Kieran McLaughlin, Derry Murder

Kieran McLaughlin Derry Murder

Gardaí have surrounded a house in Co Donegal tonight in the search for a man wanted in connection with a murder in Derry yesterday.

Officers are outside the parochial house in Muff as part of a search for Kieran McLaughlin.

PSNI officers in the North said earlier they were seeking Mr McLaughlin (58) in connection with the murder of Barry McCrory in the Shipquay Street area of Derry yesterday morning.

They took the unusual step of issuing a picture of Mr McLaughlin.

As part of the joint operation, gardaí spent today searching Border areas close to Derry.

Tonight, officers have surrounded the parochial house in Muff and believe McLaughlin is either in the house or in the vicinity of the premises.

The PSNI raided a number of homes in Galliagh on the Derry side of the Border as part of the operation.

The killing has been widely condemned with British prime minister David Cameron the latest to denounce the shooting.

He was in Belfast to attend a major investment conference and he took time out at the end of the event to condemn the killing of Mr McCrory and that of 46-year-old Brendan Kearney in Belfast on Wednesday night.

He said: “These murders are despicable and the people responsible should be hunted down prosecuted and convicted, they should face justice.”

The dead man’s family, including his mother Anne, father Danny and son Shea attended a peace rally held in Guildhall Square in protest at the killing.

Following a two minutes silence, the crowd of several hundred were told a clear message needed to be sent out from Derry that violence from all quarters was not acceptable in the city.

Meanwhile, Mr McCrory’s body remains in Belfast where a post-mortem examination has taken place.

The family hope to have is remains returned to them tomorrow with burial expected on Monday