Two women freed in Gray murder inquiry

Two women questioned about the murder of former loyalist terror boss Jim Gray have been released without charge.

Two women questioned about the murder of former loyalist terror boss Jim Gray have been released without charge.

The former Ulster Defence Association brigadier was gunned down outside his father's home in an east Belfast housing estate on Tuesday night.

The 47-year-old had been released on bail after facing charges of money laundering.

But the former loyalist leader, nicknamed "Doris Day" because of his penchant for jewellery and flamboyant dress sense, had also fallen foul of former comrades in the UDA who expelled him from the organisation in March.

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A week later in April, the PSNI arrested Gray in Banbridge, Co Down, as he headed towards the Republic, raising suspicions that he was trying to flee the country.

In the car he was travelling in police found a bank draft worth €10,000 and £3,000 sterling in cash, which Gray claimed had been raised from the sale of two bars in east Belfast. However the discovery sparked a major investigation into allegations of money laundering.

Detectives are still questioning four men at the serious crime custody suite about the loyalist's murder.

The arrests followed a number of searches.

PA