Senior Garda sources in Donegal yesterday said they had no indication that the double killer, John Gallagher, was in the area. They were responding to alleged sightings of Gallagher, who absconded from the Central Mental Hospital last year.
A local newspaper reported this week that Gallagher may have visited Strabane, close to the Border with Donegal, during the Christmas period.
Gallagher shot dead his estranged girlfriend, Ms Ann Gillespie (18), and her mother Annie in the car-park of Sligo General Hospital on September 18th, 1988.
The two women were leaving the hospital after visiting a sick relative when Gallagher, then 21, approached them, shouting: "All I want is you, Ann." He produced his double-barrelled shotgun and shot them dead.
He attempted to shoot Ms Gillespie's uncle, Mr Patrick McGuire, but the gun jammed. Gallagher was then chased by gardai to Donegal town, where he handcuffed himself and drove his white Ford Fiesta into the sea from a pier.
Gardai say this was a pretence to suggest he was attempting suicide.
In fact, he was aware he had driven into shallow water and was not in danger of drowning.
However, Gallagher was acquitted of murder but found "guilty but insane".
He was committed to the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum. He absconded last July and fled to England, where he was arrested but then released, as Irish authorities had not served extradition papers.
Not having a murder conviction, Gallagher remains free while outside this jurisdiction. However, Garda sources said if he returned to the Republic he would be arrested and returned to the Central Mental Hospital.