were found upstairs at about 6.30 a.m. and reported by a third woman who lived at the house and apparently slept through the attack.
Two knives found upstairs in the house appeared to be the murder weapons. The intruder may have entered through a downstairs window, which was broken.
As of last night there was no indication the Garda had a particular suspect. Normally the early stage of such an investigation involves drawing up a list of people living in the surrounding area who have a history of assault or sexual violence and might be considered capable of the crime.
Officers then work through this list of "possible suspects" and establish where they were at the time of the crime.