Gardai searched ashes in Puska's fireplace

THE trial of Jozef Puska’s family members has heard how gardai sifted through ashes in the fireplace at Puska's home looking for evidence that clothes he wore when he murdered Ashling Murphy had been burned.

- 

Detective Sgt Anthony Quinn told the trial of the killer's brothers and sisters-in-law that six days after Jozef Puska murdered the 23-year-old, gardai became aware that the then suspect's clothes may have been burned in the fireplace at the Puska home in Mucklagh, Tullamore, Co Offaly.

Sgt Quinn said he went to the house. The fireplace grate was full of ashes. He sifted through, looking for buttons, zippers, clasps or “that kind of thing”, but found nothing of note.

They bagged the ashes to be preserved for forensic examination.

The trial also heard today from Jenna Stack, who saw Ms Murphy, a 23-year-old school-teacher, fighting for her life having suffered multiple stab wounds to the neck.

Ms Stack told prosecution counsel Anne-Marie Lawlor SC that she was running with her friend, Aoife Marron, along the canal towpath near Cappincur Bridge in Tullamore on January 12, 2022 when she noticed a distinctive, luminous green bicycle in the hedgerow