Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was blasted in the face at close range with a shotgun and died instantly in a slick, carefully planned robbery that lasted just 58 seconds, the Central Criminal Court was told today.
The last moment of the detective's life was outlined by Brendan Grehan SC, as he put forward the State's case at the opening of a murder trial in front of a jury.
He said that Det Garda Donohoe did not get a chance to draw his weapon after getting out of the unmarked garda car to investigate a vehicle which had blocked the entrance to a credit union car park.
He was then ambushed by four men who had hopped over a wall behind him.
One of the men then approached him while two others moved to the driver's side of the car and a fourth moved to target another car carrying credit union money.
Garda Donohoe was immediately fatally shot above the right eye with the blast travelling into the brain.
As Det Garda Donohoe was shot, his colleague Det Garda Joe Ryan was "pinned in his seat" by two other members of the gang, Mr Grehan said.
A handgun was held to Det Garda Ryan who was told "I'll f******g kill you. Don't move. I will shoot you," Mr Grehan said.
A south Armagh man has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Detective Donohoe, a married father of two from Kilnaleck, Co Cavan.
Aaron Brady, 28, from New Road, Crossmaglen has also pleaded not guilty to the robbery of €7,000 in cash and cheques from Mr Pat Bellew at Lordship Credit Union at Bellurgan, Co Louth on January 25, 2013.
Outlining the State's case Mr Grehan said it was the State's case that the robbery of Lordship Credit Union was carefully planned and the motive was "purely money".
Because the trial is expected to last 16 weeks, an enlarged jury of 15 has been selected.
The start of the trial was delayed today, Tuesday, because three jurors selected on Monday decided overnight that they would not be able to serve.
Three additional members of the jury were selected.
At the end of the trial 12 members of the 15-strong jury who will hear the case will be drawn by ballot and withdraw to consider the verdict.
The opening day of the trial was attended by Det Garda Donohoe's widow Caroline, a former member of An Garda Siochana.
The court heard that the Donohoe family lived locally and the couple's two children attended a national school opposite Lordship Credit Union.
The court was also told by Mr Grehan that the late Garda Tony Golden who was murdered some two years later, had earlier in the evening been part of the same garda escort bringing money from four credit unions to Dundalk for lodgement.
He and another uniformed garda had returned to station when the two armed detectives, Garda Donohoe and Garda Ryan, had relieved them.
