Gardai probe leads in `kneecap' murder

Irish Independent



By TOM BRADY and GERRY McLOUGHLIN

Saturday January 30 1999
MURDERED businessman Terry Madden bled to death from a severed artery after what gardai suspect was a botched kneecapping. A post-mortem examination confirmed that Mr Madden was shot in the back of both legs. Gardai are investigating a theory that the 52-year-old father of three was shot in a disagreement over a business deal.But senior officers said last night they were following a number of leads in their inquiry into the brutal slaying of the south Sligo community worker.

One source said: ``Mr Madden was a very active man in the community and involved with several groups and organisations. It is possible there may have been a falling out with members of one of them but at this stage it is only conjecture.''

PARAMILITARY-STYLE SHOOTING

Gardai said that while Mr Madden was the victim of a paramilitary-style shooting there was no firm evidence to suggest that a terror gang was behind the attack.

Mr Madden was on his way to a meeting in Dublin when he was shot at 8am outside his newly built 5-bedroom bungalow at Monasteraden on the shores of Lough Gara on Thursday. Reports that two men were seen driving away from the scene are being investigated.

Garda Inspector Michael Barrett said he believed that locals could be more helpful in the investigation.

``Our response from the public has been good so far but locals may have information which they think is insignificant. They should come forward and we are determined to solve this.''

Inspector Barrett said that 50 officers from the north-west were involved in the murder hunt.

Meanwhile, local priest Fr Michael Henry said he hoped the killing would bring the community closer.

- TOM BRADY and GERRY McLOUGHLIN