Cork murder-suicide to be investigated by GSOC

THE Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) is to carry out an investigation into last week’s murder-suicide in Cork after it was revealed Gardaí were in contact with the suspected killer just hours before the tragedy.

GSOC now intends to carry out a review into the incident as it is believed Gardaí in Mitchelstown had contacted Johnny Hennessy on Thursday evening by telephone regarding a disagreement they were made aware of.

Following the contact, gardaí were satisfied the matter was resolved and did not send a patrol

Bludgeoned: Willie and Paddy car to the farmhouse in Corragorm 8km away.

At the time, there was no indication of the violence that was about to occur, but within hours the slain bodies of brothers Willie, 66, and Paddy Hennessy, 60, were discovered at the farm.

The following day, Johnny Hennessy’s body was retrieved from the River Funshion.

A GSOC spokesman confirmed yesterday it was now reviewing the matter.

‘GSOC received a referral on Friday from a Garda Superintendent related to possible contact between An Garda Síochána and one of the deceased prior to the incident.

‘The referral was made under Section 102 of the Garda Síochána Act, 2005. The matter is now under examination by GSOC.’

A Garda spokesman said: ‘An Garda Síochána can confirm that GSOC are carrying out preliminary enquiries into the possible interaction that may have occurred prior to the incident of Thursday night February 25, 2021.’

Meanwhile, post mortem examinations have been completed on the three bodies which gardaí hope will help them to establish the circumstances of the tragedy.

However, the results will not be released for operational reasons as a number of scenes in the Mitchelstown area continue to be preserved and technical examinations are ongoing.

Johnny Hennessy, 59, is said to have ‘snapped’ during a heated argument with his two brothers.

He subsequently bludgeoned them to death with an axe at the family farm, gardaí believe. The discovery of the bodies of the two elder brothers prompted a largescale garda search for Johnny, and his body was later retrieved nearby, after his van was found parked close to the church where the brothers usually went to Mass.

It is the third tragedy to befall the family. Another brother, Jer, died by suicide in January 2014 and the son of Paddy died tragically in May 2012.

Shocked locals said that the three brothers, known as ‘The Saints’, were close and worked on the land regularly together, with no outward hostility ever shown.

The body of Paddy was found in the farmyard with horrific injuries, and during a follow-up search, the body of Willie, who also suffered catastrophic injuries, was found in a shed.

Local Superintendent Liam Geraghty described it as a ‘difficult scene’, adding that counselling had been provided for the Gardaí who took part in the investigation at the farm.

The alarm had been raised, when the daughter of Paddy contacted Gardaí to say that her father had been killed.

Latest tragedy is third to befall family