Shooting may be retaliation for arson attack, Garda witness tells court
A senior Garda witness has told the murder trial of a Limerick man that he suspected the 20-year-old shot dead a carpenter in retaliation for an arson attack on his mother's van.
Detective Garda David Nolan told the Central Criminal Court that he arrested Kenneth Collopy at his family home in Ballysimon, Limerick, on the same night as 25-year-old Daniel Fitzgerald was killed.
Detective Nolan said that based on his experience, he believed a retaliation attack was likely after Collopy's mother's van was burnt out outside their home in the early hours of December 8, 2009.
Mr Fitzgerald was shot as he left his uncle's home at Ballysimon at around 9.30pm that night.
He was hit in the back of the head, the bullet exited at the front fracturing his skull and damaging his brain. The second bullet went straight through his thigh causing significant blood loss.
Mr Fitzgerald was pronounced dead at 10.05pm.
Detective Nolan arrested Kenneth Collopy at his home 10.50pm. He told the jury he believed at the time that the arson attack on his mother's van may have been a possible motive.
But he said he now knew there was no evidence linking either Daniel Fitzgerald or his family to the incident.
Collopy, of Kilonan, Ballysimon, has denied murdering Mr Fitzgerald.
His defence team argues that he had just intended to shoot at the caravans the Fitzgerald family was staying in while their house was being renovated.
Several other Garda witnesses gave evidence of discovering a black Glock handgun hidden under rocks during searches of property near the Collopy home in the days after the shooting.
The remains of burnt clothing was also discovered at the back of the Collopy house. The clothing and handgun were displayed for the jury.
A green Toyota Corolla and the keys to the car were also found near the Collopy home. The jury has previously heard the passenger seat was in a reclined position and a number of spent bullet casings were discovered in the car.
The jury was also shown several pieces of CCTV footage tracking the Toyota's movements on the evening in question.
Jason O'Donoghue, who owned the Toyota, has told the court in his evidence that Kenneth Collopy had stopped him and asked for a lift out to Ballysimon that evening.
On the journey, Mr O'Donoghue said Collopy took a 9mm Glock handgun from his trousers and explained that he had it because he was “watching the house” after his mother's van was burnt out.
Then he told Mr O'Donoghue to pull into a caravan site, but the witness said he refused because he thought Collopy was going to shoot him.
He said Collopy then put the gun to his head and threatened to “blow his head off” if he did not drive in to the caravans. Mr O'Donoghue said he jumped from the car and Collopy drove off.
Another witness, David Bussoli, who was also in the car at the time, said Collopy told him to get into the passenger seat. When they arrived at the caravans, he was told to put the seat back and roll down the window.
He saw a person walking towards the car, and then a gun was put across his face and a number of shots were fired. Mr Bussoli said he saw the man fall to the ground as the car sped off.
Mr Bussoli said they went to Collopy's house where they were told to remove their clothes, which were then burnt.
The trial resumes tomorrow before the jury of three men and nine women.
