Danielle McLaughlin's raped and strangled body was found dumped in a field the morning after she had been celebrating a Hindu festival in Goa, India
The 28-year-old was last seen alive near a bar in Goa, India, on Monday evening last week.
Her naked body was found dumped in a field by a farmer 10 hours later.
Danielle had been raped and her face slashed with a broken beer bottle before she was strangled to death.
Petty criminal and convicted thief Vikat Bhagat, 23, has confessed to the killing, but the lawyer representing Danielle's family suspects he may not have acted alone.
In an exclusive interview with Mirror.co.uk, lawyer Vikram Varma - who previously worked on the case of Scarlett Keeling, the 15-year-old Devon schoolgirl murdered in Goa in 2008 - also spoke of his belief that a mysterious facepaint riddle could help solve the brutal killing of Danielle.
Possible multiple attackers
At 5ft 8ins, Danielle, from Donegal, Northern Ireland, stood taller than her alleged killer.Mr Varma said: "She (Danielle) was stronger and had greater height than him (Bhagat). And if she was intoxicated, there was no need for him to beat her up so badly.
"The fact she has been over-powered so badly, I suspect the possibility of more people involved. If so, who are these people and what is their role in her death?
"Have they assisted in her attack, helped with the disposal of the body or been involved in a sexual attack?"
The missing 10 hours
Police are trying to piece together what happened in the 10 hours between the last sighting of Danielle near a bar at 9.30pm and the discovery of her body at 7.30am the following day.She was seen holding hands with a mystery man in Palolem's Green Park bar at 9.20pm - later identified as taxi driver Rajesh Sarokomart Pant, who denies any involvement in the killing.
She was then spotted with prime suspect Bhagat 10 minutes later and they reportedly got into an argument with a barkeeper who sold them two bottles of beer, before leaving on Bhagat's scooter.
This is a last confirmed sighting of Danielle. The 10 hours that followed before her body was found are a mystery.
Mr Varma said: "We don't know what happened between 9.30pm and 7.30am. At this moment in time, nothing can be ruled out."
The facepaint riddle
Danielle was celebrating the Hindu festival of Holi the last time she was seen alive.She was wearing traditional, colourful facepaints when she vanished. But there was no paint on her body when it was found the next day.
Mr Varma said: "It was on her face and hands but it washed off at some time. It requires a lot of rubbing (to remove).
"She may have gone to have a shower at some place. We need to know where she went. Investigations should answer this question.
"She must have gone somewhere with a bath or shower."
Danielle's family demand justice
Danielle's family are determined to get justice, according to their lawyer.Mr Varma said: "Anyone person who loses their daughter will be devastated. They want justice.
"They can't bring their child back to life, but they want justice for the people who have done this to their daughter."
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