Fordrough pub murder: Four arrested
Mar 25 2009 by Mark Cowan, Birmingham Mail
FOUR more men have been arrested by police investigating the murder of “peacemaker” Tracy McConnell outside a Birmingham pub.
But detectives say they are still facing a virtual wall of silence from drinkers in the Fordrough Pub, West Heath, after the 46-year-old married dad-of-two was beaten to death.
It happened on Friday as he tried to break up a fight.
Today it emerged that extra police patrols were taking place in the area in a bid to reassure residents who are fearful of a rise in tensions following the murder.
And the senior detective hunting the killers said it was people’s “moral as well as public duty” to come forward with information.
Det Insp Richard Mayhew said: “People have to reflect that the father of a young family has died as a direct result of what occurred that night.”
Mr McConnell was acting as a peacemaker as between 15 and 20 people traded blows during a violent clash which erupted outside the pub, in Fordrough, at 11.30pm.
The carpenter, who leaves two young daughters aged four and eight, and a wife, Sharon, is believed to have hit his head after being knocked to the ground and died in hospital on Saturday.
Five people were arrested over the incident and questioned during the weekend.
Two more men, aged 18 and 35, were held on Monday and a further two, aged 19 and 23, were arrested yesterday. All nine have now been bailed pending further inquiries.
Police have been disappointed by the public response to appeals and Mr Mayhew said officers were having to waste valuable time tracing them individually.
