Kyran Durnin murder suspect was 'worried he'd never see his kids again' - as more arrests expected

Kyran Durnin murder suspect Anthony Maguire - who took his own life - was worried he would never see his own kids again.

Distraught Maguire, 35, left messages before he died in relation to his own children but never mentioned what may have happened to the missing eight year old boy.

He also never admitted to detectives during questioning last week that he was involved in any way with the missing and murder case.

READ MORE: Gardai fear suspect Anthony Maguire has taken the key to Kyran Durnin's mystery disappearance to his grave

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

He also denied he supplied a boy to pretend he was Kyran for meetings with Tusla social workers so they would think the child was still alive.

Maguire claimed the decoy youngster used was brought to the meetings by other people and he knew nothing about it. Maguire was rearing his kids on his own following the death of their mother, his long time partner from a drugs overdose in 2019.

Friends and neighbours say he was a devoted dad who had cleaned up his act and put his own children first.

Anthony Maguire pictured leaving Drogheda Garda station last Friday. He left a note after his death on Tuesday, but it made no reference to young Kyran's fate.
(Image: Mick O'Neill)

But he was genuinely terrified that his children would be taken off him by the Child and Family Protection Agency Agency because his name was being associated with the Kyran Durnin case.

One neighbour who knew him very well said: "Anthony was really worried Tusla might take his kids off him and he was right to be. He was caught in the eye of the storm and feared he would lose his kids forever. The notes he left were about his own children and nothing to do with Kyran."

Gardai say Anthony Maguire's death will not deter them from going full steam ahead with the murder investigation and they expect more arrests in the coming days.

They are also not ruling out further digs at different locations in County Louth to try and find his body. They are determined not to let his death and silence to stop them cracking the case and catching those responsible.

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