Gardai hunting Sophie Toscan du Plantier's killer are tracking down everyone she was in contact with during her visits to Ireland.
Detectives are building up a profile of anyone she knew or was seen with during her regular holidays to west Cork in the last few years of her life before she was battered to death on Christmas, 1996.
They are also trying to establish if Ian Bailey, who was arrested twice over the killing but never charged, actually knew and had met Sophie before she died.
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Her former neighbour Alfie Lyons who has since died had previously made a statement to Gardai that he had introduced them to each other, but the 64-year-old Englishman has always denied that was the case and maintains he never knew the French beauty.
The new cold case investigation team are convinced that Sophie knew her killer and would never have let a stranger into her isolated home outside Schull.
A Garda source said: " The team is trying to track down everyone that Sophie knew during her time in Cork.
"We want to know who she knew or didn't know in the locality, who she was friendly with or who she disliked.
"We are trying to find out if anyone had a grudge or was jealous of her for whatever reason.
"We are trying to speak to everyone who knew Sophie and to see if they have any information which might help give us a breakthrough."
The Gardai are convinced some local people have crucial information in relation to the murder but are holding back for a variety of reasons.
They appealed for anyone with information to come forward and contact them confidently at Bantry Garda station on 027-20860 or to call the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666111.
It is understood the cold case team from the Garda Serious Crime Review will make recommendations to the local investigation team once their enquiries are complete.
But it could be months before that happens.
The French film maker's body was found lying 100 yards from her holiday home on Christmas Eve.
She had been due to fly back to France later that day to be reunited with her late husband Daniel for the festive season.
Both of them had been having affairs at the time; she with a French artiste and he with a model. Her former French lover had a cast iron alibi.
Ian Bailey was found guilty of Sophie's murder in absentia by a French court in 2019 and sentenced to 25 years jail. The Irish courts have refused to extradite him.
Bailey has always denied involvement and that he was never charged with murder in Ireland.
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