Garda∅ investigating the death of Co Donegal cattle dealer Richie Barron are now seeking to interview a number of local people whom they believe may have been involved in a hit-and-run accident which caused his death.
This follows confirmation yesterday that a post-mortem examination, carried out by the State Pathologist, Dr John Harbison, in July after Mr Barron's body was exhumed, concluded that his injuries were consistent with a traffic accident.
It is believed that some of those the Garda is now seeking to interview are living in England. Senior sources said that none of these people had been questioned before about Mr Barron's death.
The spotlight fell on them after members of the Carty team trawled through all statements taken after Mr Barron's death in October 1996. Certain inconsistencies are believed to have been found in some statements.
A number of Garda officers have already travelled to England as part of the investigation although nobody has yet been questioned.
The result of Dr Harbison's examination has not been released officially although sources close to the Carty investigation confirmed yesterday that he found that Mr Barron's injuries were caused by a car and were not the result of an assault.
This will lead to further questions about the handling of the Garda investigation which is already the subject of the biggest internal Garda inquiry in the history of the force.
Raphoe publican Mr Frank McBrearty has alleged that an attempt was made to frame him and members of his family over Mr Barron's death and he is now pursuing a High Court action for damages against the State.
An inquiry into the affair was set up under Assistant Commissioner Mr Kevin Carty in 1999 and is continuing.
The autopsy results will raise more questions as to why a murder investigation was launched.
Mr McBrearty yesterday repeated his call for the Minister for Justice to open a public sworn inquiry. He said he believed this was the only way the truth would emerge.
He wanted to know why the garda∅ did not preserve the scene in the hours after Mr Barron's death and why members of his family had been arrested.
"Some of my family ended up in hospital after this. This will never leave us til the day we die, this trauma," Mr McBrearty said.
Lawyers for Mr McBrearty have initiated a High Court action against the State for false imprisonment, malicious arrest and breach of constitutional rights.
In a separate development, the McBrearty legal team has arranged for a forensic scientist from Belfast to go to Garda Headquarters today to examine an alleged confession made by Mr Frank McBrearty jnr. Mr McBrearty denies making or signing the statement admitting the killing of Mr Barron.
A barrister for Mr McBrearty, Mr Peter Nolan, said the autopsy findings "totally vindicated" his client. "A public sworn inquiry is needed because the public has a right to know what is going on here. We need to know who gave the orders for certain things to be done," Mr Nolan said.
Mr Barron's family have always said they believed he was murdered and that his death was not the result of a hit-and-run. It is believed they may now seek a second opinion from an independent pathologist.
A daughter of Mr Barron, Ms Deirdre McGlinchey, said yesterday the family had not been given any autopsy result.