One of Limerick’s most notorious killers, David Stanners, has died in jail.
Stanners (51), who was aligned to the Dundon McCarthy crime network, was convicted along with four others in December 2003 of the murder of Limerick crime boss Kieran Keane.
The five gang members were also convicted of the attempted murder of Keane’s nephew, Owen Treacy.
Keane was tortured with a steel bar, had his hands tied behind his back, and shot in the head. Mr Treacy was stabbed 17 times but miraculously survived.
It was one of 19 murders in a long-running feud between rival criminals in Limerick and is known as one of the most violent murders in the history of the State.
Stanners, whose nickname was "Frog Eyes", was found unresponsive in his cell on the D3 landing of Mountjoy Prison early on Thursday, where he was serving his life sentence.
Sources said foul play was “not suspected” in Stanners’s death.
“There were no signs of anything violent occurring in relation to his death, and there is nothing to suggest anything that looks sinister,” said a reliable source.
A garda spokesman said gardaí at Mountjoy were notified “after a male inmate was discovered deceased at Mountjoy Prison, Dublin 7, in the early hours of this morning, Thursday 26th October 2023”.
“A post-mortem is expected to take place on the body of the deceased, the results of which will determine the course of the investigation,” said the Garda spokesman.
“The Coroner has been notified. Any further queries should be directed to the Prison Service at this time,” he added.
When contacted, the Irish Prison Service confirmed that “there was a death of a person in custody at Mountjoy Prison on 25th October 2023 and the next of kin have been notified”.
“This death in custody will be investigated by the Irish Prison Service, the Inspector of Prisons and An Garda Síochána, where circumstances warrant, and the cause of death is determined by the Coroner’s Office,” it added.
By David Raleigh
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