Gardaí investigating Keane Mulready-Woods murder arrest man

Gardaí investigating the murder of teenager Keane Mulready-Woods have arrested a man who is believed to be a key figure in gang feuding in Drogheda.

The Garda confirmed on Monday that the man had been arrested in relation to a separate matter and the investigation was ongoing.

Keane Mulready-Woods (17) was murdered and his body dismembered in what is believed to be the latest killing in the ongoing criminal feud in Drogheda, Louth town.

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Gardaí search an area known locally as ‘The Banks’ near a house on Rathmullen Park, Drogheda last week following the death of teenager Keane Mulready-Woods. Photograph: Collins

Limbs discovered in a bag in Darndale in north Dublin on Monday were later confirmed as those of the missing boy.

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More remains were discovered in a stolen car found ablaze on a laneway near Croke Park in Dublin’s north inner city early on Wednesday.

The car was a Volvo V40, registration 161 D 48646 which was stolen in Sandymount and gardaí are keen to trace its movements before it was found on the 15th. When it was found partially burnt out it had false number plates: 141 MO 1925.

DNA testing carried out on the remains confirmed they were those of the teenager, who was last seen at about 6pm in Drogheda on January 12th. Gardaí believe he was killed in the town on the same day.

When he disappeared Keane was wearing a navy Hugo Boss tracksuit, black Hugo Boss Runners (brown sole, black laces), a red or orange Canada Goose jacket and a Gucci baseball cap. None of these items have been recovered.

Gardaí are continuing the search for some of the remains of the teenager.

Gardaí believe the gang that murdered and dismembered Keane’s was planning to dump parts of his body outside the Co Louth home of a senior criminal aligned to a rival gang in the Drogheda feud.

However, that plan appears to have been abandoned, possibly because of Garda activity in the area where the criminal lives.

Gardaí have not discounted the possibility that the limbs found in Darndale were deliberately left there as a threat to criminals from the area, who are aligned to the same Drogheda gang as the late teenager.

His murder was the third killing in the Drogheda feud since it erupted in July 2018, while five other targets in the feud have survived serious attacks.

Shot dead

Gardaí suspect the latest killing was carried out on the orders of a criminal from north Dublin who has lived in the northeast for years.

That man was a close associate of Richard Carberry (39), who was shot dead in Bettystown, Co Meath, last November as part of the feud. Another associate, Keith Branigan (29), was murdered in Clogherhead, Co Louth, last August.

The criminal suspected of ordering Keane’s murder was understood to have been angered by Carberry’s killing. He had also been assaulted on the street in recent months by young criminals linked to the gang that murdered Carberry.

During that street attack, the senior criminal’s flip flops were stolen from his gym bag. The group who assaulted the criminal then taunted him by photographing themselves in the flip flops in various locations over the following weeks and circulating the images via social media apps.

Gardaí are now investigating if that man ordered Keane’s murder as revenge for being attacked and ridiculed, in addition to the murder of his associate Carberry.

There are also serious fears for the safety of the young men who attacked the criminal as well as those pictured in the footwear.

Keane’s murder was the first time the other gang has killed someone in the course of the feud.

Incident rooms have been established at Drogheda, Coolock and Mountjoy Garda stations with the investigation being co-ordinated from Drogheda Garda station.

Anyone with information can contact gardaí at Drogheda Garda station on 041 - 9874200, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111, Crime Stoppers 1800 250 025 or any Garda station.