In the summer of 2017, body parts were discovered strewn across the scenic landscape of the Dublin and Wicklow mountains. Gardai began a wide-scale search and a murder investigation. But only days later a man presented himself at a south Dublin Garda station, confessing to the murder of his 61 year old mother in law, Patricia O’Connor.
But was he telling the whole story?
Continue reading “95 – Desecration: The murder of Patricia O’Connor”In February of 2008, two Polish men living and working in Drimnagh, South Dublin were killed in a fight outside their home. Both had been stabbed in the head with a screwdriver. It quickly emerged that the fight had involved a group of teenagers.
Would Gardai be able to identify his killer or killers prove their lethal intent?
Continue reading “91 – Pure Thuggery: The murders of Mariusz Szwajkos & Pawel Kalite”On 28th February 2006, Siobhan McLoughlin was found dead in locked bedroom. At first glance, it looked as if she had tragically taken her own life. But within hours after her death, police and the McLoughlin family felt sure that she had been brutally murdered.
But would the State be able to prove guilt, beyond a reasonable doubt?
Continue reading “90 – Beyond Reasonable Doubt: The murder of Siobhan McLoughlin”Raoul Moat was released from a short stint in prison in 2010. In the days that followed he shot three people, including a Northumberland police officer and went on the run in the quiet town of Rothbury.
Police scoured the countryside for this man with murderous intent, a search that ended on the bank of the river Croquet in a six hour stand-off.
Continue reading “86 – Vengeance: the hunt for Raoul Moat”In May of 1996, a woman’s body was found behind a skip in Glasnevin, Dublin city. Late on the 27th, Patricia Murphy had been reported missing from her nearby home.In order for her family to find justice, however, three of her young children would have to give evidence in court to put the perpetrator away – the monster in the garage.
This episode was researched and written by Eileen MacFarlene of the Crimelapse podcast.
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Theme Music:
Quinn’s Song: The Dance Begins Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Additional Music: Allemande (Sting) by Wahneta Meixsell. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Sources:
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/battered-wife-tried-to-conceal-the-marks-of-her-beatings-1.228260
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/dismay-as-mother-of-four-is-murdered-1.53517
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/post-mortem-results-expected-today-on-murdered-mother-1.53444
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/gardai-in-search-for-murdered-woman-s-clothing-1.53824
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/over-100-pay-respects-to-murdered-woman-1.54177
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/search-continues-for-victim-s-clothing-1.54503
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/steady-progress-in-murder-inquiry-1.54943
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/man-held-on-murphy-death-is-released-1.56185
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/suspects-s-re-arrest-legal-in-murder-hunt-judge-rules-1.82796
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/inquest-on-murdered-woman-is-adjourned-1.60981
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/husband-charged-with-murdering-mother-of-four-1.63472
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/man-on-wife-murder-charge-seeks-bail-1.63872
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/man-gets-bail-in-wife-murder-case-1.64697
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/life-policy-pay-out-to-accused-man-1.65092
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/wife-murder-trial-is-delayed-1.87746
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/further-remand-in-murder-case-1.105459
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/man-pleads-not-guilty-to-wife-murder-1.220470
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/delayed-murder-trial-to-open-1.221299
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/accused-man-s-children-to-tell-of-seeing-mother-s-body-1.221769
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/boy-5-tells-of-daddy-hammering-mammy-1.222333
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/children-tell-how-they-saw-mother-dead-in-garage-1.222264
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/neighbour-heard-high-pitched-screaming-1.223141
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https://www.irishtimes.com/news/murphy-said-gardai-were-not-clever-enough-to-catch-him-out-1.225874
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In May of 1994, Philomena Gillane was 7 months pregnant. On the morning of Wednesday the 11th, she left her home early to head to work. But she never arrived. She was found dead in the boot of her own car 25 miles away, at Athlone Train station.
Her family would spend the next 3 years in and out of courts dealing with the fallout from her brutal murder, and in a search for justice that was never fully achieved.
Continue reading “84 – Dark Saga: The Murder of Philomena Gillane”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?
Continue reading “83 – The Disappearance of Philip Cairns”In February of 1996, 16 year old James Healy was found brutally beaten in a field near his home in Tralee. It wouldn’t be long before gardai zeroed in on their prime suspect – a 25 year old man diagnosed with anti social personality disorder.
In fact, police feared that he would one day murder.
Continue reading “79 – Savage: The murder of James Healy”In December of 1995, 41 year old Marilyn Rynn disappeared after attending her workplace Christmas party. Two weeks later her body was found hidden in bushes at a park near to her home. She had been attacked as she took a shortcut on her journey home.
A combination of cutting edge forensic techniques and old fashioned police work solved her murder 8 months later.
Continue reading “74 – Marilyn Rynn: The Shortcut”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.
Continue reading “72 – The Missing Postman: Larry Griffin”