PSNI appeal for help in tracing car as part of Lawlor murder inquiry

Detectives from the PSNI’s Major Investigation Team have renewed their appealed for information regarding the murder of Robbie Lawlor in north Belfast on Saturday.

Lawlor (36) was shot dead outside a house in Etna Drive at around 11.50am.

He had been a suspect in the abduction and murder of Drogheda teenager Keane Mulready-Woods in January.

The PSNI said the investigation was making progress but a number of further appeals were now necessary.

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Detective Chief Inspector Peter Montgomery said a white Volkswagen Scirocco car, registration YLZ 7052, which was discovered burnt out in nearby Kingston Court, had been parked in Estoril Park in Ardoyne the day before the murder, on Friday April 3rd, at 10am.

“I know it was stolen in the Republic of Ireland on January 30th. I am appealing to anyone who saw it or witnessed its movements between March 31st and Friday, April 3rd in Estoril Park until it was found burnt out on Saturday at approximately midday, in Kingston Court, to speak to me.”

Mr Montgomery also also appealed to motorists any taxi drivers who may have been in the area at that time and who might have dashcam footage to please bring it forward to the police.

“I am still keen to hear from anyone who saw this car and its occupants either before 11.50am on Saturday 4 April or after the murder had taken place,” he said.

He said the PSNI was also interested in speaking to anyone who was in the Etna Drive or Strathroy Park areas on April 4th “and again if any drivers or taxi drivers have dashcam footage during those times I would urge them to bring it police”.

Mr Montgomery said “this was a horrific and callous murder, carried out in close range and in broad daylight, and those involved need to be removed from the streets and our communities.

“At this stage, I believe that a single gunman was involved in the killing, firing multiple shots at the victim and striking him a number of times. The murder weapon has not yet been recovered. These dangerous people have no place in our society and need to be brought to justice for what they did.

"If anyone in the area captured any footage of the incident please make that available to us also. It can be uploaded on the Major Incident Public Portal at https://mipp.police.uk/operation/PSNI20P04-PO1.

Information can be provided to police on 101 or anonymously through the Crime Stoppers charity on 0800 555 111, dialing from within Northern Ireland.