Gardaí have confirmed that Swiss teenager Manuela Riedo met her death shortly after leaving the host family's house in Renmore last Monday night, 8 October.

Superintendent Tom Curley, who is leading the murder investigation, told the Galway Independent that there is no evidence to suggest that Manuela made her way into the city after leaving Renmore and that she was more than likely attacked during her journey along the shortcut known as 'The Line'.

"From what we have learned from our investigation so far and looking at CCTV evidence, we cannot place her in town after leaving the house so we have come to the conclusion that she died shortly after she left on her journey," he said.

Manuela's partially clothed body was found on wasteland between Lakeshore Drive and Ceannt Station by a man walking his dog last Tuesday morning at 9.30am. She had been staying in Renmore Park while in Galway but left the house on Monday evening between 7pm and 7.30pm to meet friends in the city.

It is shortly after this time that garda? now believe she was attacked. A post mortem has shown that Manuela died from asphyxiation, and there have been unconfirmed reports that she was sexually assaulted prior to her death.

A full-scale murder investigation was immediately launched on Wednesday last 10 October. DNA samples were taken from her fellow students before they returned to Switzerland on Friday. The students are expected to return to their studies on Monday 22 October. DNA recovered from Manuela's body is also being compared to that of known sex offenders in the county.

Last night, a squad of over 50 garda? focused on Ceannt Station in their latest attempt to find Manuela's killer. People travelling to and from the station on Monday night between 6.30pm and 10pm were asked to fill out a questionnaire and to recall any suspicious behaviour they may have seen in the area last week.

"The reason behind the inquiries last night was that it was one week after Manuela's murder. People usually have a routine so a lot of those travelling would have been on the train or bus last Monday as well. We gave them a questionnaire in fill out in case they had seen anything suspicious," said Supt Curley.

Despite carrying out several investigations, garda? have still not identified any major leads and are not following any definite lines of inquiry. However, Supt Curley says he is satisfied with the progress that has been made so far.

"This is a huge investigation and we are carrying out hundreds of different enquiries. I am satisfied that good progress has been made," he said.

Meanwhile, Manuela's body is to be returned to her native village of Hinterkappelen near Bern in Switzerland today, Wednesday, with preparation for her funeral already underway. It will take place on Friday at 2.30pm, with Mayor Tom Costello and City Manager Joe McGrath expected to attend.

Books of condolences have been opened all over the city, including Galway Language School and City Hall. A religious service in memory of Manuela will take place this Thursday 18 October at Renmore Church at 7.30pm.

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