Forensic experts have continued analysing the car of Josef Grech, the man found shot in the head last week, but so far found nothing that could shed light on the case.
The car, a red Renault, was spotted in an area in San Ġwann known as Ta’ Żwejt and taken to the Criminal Investigation Department for further tests.
Forensic scientists have so far only uncovered Mr Grech’s finger and palm prints on the car and blood tests returned negative results.
Sources close to the investigation said the police are now trying to establish whether the car was parked in the area before Mr Grech, 41, was murdered early on December 12.
The father-of-two, from Balzan, was shot in the head at point blank range. His semi-dressed body was discovered by a hunter in Qalet Marku, just off the Coast Road, at about 3.30am.
Investigators believe the murder weapon was of a small calibre, probably a pistol.
The relatively small amount of blood found around the victim indicates he was killed elsewhere and taken to the spot where his body was abandoned, although further forensic tests are being carried out to determine this.
Family members told investigators Mr Grech was meant to pick up his youngest daughter from school on Tuesday but never did and failed to return home that evening.
Their attempts to contact him via his mobile phone proved futile.
Police sources said investigators had been searching for his car for the past week and only stumbled across it in San Ġwann.
Meanwhile, police investigations on Wednesday’s second murder have hit a brick wall after the two suspects who were arrested shed little light on the crime.
Sources said the police have released the two men arrested over the murder of Joseph Cutajar, known as Il-Lion, who was shot dead in Mill Street, Mosta that morning with a semi-automatic assault rifle.
The police had arrested Paul Degabriele and an unnamed man and questioned them at length but have since released them, pending further investigations.
It was established that weapons found during a number of searches were not the ones used in the murder.
Both victims were facing criminal proceedings over murders they allegedly com-mitted, a fact that has led police to suspect their deaths were connected.
mxuereb@timesofmalta.com