First picture of teenage boy whose severed body parts were found in sports bag

The body found dismembered in a “brutal and savage” Narcos-style killing has been identified as missing teenager Keane Mulready-Woods.

The Gardai (Irish police) have blasted “a brutal and savage attack on a child” after Keane’s remains were found dumped in a sports bag on a Dublin estate on Monday – before the lad’s head was recovered from a burning car today.

A spokesman for the Irish Gardai have now said the remains belong to the 17-year-old from Drogheda, Co Louth, north of Dublin on the Dublin-Belfast corridor.

He was last seen on Sunday.

A spokesman told the Irish Mirror: “Partial body remains have been located in this burnt out vehicle and due to the nature of the incident it will be some time before proper identification can be confirmed.

“The Garda Technical Bureau have been notified and the Office of the State Pathologist and the Coroner have been notified. The assistance of Forensic Science Ireland will also be sought.

“Investigations ongoing and no further comment will be made at this time.”

Police made a grim discovery early this morning when they found Keane’s dismembered head after reports of a car on fire on lane off Clonliffe Avenue in Drumcondra, on the north side of Dublin.

Gardai were searching for the head after a sports bag – discovered by youths around 10pm on Monday on the north Dublin housing estate of Coolock – was found to contain a dismembered torso and four limbs.

It is feared Keane was murdered by vicious gangsters and police have suspects in mind.

The teenager is feared to have been abducted before he was murdered and his body chopped up in a chilling Narcos-style warning by feuding drug mobs in Drogheda, one of the oldest towns in Ireland, 30 miles north of Dublin.

A garda spokesman described the killing as a “brutal and savage” attack on a boy “trying to find his way in life”.

He said: “Keane is a 17-year-old juvenile, he disappeared on Sunday 12th January and parts of his remains have now been discovered. 

“This is a brutal and savage attack on a child and is completely unacceptable in any normal democratic society. 

“The level of violence is shocking and the investigation into the murder of Keane is being co-ordinated from Drogheda Garda Station.

“It is important to remember that Keane was a child, a young boy, trying to find his way in life, he has now lost his life and his family have lost their loved son and brother.”

Gardai have outlined two main suspects in the shocking case, both of whom have links to feuds in Coolock and Drogheda.

One of the men has recently been released from prison while the other escaped a hit attempt just hours before the gruesome discovery was made in Dublin.

The suspect escaped by the skin of his teeth on Monday when the taxi he was travelling in was shot at in an apparent retaliation in Drogheda.

An innocent driver was rushed to hospital after the shooting and suffered non life-threatening injuries.

Keane was said to have links to both sides of the divide in Drogheda and also associated with an infamous north Dublin group, the Irish Mirror reports.

Gardai had previously warned him his life was in danger and family and friends had been worried sick since he went missing on Sunday.

A source described the youngster as a “soft target”.

Devastated family and friends, who had been holding out hope he was alive, have posted tributes as their worst fears have come true.

One said: “You are so special in my life that I know no other person will be able to take your place.”

Locals said this morning that the sports bag with the other remains in it had been thrown out of a car, which then sped away from the scene.

Keane was previously reported to have been known to the Gardai and was suspected of being involved with a number of arson attacks on homes as part of the gang warfare in Drogheda.

Police believe the teenager may have been killed as a horrific warning to the suspect’s rivals.

He has not been seen since Sunday and his sister has posted on social media that she could not contact him and that he had not texted her as he usually did.

Independent Left Councillor John Lyons told the Irish Mirror: “There’s a feeling there would be more done if this was happening in Castleknock and not Coolock.

“There have been four murders all only minutes walk from where this happened.

“People are fearful, they are rightly fearful and keeping their heads down. But sadly people are not surprised.”

A resident who lives near to where the body parts were found said: “The people of Coolock and the wider Dublin Bay North area have been subjected to fear and intimidation by these drug gangs for too long, but this is a particularly grisly chapter.”

The boy is claimed to have been warned by Garda that his life was in threat just days before his disappearance.

Irish Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan described the killing as a depraved act of violence and extended his sympathy to the family of the victim.

He assured local people their concerns about violent crime are being taken seriously.

Gardai have now made an appeal for:

• Information from anyone who has knowledge of Keane’s movements from when he was last seen on Sunday 11th January 2020 at approximately 6pm in the vicinity of Dominic’s Bridge, Drogheda.
• Information or dashcam footage from anyone in the Moatview Drive, Moatview Gardens Dublin 17 area on Monday 13th January 2020 from 9pm – 10pm.
• Information on the movements of a blue Volvo S40 bearing false registration plates 141 MO 1925 which was abandoned and set on fire in the Trinity Terrace, Dublin 3 area on the morning of Wednesday 15th January at approximately 1.30am.
• Information on the whereabouts of a blue Volvo S40, 161 D 48646, which was the subject of an unauthorised taking from Sandymount, Co. Dublin on 15th December 2019.
• Information on the clothing Keane was wearing at the time he went missing.