Tag: cold case

83 – The Disappearance of Philip Cairns

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Child Victim, Cold Case, Irish Crime, Kidnapping, murder, unsolved

On Thursday the 26th of October 1986, Philip Cairns left his Ballyroan Road home after eating his lunch. He was headed back to school. But he never made it there. An intensive search followed, but there were no signs of the 13 year old.

A week later, his school bag was found in a nearby laneway, left there by persons unknown. Despite searches of the Rathfarnham area, including rivers, overgrown areas, large parklands and in the foothills of the Dublin mountains, there was no further sign of the school boy.

What became of Philip Cairns?

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76 – House of Horrors: Cork’s missing men

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Cold Case, Controversial Case, Drug-related, Irish Crime, Mental Health, murder, Public Inquiry, Serial Killer, unsolved

Just before Christmas 1994, Patch O’Driscoll went missing from his bedsit in Cork City. When the garda investigation began into his missing persons case, it was discovered two other men had also disappeared from the very same house on Wellington Terrace. Though there was no evidence of a crime scene inside the large dilapidated building, the cause was certainly within.

But there would be few answers and no justice in the case.

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72 – The Missing Postman: Larry Griffin

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Cold Case, Controversial Case, Irish Crime, Kidnapping, murder, unsolved, Vintage murder, Wrongly Accused

On Christmas Day, 1929, postman Larry Griffen went to work in the small village of Stradbally, Co Waterford. As he called into homes with the post, he was thanked with tips and a few drinks. That night, Larry never made it home. His bike was found abandoned in the middle of the road.

A conspiracy of silence kept the truth of what happened to Larry Griffin from his family, and still does to this day.

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68 – Mountain Mysteries: The murder of Phyllis Murphy

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Cold Case, Controversial Case, Irish Crime, Kidnapping, Landmark Case, Life Sentence, murder, Serial Killer, sex crimes, unsolved

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.

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47 – Family Secrets: The death of Brian McGrath

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn affair, Black Widow, Controversial Case, Domestic Violence, Intimate Partner Violence, Irish Crime, Landmark Case, Mental Health, murder, Women Who Kill

In 1987, Brian McGrath disappeared. His wife, Vera, said he’d gone to Holland to find work. That he was abusive and delusional. But 6 years later, their eldest daughter Veronica told police that her mother, and her fiance at the time, had beaten Brian McGrath to death and buried and burned his body at their home in Coole, Co. Westmeath.

Who murdered Brian McGrath?

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