Ireland Crime

First court appearance for Neara Tanase's charge; solicitor Donal Farrelly sought a benign approach in view of matters relating to her brother Radu Floricel; Judge Catherine Staines adjourned to 6 April 2022; judge noted Tanase had refused to sign the bail bond and refused legal aid on three occasions.

Adds that Tanase pleaded not guilty at Tullamore District Court on 19 January 2022, that her solicitor asked for a benign approach, that the prosecution was adjourned to 6 April, that the judge said she had refused legal aid three times, and that gardaí said her brother Radu Floricel had been eliminated from enquiries.

Reports the court appearance of Neara Tanase: she said she was using her right to remain silent and did not believe in the court, was remanded in custody with consent to bail on her own bond of €100, and was ordered to stay away from the address and appear again at Tullamore District Court on 19 January.

Reports that Gardaí removed a bottle bank at the Daingean Road car park on the Grand Canal, that a CCTV camera at the site is about a kilometre from the crime scene, and that vehicles have been seized as part of the investigation. No arrests are mentioned.

Reports a vigil near the murder scene and other vigils for Ashling Murphy. Says she was murdered while exercising on the canal towpath in Cappincur. Names no suspect and gives no arrest or charge.

Adds details of a vigil on 14 January 2022 and reports that the wrong man was arrested after a mistake in identification. It gives no names, ages or nationalities for suspects.

Adds that the arrested man was released without charge on Thursday evening, that Gardaí are appealing for information on a Falcon Storm mountain bike, that a postmortem has been completed, and that a mistaken identification led to a 'wrong man' being arrested.

Reports that a man arrested on Wednesday, 12 January, was released without charge and eliminated from the inquiry after a possible mistake in identification. Gardaí say they are pursuing other lines of inquiry and renewed appeals for information, including about a bicycle.

Details the 13 January 2022 Portlaoise District Court hearing where Tanase was remanded, her refusal of legal aid and bail conditions, and the next listing at Tullamore District Court on 19 January 2022.

Describes the 13 January 2022 first court appearance at Portlaoise District Court where Tanase was remanded in custody to Dochas Women's Prison with consent to bail on her own bond of €100, with a condition to stay away from 21 Cluain Darragh. She was to appear again at Tullamore District Court on 19 January 2022.

Original report of the killing. It names the victim as Ashling Murphy, says a 40-year-old Romanian man was arrested, and describes the scene and the investigation. The suspect is not named.

Reports a vigil at the Dáil for Ashling Murphy and that a Romanian man in his 40s was being questioned by gardaí. Gives the vigil time and location and states the killing was in broad daylight.

Adds that the suspect is a Romanian national who has lived in Tullamore for several years, that he was arrested the previous afternoon, that questioning was due to resume at 8am, that the Grand Canal bank was sealed off overnight, and that the crime scene at Boland's Lock was preserved. Names the victim as Ashling Murphy.

Reports the arrest of a man in his 40s in connection with the fatal assault, the setup of an incident room under a Senior Investigating Officer, notification of the State Pathologist and Garda Technical Bureau, and Gardaí's appeal for witnesses in the Cappincur/Canal walk area before 4pm on 12 January 2022.

Early report of the fatal assault giving the specific location (Grand Canal near Cappincur), the time (4pm), and initial details: the victim was a local teacher, Gardaí suspect a random attack, a man in his 40s was arrested and detained under Section 4, and the body was preserved at the scene overnight for a full crime scene investigation.

Initial report of the murder; victim not yet named in this article; man in his 40s arrested and detained under Section 4 at Tullamore Garda Station; Gardaí believe it was a random attack and the victim and suspect did not know each other.

Initial Garda press release confirming a serious assault along the canal bank in Tullamore; no victim, suspect or further details identified at the time.

Initial arrest following the fatal assault; man in his 40s detained under Section 4; scene preserved overnight; incident room established at Tullamore Garda Station; Gardaí appealing for witnesses in the Cappincur/Canal walk area.

Gardaí renewed their appeal for information on a specific bike (Falcon Storm mountain bike with straight handlebars and yellow/green front forks) and for witnesses who were in the Cappincur/Canal walk area before 4pm on 12 January 2022.

Update confirming the man in his 40s remains detained; postmortem completed but results not released for operational reasons; appeal for information on a Falcon Storm mountain bike with straight handlebars and yellow/green front forks, and for witnesses in the Cappincur/Canal walk area before 4pm on 12 January 2022.