Notorious career crim Lee McDonnell found dead in garda cell was suspect in Liffey swim knife death & gangster killing

THE thug found dead in a cell at a Garda station over the weekend was a suspect in a recent Liffey swim knife death.

Lee McDonnell, 34, was discovered “unresponsive” in Clondalkin Garda station on Saturday evening.

The Irish Sun can also reveal the Director of Public Prosecutions was weighing up plans to charge McDonnell with gangster Gary Carey’s murder in 2022.

One theory is career criminal McDonnell — one of Ireland’s most violent lags who previously went on the run after escaping a prison escort — may have died from a drug overdose.

It’s understood McDonnell, from Ballyfermot, Dublin, had been arrested early on Saturday before being brought back to the station.

Gardai stepped up patrols in the area over fears gangland associates would cause trouble in Ballyfermot and Clondalkin.

The volatile criminal was the chief suspect in the slashing of Thomas Griffin, 31.

Mr Griffin died in hospital on Sunday, June 1 after being found injured near Chapelizod Road in Dublin.

He had swam the Liffey to escape his attackers at the War Memorial Gardens in Islandbridge on Saturday, May 31.

Gardai are continuing to investigate the circumstances and Mr Griffin’s death is not being treated as a murder as of yet.

However it’s believed McDonnell inflicted the slash wounds to Mr Griffin’s face during the incident.

One source also told The Irish Sun: “He has always been suspected of being the lone gunman who killed Carey.

“The DPP had the file for a number of months and the hope was that a decision to charge McDonnell was imminent.

“McDonnell is a career criminal who has used extreme violence on many people over the years.

“He was currently out of prison but was also suspected of acting as an enforcer for a drugs gang and had often targeted vulnerable people.”

Gardai confirmed an investigation was underway.

A spokesperson said: “A man in his 30s who was in Garda custody at a Garda station in Dublin became unresponsive in a cell and urgent assistance was requested.

“Despite immediate resuscitative attempts by Garda members and by medical personnel and first responders who attended, the man was later pronounced deceased.

“The coroner has been notified.

“As per Garda policy, this matter has been referred to Fiosru, the Office of the Police Ombudsman.”

Before his death, McDonnell was classified as one of Ireland’s most violent prisoners.

In 2014, he escaped from custody when he asked to stop for fast food in Inchicore.

He was found a few days later hiding out in Ballyfermot.

He previously received a nine-and-a-half year sentence for a barbaric machete attack and armed robbery.

And he was jailed in 2024 after he was involved in a vicious attack on uniformed Gardai.