Gun murder victim identified by fingerprints, inquest told

A man who was shot in the face had to be identified by his fingerprints, an inquest has heard.

David Thomas (42) of Cloonlara Crescent, Finglas, Dublin, was shot dead outside the Drake Inn pub in Finglas on October 9th, 2009. He had been drinking with his brothers at the time and had gone outside for a cigarette when the gunman attacked.

His brother Gerard Thomas told Dublin Coroner’s Court that earlier in the evening he had noticed a man standing at a takeaway opposite the pub “staring over” at him. He said he felt there was “something suspicious” about it. Mr Thomas said he looked out for his brother because the family had been involved in an incident years previously and as a result another family would be a “threat” to them.

David Thomas was outside having a cigarette with another brother, Rodney, moments before the incident happened.

Witness Lisa Monaghan testified she was driving past when she saw the gunman cross the road and open fire on Mr Thomas.

Rodney Thomas said he was on his way back into the pub when he heard a woman shouting that somebody had been shot. When he ran back outside he found his brother slumped against the door.

Damage to his face

Mr Thomas was pronounced dead at the scene.

Gardaí identified the dead man from his fingerprints due to the damage to his face. A postmortem found he had been shot twice in the head.

The jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing by a person or persons unknown.