STUDENTS GRIEVE FOR MURDERED CAMERON (18)
Shock as teen found murdered in Dunleer field
THERE was widespread shock and grief at the murder of ‘shy, quiet’ DkIT student Cameron Reilly (18) in Dunleer last weekend.
The teen was found in a field just yards from his home at Beechwood Drive just after 8am on Saturday morning.
A post mortem examination was carried out and Louth gardai confimed they have launched a murder inquiry. A ‘ large number of youths’ have been questioned in relation to the murder. The youths were part of a group socialising in a field at the rear of the Rivervale estate in Dunleer in the early hours of last Saturday morning. A student at DkIT, Cameron’s death has cast a shadow over a wide community, with heart-broken friends describing him as ‘a gentle lovely fella, always laughing with his mates.’
DkIT President, Dr. Michael Mulvey said: ‘ We are shocked and deeply saddened by the news about the death of DkIT student, Cameron Reilly. On behalf of the entire Institute, I wish to extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends at this time. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them.’
He described Cameron as ‘a popular and dedicated student and the tragic nature of his death has touched many, in particular his classmates and lecturers.’
There was widespread shock and grief at the murder of popular DkIT student Cameron Reilly, whose body was found just yards from his home in Dunleer in the early hours of Saturday morning last.
Following the tragic discovery a post mortem was carried out, and gardai confirmed a murder investigation was being launched.
The news stunned the close knit community of Dunleer, and the students and staff at DkIT where Cameron was just completing his first year studying Hospitality.
Dr. Michael Mulvey, President of the Institute spoke yesterday (Monday) of the impact that the tragic death of the popular young man has had.
‘We are shocked and deeply saddened by the news about the death of DkIT student, Cameron Reilly.
On behalf of the entire Institute, I wish to extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends at this time. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them.
Cameron was a popular and dedicated student and the tragic nature of his death has touched many, in particular his classmates and lecturers within the Department of Hospitality.’
He said that the Institute was making ‘ every effort to support our students and staff affected by this tragedy.’
DkIT Students Union also responded to the tragedy with a ost on social media. ‘ We are deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the untimely and tragic death of one of our Hospitality Students, Cameron Reilly (RIP).
Our thoughts and prayers are with Cameron’s family, friends and classmates at this very sad time. Please keep the Reilly family and friends in your thoughts.’
The shocking tragedy unfolded around 8am on Saturday morning last when a local man was out walking his dog , and came across a body in a field at the rear of the Rivervale estate and the Glen Dimplex plant on the Ardee Road in Dunleer. It is a known popular hang out for local youths. The man soon realised the enormity of the situation and called for the emergency services, who along with gardai, rushed to the scene.
Within hours, the name of the young man was known - and a shadow descended on a town.
Suddenly a quiet family, living life in their own way, were cast into an abyss of sorrow.
A caring, loving son, Cameron’s mother, Tracy, adored the ground he walked on and he adored her.
The devastated mother said ‘ Our hearts are broken in a million pieces. My beautiful son, love you to the moon and back.’
His dad, Patrick ‘ Snowy’ Reilly is a Drogheda man and well known in the soccer world, enjoying a great footballing career as a goalkeeper in the past.
Cameron was lucky enough to have two homes - one in Scarlet Street in Drogheda and the other in a place he loved, Beechwood Drive in Dunleer, home to his grandparents, Joe and Rita Glass and he loved spending time with them.
He went to school in Dunleer and completed his Leaving Certificate in Scoil Ui Mhuiri. He started in DkIT last year.
He had many great friends in Dunleer and this week, they share the pain of his beloved family.
Across social media, words of comfort, shock, anger and grief were tinged with disbelief.
‘A true guy with always a friendly smile or wave for all.... only a child, my God beginning his life into adulthood. To make sense of this is impossible.... he was a lovely young man with so much ahead of him cruelly taken at such a young age... such a gentle lovely fella, always laughing with his mates..... such a cruel world we live in,’ some wrote.
At Sunday mass in St Brigid’s Church, Parish Priest Fr Michael Murtagh said it was hard to speak about life when the community had gone through such a tragic few days and the ‘unspeak- able cruelty of taking a young man’s life’, but ‘ that is what faith is about.’
He spoke about the ‘value we place on life’ and how everybody was ‘quietly sad for Cameron and his family and many questions were being asked.’
He said anyone who knew Cameron found him a ‘ most gentle, shy and quiet’ young man and was ‘ courtesy personified’.
Dunleer was shocked by Cameron’s loss, stating everyone’s ‘ horror at the nature of his death and somehow justice will be served eventually.’
He said the community was with the family ‘in your darkness and sorrow’.
The garda investigation has been concentrated on the area where his body was found and large scale searches have been ongoing over the last few days.
Sup. Andrew Watters said they had not established a motive for the murder. But it is believed items that Cameron had on him are missing and finding them will be a key factor in tracing those responsible for his death.
Cameron was last seen in the vicinity of Ardee Road, Dunleer at approximately 12.30am on Saturday morning 26/5/2018 before his body was discovered at approximately 8am at Rivervale, Dunleer,.
Investigating Gardaí are appealing to anyone who was in his company or with information about his movements on Friday (25/5/2018) evening and Saturday morning (26/5/2018) to make contact with them.
They are also appealing to taxi drivers, bus drivers or anyone with dashcam footage recorded in the Dunleer area to make it available to them.
One item missing is his phone. It’s an Apple iPhone 8X (64GB) with a green hard back cover, space grey in colour.
Gardai are appealing to home and business owners in Dunleer to check their property, including wheelie bins and waste skips, to try and find it and of course if it’s offered for sale.
The Argus understands that a large number of youths have been interviewed as part of the investigation.
Mid Louth councillor Dolores Minogue said that the community now had to come together for the family.
‘It’s terrible and I’d urge people with any information to contact the gardai.’
A vigil was organised by the parish in Dunleer last night (Monday) in memory of the popular young man.