Mother appeals over son's murder

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The mother of a man murdered in County Armagh has appealed for anyone with information about his killers to come forward.

Martin Conlon, 35, was found with gunshot wounds on 7 November 2005 after being abducted from a friend's home.

His mother, Sally Conlon, said that hardly a day went by when she did not think of her son.

"Whatever the reason for his murder he was a loving son and I want to see justice done for his sake," he said.

"If anyone has information I pray that they will have the courage to bring that forward in their own way."

Detectives have established that two masked men abducted Mr Conlon from a friend's house he was visiting in Greenpark Crest, off the Monaghan Road in Armagh around teatime that day.

They took him away in his own car - a silver Volkswagen Passat with the registration PCZ 4075.

He was found lying unconscious on the Farnaloy Road in the Keady area by members of the public.

He was taken to Craigavon hospital where he was pronounced dead.

'Brutal murder'

Detective Superintendent Derek Williamson appealed for help to catch his killers.

"I am absolutely convinced that within the community there are people who know exactly why Martin was so brutally murdered," he said.

"There will also be knowledge of who planned and carried out the murder. I need those people to come forward and to share that knowledge with us."

DS Williamson said he understood the reluctance of some within the community, for whatever reason, to come forward.

"I can assure anyone who has any knowledge or information about this most cruel of murders that everything possible will be done to ensure their confidentiality, " he said.

Anyone who can help is asked to get in touch with detectives on Armagh 02837 523311 or Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.

At the time of the murder police said a homophobic motive was one line of inquiry.

They are also looking at whether he was killed by dissident republicans, with whom he was linked.

Shortly before his death Mr Conlon had been released from prison in the Republic of Ireland where he had served a four-year sentence after being arrested at a Real IRA training camp.