Gardai hopeful forensic tests will be crucial
GARDAI believe Cameron Reilly knew his killer and forensic tests on clothing and other items from the scene will lead them to the murderer.
Investigators are confident they have identified a prime suspect but are awaiting the results.
The development comes a week after the arrest of an 18-year-old.
He was released without charge pending a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
A source said: “On the face of it this is an uncomplicated tragic murder of an 18-year-old man, but there has been some deeply complicated issues surrounding the case.
“One of those complications is amongst the young people in the field and what they have been telling or not telling gardai.
“There is also a huge trawl of forensic evidence that needs to be examined. There is a huge workload for scientists in the national lab but they are meticulously working through this and it is hoped they will have the results shortly.
“The suspect is from the general area and it is not believed he is going to leave.”
Cameron’s lifeless body was found in a field by a dog walker near the village of Dunleer, Co Louth, on May 26.
A postmorten determined he was strangled to death.
Cameron died after a night out with pals in the field that was used by children and young adults to go drinking.
Sources said the victim arranged to meet his killer and his phone, which is still missing, could hold critical clues.
Gardai received support from the local community but some of the children and young adults who were in the field were too fearful to come forward. Searches have been carried out, including the draining of a reservoir, and teenagers handed over their phones to gardai in a bid to help them find the killer. At Cameron’s funeral, parish priest Fr Michael Murtagh said: “Human words simply crumble in the face of what is evil. “This community has been shocked, stunned and deeply saddened. This is unprecedented, we’ve never had to deal with this kind of incident before.”