Gardaí investigating the murder of Limerick business man Roy Collins have been granted a further 48 hours to question two men who were arrested shortly after the father-of-two was gunned down last week.
The suspects, who are aged 19 and 22, were arrested at a house in the Ballincurra Weston area of the city less then 90 minutes after the shooting last Thursday afternoon.
There was a large armed Garda presence at Limerick District Court today where the State applied for the further detention under Section 50 of the Justice Act.
Under the 2007 Act suspects can be detained for up to seven days.
Making the application Chief Supt John Kerin said there had been a “significant development" in the case late last night and said more time was needed investigate new facts which had emerged.
Judge Aeneas McCarthy was also told that gardaí were continuing to view CCTV footage from the area of the shooting and that searches are ongoing as part of the massive investigation involving 100 gardai from ac cross the southern region.
Judge McCarthy said he was satisfied that the investigation was being carried out in a “diligent and expeditious manner” and granted the extension orders in respect of both men.
Meanwhile, a third person was arrested today as part of the Roy Collins murder inquiry.
A woman in her 20’s was arrested on the south side of the city this morning and is being held on suspicion of withholding information about the murder.
A book of condolences for Roy Collins’s family will be opened later today at Limerick County Council headquarters in Dooradoyle while the Mayor of Limerick Cllr John Gilligan will open a book of condolences in Limerick City Hall tomorrow morning.