A senior garda has said that it came as a surprise to investigating gardai when the Director of Public Prosecutions decided not to charge anyone arising out of the murder of Latvian mother of two Baiba Saulite five years ago.
Giving evidence to the Dublin County Coroner Court, at a hearing of the inquest into Ms Saulite's killing, Det Supt Walter O'Sullivan said that a considerable amount of information was gathered during the investigation suggesting someone had been contracted to kill Ms Saulite.
Ms Saulite died after she was shot three times in the arm and shoulder while she stood outside her rented home at 7 Holywell Square, Swords in Co Dublin around 9pm on 19 November 2006.
Det Supt O'Sullivan said that from the outset the gardai were strongly committed to completing the investigation.
He said it was apparent from a very early stage that sinister and heartless persons of a serious criminal ilk were involved in the deliberate and violent taking of this woman's life and had prepared well to do so.
He said those person or persons suspected of involvement were identified and interviewed.
He said a full report on the case went to the Director of Public Prosecutions who subsequently directed that no prosecution be taken.
Det Supt O'Sullivan said this came as a surprise to gardai as their recommendation had been for prosecution.
But he added that the DPP is an independent office and he is the only person who can initiate a prosecution.
He added that the murder investigation cannot be progressed further without new evidence.
After hearing all the evidence, the jury of five men and three women returned a verdict of unlawful killing.
Det Supt O'Sullivan said it was his belief that Ms Saulite was specifically targeted in this attack. He said Ms Saulite's children were asleep in bed in the house during the attack.
He said they have since returned to the custody of a relative outside of this country.
He said gardaí know from their investigation that Ms Saulite had a fear of a person or persons who might harm her.
He said this person or persons were connected or associated with Ms Saulite.
The inquest heard from a number of witnesses how on the day which the 28-year-old was shot dead, Ms Saulite had earlier been to a local shopping centre with a friend and her two boys aged four and five.
State Pathologist Prof Marie Cassidy who carried out the post-mortem examination of Ms Saulite's body, said she died from choking, blood loss and damage to the right lung as a result of receiving three gun shot wounds to the shoulder and arm, two of which entered the chest cavity.
Closing the inquest, Coroner Kieran Geraghty said it was a terribly callous and brutal murder which left two children without the love and protection of their mother.
He added that it was a pity that the jury didn't get to hear all of the evidence in the case.
