Gardaí investigating the double murder of Brian Downes and Edward Ward in Walkinstown, Dublin, on Friday night are satisfied two men were involved in the killings and that both travelled on the same motorbike to and from the scene on Greenhills Road.
The details emerged yesterday as Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan met senior Garda officers. Mr Lenihan said that unprecedented resources would continue to be made available to the Garda Síochána to help them tackle organised crime.
In the aftermath of the killings a number of eyewitnesses suggested that a Subaru car was used by the killer or that the gunman had travelled to and from the scene alone on a motorbike.
However, gardaí now believe the gunman was driven to the scene on a motorbike. They believe the bike sped from the scene toward nearby Walkinstown roundabout.
However, investigating officers are unsure which of five exit points the killers took once they reached the roundabout. They have appealed for anybody who was in the area just before 10pm on Friday to come forward.
Garda sources said it may take days before a motive for the killings emerges.
However, detectives are satisfied Mr Downes was the intended victim and that Mr Ward was killed because he happened to be at the scene.
Postmortems on the men have revealed that Mr Downes was shot seven times and Mr Ward three.
The house where the killings took place underwent forensic examination throughout Sunday.
Members of the investigating team yesterday began an examination of Mr Downes's personal items, including financial records, in an effort to establish the nature of the money laundering activities he was believed to be engaged in on behalf of criminal associates.
They are also studying records of vehicles he may have supplied to criminal gangs. However, sources said while a study of a large group of his criminal associates was under way no criminal or gang has emerged as chief suspect in the case.
Following the meeting between Mr Lenihan and senior gardaí, his spokesman said: "The Minister reiterates his call for all members of the community to support An Garda Síochána in their efforts to bring those responsible for these crimes to justice."
Mr Lenihan was also briefed on the killings in Dublin, and on the Garda's "ongoing intensive operations" to tackle escalating gun-crime.
In a separate investigation into a suspicious death, a man who is being questioned by gardaí in relation to the death of a woman in Dublin's inner city may appear before the courts as early as today to face charges, senior Garda sources have said.
A postmortem conducted yesterday confirmed Amanda Jenkins (27) was strangled in her apartment in the Anna Livia block at the Oaklee Housing Trust, near the Guinness Brewery on James's Street on Sunday morning.
The man being questioned, who was known to Ms Jenkins, is being held at Kilmainham Garda station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act and his period of detention expires this morning at 10.45.
