Police suspect drugs and paramilitary links in Joe Reilly's Murder

Drugs and Paramilitary links are forming part of the investigation into the murder of Joe Reilly in West Belfast last week.

Detectives returned to Poleglass this evening, exactly one week after the father of one was shot in the chest and killed.

Officers wearing similar clothing to the two killers retraced their getaway from Glenwood Drive hoping to gather more information.

43 year old Mr Reilly was shot in the living room of his home while two other people were forced to lie on the kitchen floor.

His funeral took place yesterday.

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Montgomery is leading the investigation:

He said “We need to know what happened next: did they get into a car or did they continue on foot along to the Bell Steel Road or cross the Pantridge Road into Colin Mill?

“We are also interested in confirming how they arrived at Joe Reilly’s house: did they walk there or were they dropped off from vehicle nearby?

“Information from the community has enabled us to identify the type of clothing the killers were wearing: both were wearing half-zip hooded sports tops and skin tight jogging bottoms.

"Both had their faces covered and at least one had a Celtic scarf up over his face and was wearing dark rimmed glasses.

“We need to know where these men came from before the shooting, where they went afterwards and we want to speak to anyone who recognises the clothing. 

“It would be easy to adopt a judgmental position and decide not to get involved in helping police.

"But, I would ask people to remember there is a handgun out there which may be used to inflict another death on someone else if it is not taken off the streets; there is also a family grieving for the loss of a son, a brother, a father, a grandfather and a partner.

"There are killers at large who need to be made amenable for their actions through the courts.

“As members of a civilised society, we owe it to ourselves, to each other and to victims like Joe Reilly and his family to put those responsible for his death before the courts.

"Those who have taken the law into their own hands to deliver what amounts to a summary execution need to be put behind bars so that our community is a safer place.”