This evening, a man in Ireland will be charged with murdering Ashling Murphy, 23 years old.
A man in his late 30s was taken into custody on Tuesday. He will be appearing before the special sitting of Tullamore District Court, at 8.15pm.
The charges against him have yet to be announced by police.
This man, Ashling’s main suspect, was being held in Tullamore as he was being interviewed.
The murder of Ms Murphy was also investigated by police earlier today.
A man, in his 30s, is being held at a police station in the Eastern Region of Ireland on suspicion of withholding information from police.
Ashling Murphy was 23 years old, (left, and right), when she ran in Tullamore for her jog. The killing has been investigated by two men.
The police are currently holding two suspects in this crime and wrongly arrest a third.
Ashling was strangled as she ran along Tullamore’s canal path, and her body was found the next day.
The police say that the 23 year-old victim was a teacher at primary schools and an accomplished musician. She tried to fight her attacker using keys.
Officers arrested 39-year-old Romanian Radu Floricel the same day – though later released him and said he is no longer suspected of involvement.
Investigators put out a request for information, including to hospitals. Doctors were instructed to watch out for people arriving with “suspicious” injuries.
This led them to Dublin’s ward, where they found a male with two stab wounds. He claimed that the injuries were from an attack in the west.
The officers believe that some of the injuries were self-inflicted and questioned him. They then arrested the main suspect on Tuesday.
Ms Murphy comes from a well-respected family, which is also known for its music.
Ryan Casey, Ashling’s heartbroken boyfriend, told mourners at Ashling’s graveside that Ashling was ‘the greatest love of all my lives’.
He stated, “I will treasure the five years that we shared together my whole life.” We will be able to reunite one day and carry on the wonderful plans that we made together, God willing.
Darling, I say goodbye for now. Ashling will live in every one of our hearts.
The police claimed that although they didn’t intend to arrest him on the day of his funeral, their hands were forced by the fact that the man was due to be released from hospital. They also fear losing him.
The man was treated in Dublin for various injuries, some of which were self-inflicted.
Last week, a relative took the man to hospital to treat stab wounds. He claimed that he was injured in an altercation in West Dublin. After warning hospitals that suspicious wounds could be found, police were alerted.
After being admitted, he was seen by doctors and taken into custody. He was then released and drove to Tullamore, where he is now.
Officers are still questioning this man as they build evidence.
This is after Ashling was discovered by police to have used keys in an attempt to fight her attacker before she was killed.
The suspect is also believed to be linked to phones and cars seized by officers, who are thought to have conducted searches at his house.
The knife in Ashling’s murder remains a mystery to detectives. Investigators searched Ashling’s canal and found it nearby.
When Ashling Murphy’s cortege reached St. Brigid’s Church, mourners walked alongside the hearse and carried her coffin.
Ashling Murphy’s classmates hold photos and red roses at Ashling Murphy’s funeral, which took place in St. Brigid’s Church. County Offaly on January 18th 2022.
Familie members hold onto the coffin while it’s being carried from St Brigid’s Church Mountbolus, Co Offaly.
Ashling Murphy’s mother and sister, a 23-year old teacher, were killed while jogging. They arrived at St Brigid’s Church, Mountbolus, near Tullamore to attend her funeral.
Gardaí have also seized a taxi they believe was used to transport the suspect to Dublin from County Offaly in the hours after the murder last Wednesday.
The taxi travelled from Dublin to Tullamore to pick up the suspect, gardaí believe.
An expert team has begun to examine the taxi that was believed to be carrying the suspect to Dublin.
It is one of two cars that gardaí believe the suspect may have travelled in before he appeared at a Dublin hospital. Another car was also taken in Dublin and is being examined forensically.
The Irish Daily Mail previously reported that gardaí spent two days reviewing CCTV footage at Tullamore train station and determined that the suspect did not travel to Dublin by train, unless he had hidden his appearance behind a Covid mask, baseball cap and other improvised disguises.
This led to them believing that someone had taken him to Dublin to drop him off at the home of a family member.
Gardaí have also made enquiries at every taxi company in Tullamore and surrounding area to determine if any driver brought the suspect to the Co. Offaly town.
The men also seek to identify if the suspect is the one wearing the black suit with the distinctive white stripes down his legs, which was seen in Tullamore’s Main Street just hours before the crime.
The CCTV footage shows that the man was riding a Falcon Storm mountainbike, which is very similar to the bike found close by the crime scene.
Yesterday, as flags flew at halfmast and moments of silence were observed nationwide, President Michael D Higgins, his wife Sabina, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Justice Minister Helen McEntee were among those in attendance at Ashling’s funeral. Catherine Martin, Culture Minister and Education Minister respectively attended Ashling’s funeral.
Tom Deenihan of Bishop of Meath told mourners of Ms Murphy’s death that it was a ‘depraved act violence’. He said this to bring together the country’s grief and support.
Investigators are looking for a man seen riding near the scene where Ashling Murphy, a schoolteacher was shot to death, is attempting to find him. According to gardaí, at the time of the attack the suspected killer wore a dark tracksuit with no hood and black tracksuit bottoms with a large, distinctive white stripe (pictured: CCTV still)
Deenihan stated that Deenihan’s death had raised questions about “ourself and society” and made it clearer what attitudes women have towards men and their morality.
He said, “Whether these questions will be answered or not remains to be determined. But we can’t allow violence against human life and body integrity to take root in this time and culture.”
“The last few days were a disaster. Walking on a sunny January afternoon should bring you joy and promise brighter, warmer summer days.
“We know Ashling should not die and Ashling should be buried with his family.
Although it may seem old-fashioned, respect is important. Last Wednesday, respect was absent but has returned stronger than ever. We must respect one another.
He stated that the one thing that brought some light to last week’s darkest hour was the overwhelming outpouring of sympathy and support.
Fr Michael Meade, a parish priest, told the mourners that Ms Murphy was ‘robbed’ of her most precious gift.
Fr Meade stated, “A gift that only brought joy and love to all, giving laughter and enjoyment beyond your boundaries and home”
The children outside of the church had photographs taken by Ms Murphy, as well as roses. A message was placed next to the image of Ms Murphy that read, “Fly high up in the sky. Our shining light.”
Representatives from both Ms Murphy’s Gaelic soccer club and her former school visited the St Brigid parish church.
A guard of honor was provided by schoolchildren outside the church before the funeral. A number of children were also able to play the tin whistles and fiddles.