Gardai investigate if murdered ex-garda linked to Daly disappearance

A postmortem is due to be held today on the body of former garda John Kerins, who was found murdered at his home on the outside Bailieborough yesterday. Gardai are reportedly investigating whether his murder is linked to the disappearance of Gerard Daly, who went missing over a year ago. The results of Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis' examination are expected at around 5pm today, which may establish more accurately the time of the shooting of former Detective Garda Kerins, (49). Gardai believe that he was gunned down sometime between late Thursday night and early Friday morning. An extensive forensic examination of Mr Kerins' two-storey house in the isolated area of Cornaveigh, outside Bailieborough, has been ongoing since the discovery of his body at 11am on Friday. It is believed he was shot twice with a shotgun, at least once in the head, as he sat on his sofa. It has been reported that there was no sign of a break-in and gardai are considering the possibility that he knew his killer and let them into the house. During the investigation Gardai reportedly uncovered a quantity of cannabis plants at his house. Mr Kerins was discharged from the Gardai back in 2009 on medical grounds, having sustained injuries in the line of duty, for which it is believed he was awarded €250,000. It is thought that in addition to being a detective in the northeast, he had also worked in the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation in the capital. It is being reported that it was suspected Mr Kerins had become involved in organised crime. He was due to appear in court on February 5 on two charges of handling stolen plant equipment valued at about €23,000 at properties in Cork . It has also been reported that Gardaí suspect he was involved in the drugs trade. The Irish Times today report that while still a member of the Gardai he had set up a private security firm and that equipment at the sites his company was guarding had gone missing several times, and that it was understood that he was a suspect in a number of the thefts. Gardai are also investigating a possible link to the disappearance of Gerard Daly. Mr Daly would have turned 44 last week, and through The Anglo-Celt, his family issued a renewed appeal for information to coincide with his birthday. Dog breeder Mr Daly was originally from, Tallaght, Dublin, and had moved to nearby Mr Kerins. There have been no sightings of Mr Daly since he went missing on June 26, 2011. Supt Gerry O'Brien, of Bailieboro Garda Station, told The Anglo-Celt in February that the investigation into his disappearance involved pursuing lines of inquiry in Bailieborough, Dublin, the border region, England, Jersey and Malta. With regards to Mr Kerins' killing, Supt Gerry O'Brien appealed for anyone who saw anything suspicious in the Cornaveigh area between 4pm on Thursday and 9am yesterday to contact Bailieborough Garda Station.