A MAN and a woman were arrested last night in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 31-year-old off-duty taxi driver in Blanchardstown, west Dublin, on Tuesday night.
The 22-year-old man and his 25-year-old partner were arrested in a north Dublin hotel at around 6.30pm. Gardaí also seized items of clothing as well as a weapon, it was reported last night.
It follows the search of homes of relatives of the pair. They were being detained at Blanchardstown Garda station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.
Gardaí have been seeking the couple since the killing of Mr Smyth and yesterday released a photo of the taxi driver in an effort to locate them.
The pair accepted a lift from the deceased, Mark Smyth, before what is believed to have been a "spur of the moment" row erupted at Fortlawn Avenue in Blanchardstown shortly after 10pm.
Mr Smyth, who was originally from Ballymun but living in Duleek, Co Meath, may have been stabbed initially in his taxi by his male passenger.
As he attempted to escape he was pursued and stabbed repeatedly in the body and neck with what is thought to have been a knife. It is unclear whether he was chased by one or two people.
His partner and 18-month-old son were also in the taxi and witnessed the attack.
A spokesman for the Garda Press Office had earlier confirmed that gardaí were following a definite line of inquiry. The suspected male assailant is known to gardaí for a number of minor offences.
Gardaí issued a photo of Mr Smyth yesterday evening and have asked anybody with information to contact Blanchardstown Garda station at 6667000.
Gardaí are confident Mr Smyth knew the couple well but his female partner may not have been as well-acquainted with them.
Mr Smyth had no previous criminal convictions and gardaí do not believe this was a "gangland" attack. Gardaí believe Mr Smyth, who was a keen gym enthusiast, had a prior arrangement to pick up the two chief suspects from a house in nearby Clonee.