Gardai close in on killers after huge public response

Gardai in Navan investigating the murder of Martin O'Gorman in the town are closing in on his killers and are "very hopeful" that enquiries will yield results in the near future. Superintendent Michael Devine of Navan Garda Station said that local CCTV and public assistance had yielded "some satisfactory results" in their search for the gang that attacked Mr O'Gorman (63) 10 days ago, in the early hours of Sunday morning, 20th June. At that early stage, Gardai were looking for a gang of four young people, two of whom were female, but they have since identified individuals from the footage and will be "interviewing them in time". Supt Devine said that members of the public in Navan had been a huge help. Between incident room set up in Navan Garda Station and door-to-door enquiries around the town, Gardai have spoken to "hundreds" of people about the serious assault on Mr O'Gorman, the likes of which he said he "cannot remember in Navan". Contrary to rumour, there was nothing recovered from the scene that Gardai believe could have been used as a weapon in the assault on the Athlone native, who was found lying on Academy Street, seriously injured, shortly after 12.30am on 20th June. Mr O'Gorman, who was an avid Meath GAA supporter from his time as a student at Gormanston College, drove to Navan in a grey VW Passat from his Athlone home to celebrate Meath's victory over Laois earlier in the day. It is thought that Mr O'Gorman, described locally as a quiet man, would do this from time to time and stay in a hotel overnight rather than drive home after socialising. Even so, Gardai believe that he only went for three drinks in the town - two in Bermingham's pub and one in Brady's - because he was not a big drinker. Tragically, he was found outside a row of bungalows lying between two cars next to the kerb by a local taxi driver later that night at around 12.30am. It is thought he had been walking towards the 24-hour Maxol garage on the Dublin Road when he passed a group of people outside a house party on Academy Street who attacked him. Supt Devine has described the victim as being simply "in the wrong place at the wrong time". Another local taxi driver came to the scene around the same time but neither man could locate a pulse on Mr O'Gorman so they called an ambulance. Supt Devine hailed the "heroic efforts" of the ambulance workers who then arrived on the scene saying they "worked wonders to keep him with us". The victim was rushed by ambulance to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, before being transferred to Beaumont Hospital, where he died on Sunday afternoon, a week after the assault. Since Monday 21st June, flowers have been placed daily at the scene close to were he was discovered. Martin O'Gorman has been described by locals in Athlone as a very "quiet, inoffensive person" from a highly respected and well-known Athlone family. His late father, John, a prominent businessman, headed up one of the biggest construction companies in the region during the 1960s and 1970s and would have strong connections to a number of hotels in the town at different times. His two brothers, Dermot and Paschal, still live in Athlone and are involved in the crane hire business. Martin O'Gorman was known as an avid GAA supporter, who also had an interest in politics. Gardai in Navan are still looking to trace his exact movements between 12 midnight and 1am on Saturday night into Sunday morning (19th-20th June) and are keen to hear from people who knew him or saw him on the night in question. An incident room is in operation at Navan Garda Station, which can be contacted on (046) 907 9930. Mr O'Gorman will be buried next week following Mass at the Church of Ss Peter and Paul, Athlone.