A MAN whose remains were found partially buried in a ditch had been shot in the head in what gardaí believe was a gangland attack.
The victim has been named as Paul Smith, a 34-year-old from Dunsink Drive, Finglas, Dublin, who also had an address at Dunleer, Co Louth. His was the 14th gun murder of the year.
Mr Smith was reported missing by his family this week and a Garda search for him had begun. As part of that search gardaí went to a field in Ballough, about four miles from Balbriggan in north Co Dublin on the old Belfast road, just before midday yesterday, and found the remains. The dead man had kept horses nearby.
The area was sealed off and Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis carried out an examination of the remains before they were taken to Blanchardstown hospital for a postmortem.
Garda sources said the victim had been shot in the head. They believe the murder weapon was a handgun. Gardaí believe Mr Smith was most likely shot somewhere else and his body taken to Ballough to be dumped.
Smith was known to gardaí, but his convictions were for minor matters including public disorder and criminal damage. While he was not regarded as a major gangland figure, gardaí are investigating whether his murder is linked to organised crime.
Smith’s brother-in-law, drug dealer and armed robber Paul “Farmer” Martin, was shot dead last August in the Jolly Toper pub in Finglas village. Among suspects for the Martin murder are criminals from Finglas who assumed control of the gang once led by Martin “Marlo” Hyland (39), who was murdered in December 2006.
Paul Smith believed the gang had carried out the murder of Paul “Farmer” Martin and he had threatened to avenge that killing. Gardaí are now investigating whether Smith was killed to prevent him carrying out his threat.
Garda sources said the inquiry into Paul Smith’s murder is at a very early stage. The possibility he was killed by the former Hyland gang is just one line of inquiry.
Gardaí found Mr Smith’s car in a hotel car park off the M1, just a few miles from where the remains were discovered yesterday.
