Exhumed: body of mother strangled to death 30 years ago
Cold-case review as relatives appeal to murderer
THE body of a mother-oftwo strangled to death over thirty years ago has been exhumed from a graveyard in Co. Kilkenny as part of a Garda cold-case review into her murder.
Marie Tierney was reported missing by her husband Jim on October 22, 1984.
Mr Tierney told gardaí that his wife left home at Jenkinstown at 10.30pm the day before in the family Renault 18 car.
The car was located 9km away at Newpark Fen outside Kilkenny City the following day.
Almost two months later on December 21, her body was found in a ditch by a man out walking on the Bleach Road on the outskirts of Kilkenny City.
The spot where she was found was roughly half-way between where she was last reported to have been seen by her husband and the place where her car was found.
Exhumation of the grave began early yesterday morning at Conahy graveyard in Kilkenny and Ms Tierney’s remains were reinterred with family members in attendence yesterday evening.
A cold-case review of the case by local gardaí in Kilkenny began last December.
Gardaí have only ever had one chief suspect in the case. This man has never been arrested but has spoken to gardaí informally on numerous occasions.
Because of advances in technology, investigating detectives are hopeful that advanced forensic results could provide them with evidence linking the chief suspect to the murder.
Gardaí already have a DNA sample from the chief suspect, and many others in the community, obtained decades ago.
As well as the exhumation, a number of new witnesses have come forward to assist the case. It is understood that some of the new witnesses potentially place the chief suspect at locations close to where the mother-of-two was found murdered.
A senior source said: ‘The exhumation is not for post-mortem purposes. That was carried out at the time and the cause of death was established.
‘The new forensic tests are being done because of advances in DNA technology that could assist the investigation team and lead to a breakthrough. There has only ever been one chief suspect in this case.’
A senior source said gardaí are ‘optimistic’ of a major breakthrough in the case. The family of the murdered mother yesterday welcomed the exhumation.
Her brother, John Bourke, said yesterday that ‘everything has to be done’ and that ‘there is no turning back’ in the hunt for his sister’s killer.
Gardaí, along with a family liaison officer, met with Ms Tierney’s brother and sister yesterday afternoon to brief them on the progress of their investigation.
Her siblings, Breda Fay and John Bourke, have pleaded with her murderer ‘to do the right thing’ and ‘hand yourself in’.
‘We strongly believe that her murderer is alive. You know who you are and we are asking you to please come forward.
‘Hand yourself in for the sake of her children, her grandchildren and all her family. We need justice for Marie,’ they said.
The exhumation began at 6am yesterday morning. The exhumation of bodies involves a complex application process, and is only allowed in the rarest of circumstances.
Investigating gardaí had to apply to Kilkenny County Council for a licence for the process and a Ministerial Order was also required and granted by the Department of Justice. The law requires that the exhumation be carried out ‘with due care and decency, and in such a manner as not to endanger public health’.
An environmental protection officer from the local council must be present to supervise the process. A special coffin, lined with zinc, known as a ‘shell’ is then used to transport the remains.
A forensic anthropologist, a state pathologist, gardaí from the Technical Bureau and a forensic scientist from Forensic Ireland Limited all attended the exhumation.
The exhumed body must then be reburied or cremated within 48 hours of the exhumation.
As part of the investigation over 300 lines of enquiry have been examined and 200 people have been interviewed. House-to-house enquires have taken place in a number of areas including the Bleach Road, Conahy, the Ballyragget Road, Lovers Lane and Old Newpark and Newpark.
Inspector Liam Connolly is heading the investigation and is continuing to liaise with the Tierney and Bourke families.
Chief Superintendent Dominic Hayes has outlined how every necessary resource has been deployed in the investigation.
‘It is incumbent on us that we put a huge effort into solving this murder for Marie’s family. I have no doubt that we will have a successful outcome,’ he said.
Anyone with information can contact Kilkenny Garda station on (056) 777 5000 or the Garda Confidential Line: 1800-666 111.
‘You know who you are’ Over 300 lines of inquiry