Gardai believe Kyran Durnin suspect who took own life played key role in 'decoy child cover up'

A man who was a suspect in the murder and disappearance of missing child Kyran Durnin has taken his own life.

Anthony Maguire (36) was found dead in his home in Beechwood, Drogheda, Co Louth shortly before midday today - just days after he had been arrested over the murder and released without charge.

It can now be revealed that gardai had intelligence that led them to suspect that Maguire played a direct role in previously duping authorities into believing that missing Kyran was in fact alive. "It's believed he played a role in the coverup," a source said.

READ MORE:Kyran Durnin investigation: Suspect who died in 'personal tragedy' named as post-mortem to be carried out

READ MORE: 'Guest at B&B' to suspect's death - How the story of Kyran Durnin's disappearance has unfolded

Sources say Maguire was suspected of having facilitated in having a ‘decoy’ child brought before authorities in Tusla, the Child and Family Agency earlier this year - in an attempt to fool them into believing he was Kyran (8). However the attempt raised eyebrows with authorities who eventually communicated concerns to gardai.

Gardai believe Kyran was by this stage dead - and that he may have been murdered as many as two years ago, when he was six years old. It is understood that Maguire was known to Kyran but he had insisted to neighbours and friends that he had nothing to do with his disappearance.

He was also known to gardai and had a violent past - including for assaulting a woman - was arrested and quizzed by detectives last Thursday - while a major search was underway at the back garden of his Drogheda home.

Forensic officers, accompanied by a cadaver dog and a mini digger, intrusively searched Maguire’s property for any signs that Kyran’s body may have been there.

Our exclusive picture shows Maguire smoking a cigarette outside Drogheda garda station after he was just released from custody. It is understood he stayed quiet during questioning and gave gardai no clues as to what happened to little Kyran.

His arrest came just 24 hours after a woman known to Kyran had also been arrested and released without charge. The woman, who has denied any involvement in Kyran’s disappearance, had previously implicated Maguire. Officers are now set to probe his final movements and dealings before he took his own life on Thursday.

His violent past is also of concern to officers - and it can now be revealed that he received a one and a half year suspended sentence back in 2020 for the violent assault of a woman in July 2017.

Maguire pleaded guilty in that case and was spared jail - and ultimately moved from an address in the Rosevale estate to the Beechwood estate in Drogheda. He was also previously in court for punching a teenage girl at Buttergate on April 18 2009.

In her evidence she alleged Maguire punched her in the face, stated she had been with friends when a girl pulled her to the ground by her hair - and as she got up Maguire punched her.

At the age of 22 he was before the courts over criminal damage at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda where he became agitated and smashed a window after having a row with his girlfriend.

It is feared that Kyran has in fact been missing and dead for two years however - but efforts to determine how and when he went missing are still continuing. The murder probe was first launched in October - and Kyran was first reported missing in August.

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency said that in August it alerted gardaí to a significant concern about Kyran and that while he was not in its care, it had engaged with him and his family. Tusla subsequently conducted an internal review into its interactions with Kyran and his family.

A grandmother of Kyran Durnin, reportedly was recorded on tape saying she last saw the youngster alive on Wednesday, August 28.
Rhonda Tyson said he stayed in her house in Drogheda, Co Louth, with his mother, her daughter Dayla and had been sleeping on the couch.
But the next morning when she woke up, both mother and the child were gone. Dayla left a note for her on the table saying she needed to get away for a few days.

Her account of seeing Kyran recently alive is totally at odds with the view of Irish police that he has been dead for the last two years.
The recorded interview was obtained by the investigative BBC Spotlight team for their programme on the case The Lost Boy which was screened last Tuesday.

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