Three arrested in murder probe

Three people have now been arrested in relation to the investigation into the murder of David Sharkey. A second female was arrested on Tuesday night and is currently detained at Kells Garda station under Section 4 of The Criminal Justice Act. A 26 year old male is in custody in Navan and a 22 year old female arrested last night is now in custody in Trim. Gardai sealed off an apartment at the Blackcastle Shopping Centre last night and it was being examined by a technical team. 28-year-old David Sharkey was found murdered in the boot of a car in Dublin on Sunday night. Mr Sharkey, known to his friends as DJ, was a son of Ann and David Sharkey from Claremont, Commons Road, Navan, but had been living in Canterbrook on the Trim Road with his girlfriend, who is believed to be pregnant. He was last seen alive in Navan at around 8pm on Sunday evening, just a few hours before Gardai made the grim discovery of his body in the boot of a silver-coloured BMW car that was crashed at St Joseph"s Park, off Dunsink Lane in Finglas. A post-mortem examination was carried out by State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy at Blanchardstown Hospital, but Gardai are not releasing the results for 'operational reasons'. However, it is believed he was stabbed in the chest. This is second brutal killing that the devastated Sharkey family have had to endure in just four years. The victim"s younger brother, Simon, was stabbed at a house party in Johnstown, Navan, in 2005 and he died six days later just hours after being discharged from hospital. Richard Mullen, also from Claremont Estate, Navan, who was 17 at the time of the stabbing, was sentenced to nine years in prison for the manslaughter of Simon Sharkey at Trim Circuit Court in June 2007. Mullen pleaded guilty to the charge of manslaughter and, at the sentencing, the court heard that Mullen had hit a girl at the party and Simon Sharkey had words with him and a row developed. Mullen got a knife from the kitchen and stabbed Mr Sharkey. In a statement read to the court at the time, Mrs Sharkey said all their lives had been destroyed by the death of her son and that they felt terrible anger, frustration and loneliness. Just before 10pm on Sunday, a Garda patrol car was driving in the Finglas area and Gardai stopped the driver of a silver BMW 3 Series car and spoke to him about his movements. The driver was allowed drive on but Gardai decided to follow the car after discovering with a background check that the car was not being driven by its registered owner. The BMW driver then sped into St Joseph"s Park where he crashed the vehicle. Gardaí followed the car into the halting site but, when they arrived there, they found the BMW crashed and that the driver had fled the scene. The Gardaí searched the vehicle and found Mr Sharkey"s remains in the boot of the vehicle, which is believed to have been owned by Mr Sharkey. It is thought that the car had been driven from Navan to Dublin before it was crashed. The driver of the car is described as being in his late 20s with short black hair and he had a Dublin accent. Gardai have technically examined the car in the hope that DNA and fingerprints will help identify the driver. Gardai have appealed to anyone who was in the St Joseph"s Park area of Finglas on Sunday night to contact them at Finglas Garda Station on (01) 666 7500 or the Garda confidential number 1800 666 111. Mystery surrounds the motive for the killing and Gardai are investigating a number of lines on inquiry. The Claremont community has been shocked and devastated by this second tragic death for the Sharkey family in a few short years. Local county councillor Joe Reilly said: 'Our thoughts go out to David and Ann following this second major tragedy of their lives. We will be looking to support the family in any way that we can.'