Gardaí investigating a fatal shooting and aggravated burglary in Co Louth last Friday have arrested a third man today.
The man (26) was arrested in Dublin at 9.30am and is currently being held in Drogheda Garda station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.
Two other men (21 and 55) arrested yesterday are still being questioned under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice 2007 at Dundalk Garda station.
Gardaí are investigating whether the shooting dead of a man and the wounding of a second at a house in Co Louth arose from a planned debt collection beating or a kidnapping that went wrong.
Stephen Lyndon (20), Cromcastle, Coolock, north Dublin, was fatally wounded in the incident just after 11pm on Friday. His body was not found until nearly six hours later on a green area on the Sliabh Breagh estate in Ardee. It was the 21st gun killing of the year.
A second man presented himself to Beaumont Hospital, north Dublin, for treatment for gunshot wounds on Saturday. He underwent surgery for wounds to his arm and shoulder and is expected to make a full recovery.
Gardaí believe the wounded man and Mr Lyndon were part of a four-man group that travelled by car from Dublin to the Sliabh Breagh estate on Friday night to carry out an attack.
Detectives believe the gang may have been paid by another party who wanted the younger of two men in the Ardee house either beaten or kidnapped, possibly to force payment of a drugs debt.
An effort was made to attack the man in Ardee last Wednesday but he managed to escape.
One of the gang that went to the Ardee house is a known debt-collector also involved in “settling rows” between Travellers.
The two men living in the house targeted in the Sliabh Breagh estate are Travellers. The father and son from Dundalk have been living in Ardee for 12 months.
Gardaí believe Mr Lyndon, a body builder, may have been brought along to Ardee as “muscle”. He was not a gangland criminal.