Man killed in road accident was suspected of murder

A man killed in a traffic accident in Dublin in the early hours of Thursday was suspected of having carried out one of six murders in the Finglas and Ballymun areas this year.

Mr Paul Boyd (25), from Finglas, was a suspect in the murder of Mr Michael Scott (25), a builder.

Mr Scott was sleeping in his home at Sillogue Road, Ballymun, on April 19th, when two men burst in, one armed with a gun and the other with a sword.

Several shots were discharged, one of which fatally wounded the victim in the chest. The dead man's partner and two children were in the flat when the attack occurred.

Gardaí believe Mr Scott's death was linked to an altercation at a cider party in Finglas just hours before he was killed. He was known to have been involved in a number of drink-related rows in the months before he died.

Mr Scott had worked on building sites around the city in recent years. He was originally from Dublin's Sherrard Street.

The murder in July of Mr Willie O'Regan (32), is believed to have been a revenge attack for Mr Scott's killing. On July 10th, Mr O'Regan was shot three times at his home on the Old Cabra Road, Finglas, by two gunmen.

Six men were arrested on Thursday for questioning in connection with Mr O'Regan's murder. They were still being held last night at three city centre Garda stations, where they were being questioned under the Offences Against the State Act.

Their arrests come at a time when the Emergency Response Unit is conducting armed patrols in the Finglas area.

Since Mr O'Regan's murder there have been two more violent deaths in Dublin linked to the feud which claimed his and Mr Scott's lives.

On July 9th, Mr Victor Murphy, from Finglas, was found dead at Dunsink Lane. It is believed he was shot accidentally when in a car with other men. At least one of the men in the car was involved in the feud which claimed the lives of Mr O'Regan and Mr Scott.

Last Thursday, October 9th, Mr Patrick Sheridan's body was found at Scribblestown Lane, Finglas. Mr Sheridan (27), had been shot in the head in a gangland-style killing.

Mr Boyd died at around 1.30 a.m. on Thursday when his motorcycle struck a lamp post at the junction of Hartstown Road/Inglewood Road, Clonsilla. Gardaí in Lucan have appealed for witnesses to the accident to come forward. Mr Boyd was speeding and driving erratically before his death, and gardaí had been alerted.