Outrage as tourists flock to tragic Sophie death house
TV documentaries lead to influx of visitors
“MURDER tourists” are flocking to the former home of Sophie Toscan du Plantier to take selfies at the spot where her body was discovered, locals have said.
The release of two documentaries on the Frenchwoman’s slaying has resulted in large numbers of Irish and international visitors travelling to see the victim’s holiday home, where she was bludgeoned to death in December 1996.
Cork South West senator Tim Lombard yesterday blasted those taking photographs at the Celtic stone cross that marked where her body was found.
The first of the two documentaries, Jim Sheridan’s Murder At The Cottage, was shown on Sky, followed by the release of Sophie: A Murder In West Cork on Netflix.
The films have generated a huge interest in the case and have been streamed in 190 countries worldwide.
Mr Lombard told the Irish Mirror: “The documentaries have reignited the history of what happened to that poor lady but unfortunately on the back of it we have seen this influx of tourists looking for where, what and who [did it], this murder mystery tourism.
“It’s appalling. It has definitely intensified since the documentaries.
“You’d maybe have the odd person before but from what I’m hearing from locals it is a continuous phenomenon.
“I mean, there are people coming and looking for so-called information regarding the poor lady’s [murder].
“And it’s just unfortunate that you have the kind of murder mystery tourism now happening about an unsolved murder in the most beautiful place in the world. It’s a shocking indictment of society.
“The unwanted attention on a beautiful area that has so much to offer. But what it doesn’t have to offer is murder mystery weekend away stuff.
“I was contacted on Thursday evening and on Friday morning by locals who are just upset by the whole scenario.
“There is significant interest and the documentaries have rekindled the whole unfortunate story about what did happen.”
Sophie was murdered after her head was brutally bashed with a concrete block on her driveway, 100 yards from the front door of her holiday home near Schull on December 23, 1996.
The film producer had tried to get away from her attacker before she was bludgeoned to death.
No person in Ireland has ever been charged with her killing.
Former suspect Ian Bailey has always maintained he had nothing to do with
the murder.