Tag: murder

65 – A Deadly Affair: The killing of Penny McAllister

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn affair, Controversial Case, Insanity Defence, Intimate Partner Violence, Irish Crime, Life Sentence, love triangle, Mental Health, murder, UK Crime, Women Who Kill

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” →

61 – Retrial: The murder of Jong Ok Shin

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Controversial Case, Drug-related, Human Rights, Life Sentence, Mental Health, murder, Serial Killer, sex crimes, UK Crime, Wrongly Accused

On 12th July, 2002 Jong Ok Shin a Korean language student was brutally murdered while living in Bournemouth. A local drug addicted man, Omar Benguit was quickly identified as the prime suspect. 

But shortly after, it would emerge that at the time of Ms Shin’s death, a man that had committed two murders, was living just streets away. 

Continue reading “61 – Retrial: The murder of Jong Ok Shin” →

58 – Murder by Mistake: Melanie McCarthy McNamara

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Child Victim, Controversial Case, Drug-related, Human Rights, Irish Crime, Kids who Kill, Life Sentence, murder, Organised Crime

Gangs and drugs effect nearly every community. But in 2012, the Dublin suburb of Tallaght was shocked by the spillover of violence. 16 year old Melanie McCarthy McNamara was shot while she sat in the back of a parked car on a residential street. The gunman had shot from the back of a black SUV and sped off immediately. 

Two men alleged to be involved in drugs locally were identified by gardai, and after protracted court battles have found themselves in prison in relation to Melanie’s killing.

Continue reading “58 – Murder by Mistake: Melanie McCarthy McNamara” →

57 – Unsolved: The murder of Grace Livingstone

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Controversial Case, IRA/Paramilitary links, Irish Crime, murder, murder for profit, Organised Crime, unsolved, Wrongly Accused

In 1992, a murder unlike any other happened in the quiet seaside town of Malahide. Grace Livingstone (56) was bound and then shot in the head in her own home. 

Gardai initially suspected that the culprit was someone close to her – Grace’s husband, Jim. But Jim himself suspected that whoever was responsible had taken their displeasure for him, and his position at the Irish taxing authority, out on poor Grace.

Her murder remains unsolved.

Continue reading “57 – Unsolved: The murder of Grace Livingstone” →

56 – Predator: The deaths of Patricia McGauley and Mary Cummins

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Child Victim, Domestic Violence, Human Rights, Intimate Partner Violence, Irish Crime, Life Sentence, murder, sadism, sex crimes

1990 was a decade of missing women. We remember the names of the unfound – Annie McCarrick, Eva Brennan, Jo Jo Dollard, Deirdre Jacob.

The names Patricia McGauley and Mary Cummins were once on that list. These two women disappeared from Dublin in the space of a year, and it wasn’t until a large scale review of cases of missing women from Dublin that a startling link was discovered between the two women. Both of them had unknowingly spent time with a predator: Michael Bambrick.

Continue reading “56 – Predator: The deaths of Patricia McGauley and Mary Cummins” →

55 – Murder by Arson: The McCann Family

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn affair, Child Victim, Controversial Case, Domestic Violence, Intimate Partner Violence, IRA/Paramilitary links, Irish Crime, Landmark Case, Life Sentence, Mental Health, murder, murder for profit

In the summer of 1992, the McCann Family endured a series of gas leaks in their home, and a spate of threatening phone calls. These nuisances escalated quickly though, and culminated in a raging fire in their Rathfarnham home. Esther McCann and her foster daughter, Jessica, died in the blaze.

Investigators ruled that this was a case of arson, and gardai quickly discovered that Frank McCann – the grieving father and husband – had some dark secrets.

Continue reading “55 – Murder by Arson: The McCann Family” →

53 – Exorcism: The death of Christine Taylor

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Controversial Case, Domestic Violence, Insanity Defence, Intimate Partner Violence, Mental Health, murder, UK Crime

This week, we delve into the world of the paranormal – sort of.

In 1974, in the small town of Ossett, northern England, Michael and Christine Taylor found religion. They became born again after attending a small Fellowship meeting in their community. 

The meetings had a profound effect on Michael, and he began to act oddly. His behaviour led local clergy to suspect that Michael had been possessed by demons, and so an exorcism was in order. But, before the end of that process, someone would be dead.

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52 – Betrayal: The murder of Mary Gough

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn affair, Domestic Violence, Intimate Partner Violence, Irish Crime, Life Sentence, murder, murder for profit

Mary Gough tragically fell down the stairs in her home, only 6 months after her wedding day. Or, at least that’s what her husband, Colin Whelan, said. When Mary was rushed to the hospital after this purported accident, the Gardai did not take him at his word.

His story did not add up, and Colin Whelan was charged with with Mary’s murder. But when Whelan’s car was discovered at the top of Howth Head near the seaside cliffs, people thought that there would be no justice for Mary. 

But they were wrong.

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51 – Rampage: The murders of Elizabeth Plunkett & Mary Duffy

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Controversial Case, Human Rights, Irish Crime, Kidnapping, Landmark Case, murder, sadism, Serial Killer, sex crimes, torture, Vintage murder

In 1976, there was a crime spree in Ireland. Houses and caravans were burgled, cars were stolen, and then two women went missing. Elizabeth Plunkett disappeared in Brittas Bay in Wicklow, and a month later, across the country, Mary Duffy went missing without a trace.

The gardai discovered that all these crimes were related, and had been committed by two men who had only arrived into the country a year before from England, where they were wanted in relation to a number of sexual assaults. 

John Shaw and Geoffrey Evans would go on to be some of the longest serving prisoners in Ireland. 

Continue reading “51 – Rampage: The murders of Elizabeth Plunkett & Mary Duffy” →