In the early hours of New Years Day 2003, Rachel Moran decided leave her parents house and make the 20 minute walk to her own flat. Her worried mother tried to stop her, but Rachel said she would be fine: she’d ring as soon as she got in.
But the phone call never came.
And Rachel was never seen alive again.
Continue reading “71 – A Walk in the Dark: The murder of Rachel Moran”In 1967, a teacher was shot in her classroom in Dundee.
In 1976, two men escaped a mental hospital and killed three others in the process.
In 1979, three women were found beaten and strangled in a flat in Dundee.
All of these horrific events had one thing in common.
The name Robert Mone.
Continue reading “70 – Lives of Violence: Robert Mone”In 1940, 24 year old Michael Devereux disappeared from his home in Co Wexford. A year later, his body would be discovered buried in an isolated part of Co Tipperary. A number of men who were known members of the IRA found themselves accused of the murder – allegedly motivated by the belief that Devereux had been a spy among their ranks.
A four month legal battle ensued, which saw the use of the Emergency Powers Act passed to deal with “The Emergency” of the ongoing war in Europe used to circumvent due process and normal court procedures in order to hold the men accountable.
Just before Christmas 1979, 23 year old Phyllis Murphy disappeared while waiting on a bus in Newbridge, Co Kildare. Her body was found in an isolated spot 25 miles away at Turlough Hill, Co Wicklow a month later.
After a huge search and investigation, the gardai had no leads as to who was responsible for her death. But in 1998, DNA in Phyllis’ case was tested as part of Operation Trace. As a result of that, 53 year old John Crerar – a neighbour of Phyllis’ remaining family – stood trial at the Dublin Central Criminal Court.
Continue reading “68 – Mountain Mysteries: The murder of Phyllis Murphy”In 1925, while the Irish Free State was still in its infancy after the close of the civil war, the body of a young woman was found dead lying at a lonely cross roads in South County Dublin. Her name was Honor Bright, a woman who made her living as a sex worker in town.
Two men were tried for her shooting death, but was her killing a the result of her “unfortunate” status, or part of an attempt to keep scandal away from the halls of power in a newly-independent Ireland?
Continue reading “67 – Honor Bright: Murder in the Free State”In February of 2015, 16 year old Becky Watts was reported missing by her family. A city – wide search ensued for the shy and socially anxious teenager.
But it would turn out that Becky, and the answers about what had become of her, would be found much closer to home than initially thought.
Continue reading “66 – A Family Destroyed: The murder of Becky Watts”In the early 1980s, there was a series of kidnap-for-ransom crimes committed in the Republic by the Provisional IRA in order to raise funds to finance their organisation and its terrorist operations here and in the UK.
One of the victims of these abductions was prominent businessman, Don Tidey, and Englishman who was the senior executive of the Quinnsworth group of supermarkets. Tidey was held for 23 days in Derrada wood, Co Leitrim. He as rescued by the gardai and the army, but a garda probationer and an army private were killed during the operation.
Though a number of people were charged in relation to the kidnap, no one has ever been charged in relation to the two killings.
Continue reading “64 – Hostage at Derrada Woods: The story of Don Tidey”In 1983, three women died in an horrific house fire at Blackpitts in Dublin. It would emerge that one of them – 34 year old Dolores Lynch – had been targeted by a violent and vengeful pimp. John Cullen was alleged to have held a grudge against the former sex worker for pursuing charges against him for an assault seven years before.
In the course of getting justice for Dolores Lynch, there would be shocking revelations about what went on in Dublin City under the cover of darkness.
Continue reading “63 – Under the cover of Darkness: Dolores Lynch & Lyn Madden”In September of 1977, Kirk Anderson a 21 year old American Mormon missionary is reported missing in Ewell, a town just south and west of London. Three days later, Kirk turns up again. Reports emerged that he had been kidnapped by a woman who was obsessed with him, and forced to have sex with her.
But Joyce McKinney was a petite pretty blonde woman, and the British press and public were incredulous at the idea that anyone would have objected to her company for a few days and nights.
So, was Joyce McKinney a woman who was just trying to get her man back, or was she a deranged stalker who had kidnapped and raped a man?
Continue reading “62 – Kidnap: Joyce McKinney”