GARDAI have made an arrest as part of their ongoing investigation into the 2009 murder of Steven O’Meara in Wicklow.
The woman, aged in her 40s, was arrested on “suspicion of murder” this afternoon and is being detained at a Garda station in Wexford.
Steven was fatally injured, shot and buried in a shallow grave after being brought to a woods in 2009.
He was reported missing to Gardai by his partner on August 8, 2009 after leaving his home in Rose Hill, Wicklow Town on the evening of August 6.
On that day Steven made his way along several walkways at the back of Wicklow town to Marlton Road.
He was then collected by a silver Nissan Pulsar car and driven through Redcross to Ballydonnell Wood.
It is here Gardai suspect a group of men were waiting for Steven and he was murdered.
His body was discovered on Christmas Eve of that year in the shallow grave.
Two men have already been convicted in relation to Steven’s murder and the ongoing investigation is focused on nailing the others involved.
Gardai confirmed the latest arrest in a statement issued today.
A spokesperson said: “As part of the investigation into the murder of Steven O’Meara in Ballydonnell Woods, Redcross, Co. Wicklow on 6th of August 2009, Gardai have arrested a woman.
“The woman, aged in her 40s, was arrested this afternoon on suspicion of murder and is currently detained pursuant to Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007 at a Garda Station in County Wexford.
“The investigation into Steven’s murder is being led by a Senior Investigating Officer in Wexford Garda Station.
“Two other men have been convicted for offences relating to this murder.”
In 2013 Clement Byrne, then 49, was jailed four eight years over Steven O’Meara’s death.
Clement Byrne was one of the men who was waiting for Steven at the woods on August 6, 2009.
CAUSE OF DEATH
Byrne admitted to knocking him to the ground with a punch when another man appeared from the woods, shot Steven and assisted in burying him.
Stephen was buried alive, with Deputy State Pathologist Dr Khalid Jabbar giving the cause of death as internal hemorrhage.
This was due to the gunshot wounds sustained to the leg and torso.
However, during court proceedings Dr Khalid said asphyxia was also a potential cause of death.
Byrne claimed in court at the time he was not aware Steven was going to be shot, did not assist in burying him and did not receive financial gain from the attack.
Byrne alleged another man had been paid €6,000 to attack Steven O’Meara.
Byrne’s plea of manslaughter at the Central Criminal Court was accepted by the state.
JAILED FOR LIFE
It is understood Steven had been hired to collect a drug debt and believed he was going to the woods to collect this sum.
Steven was driven to the woods by Michael Dickenson, who was also convicted and was handed down a life sentence for murder.
In 2012, the then 27-year-old, appeared in the Central Criminal Court before a jury.
The court heard the man deny involvement in the killing, stating he was not aware Steven was going to be murdered.
Dickenson admitted to driving the deceased to the woods but told the court at the time he thought Steven was only going to be frightened, not killed.
During the trial the jury found the man guilty of Steven’s murder by majority vote.
He was jailed for life in July 2012 over the murder.
