Gardai investigating the murder of a woman taxi-driver in Galway are anxious to question several men who may have travelled with her on her last fare on Sunday night.
The body of Mrs Eileen Costello O'Shaughnessy (47), a mother of two grown-up children and a part-time driver from Corofin, Co Galway, was found by a local farmer at noon yesterday in a narrow laneway in the townland of Knockdoemore. It was about 100 yards off the Tuam-Galway road just outside Claregalway village.
An intensive search involving over 60 gardai began at first light yesterday following the discovery of her abandoned Toyota Carina three miles from the city centre shortly before midnight on Sunday.
Two staff members at the Lydon House bakery in Knockdoemore noticed the silver car and reported it to gardai at 11.45 p.m. The inside light was switched on and the car was parked at an unusual angle. There were signs of a struggle, with bloodstains on the upholstery.
It is understood an attempt had been made to remove the meter, which had clocked up 17 miles. Robbery has not been ruled out as a motive.
Mrs O'Shaughnessy is believed to have picked up a fare bound for Claregalway in the Eyre Square/ Shop Street centre city area at around 8 p.m. on Sunday.
It is understood her fully-clothed body had been badly beaten. Mrs O'Shaughnessy's money belt was found in her car, which appears to have been driven back towards Galway after her body was dumped.
Dozens of Galway taxi-drivers assisted gardai in the extensive search on the Tuam-Galway road yesterday morning, while aerial surveillance was carried out by the Garda fixed-wing aircraft. The investigation, involving up to 60 officers, is being led by Supt Tony Finnerty of Millstreet station, and is supported by the National Bureau of Criminal Investigations.
Supt Finnerty said the investigation team could provide no motive at this stage for the killing and it was keeping "an open mind."
