INQUESTS HELD IN DOUBLE TRAGEDY

THE HORRIFIC DEATHS OF JIM AND MARIE QUIGLEY WERE RECALLED

THE family of Jim and Marie Quigley said they are living ‘every minute of every day’ with the horrific tragedy of losing both a ‘ loving father’ and ‘a devoted mother.’

Inquests into the deaths of the married couple, from Newtownbalregan, Hackballscross were held at Dundalk courthouse last week, where it emerged that Mrs. Quigley was the victim of a ‘violent assault’ before she was found by her devastated son on July 27th 2015.

Kieran Quigley said he had been at his parents house the night before, and all had seemed normal. His father had asked if he would meet him at the DOE centre in Dundalk the following afternoon to have a van put through, and he agreed he would.

But when he turned up at the centre at 2.30pm the next day, his father had not turned up, and the centre staff were trying to make contact with him.

He said he had ‘a bad feeling’ when he tried both his mother and father’s phones, and their house phone, and no one was answering.

The inquest heard he drove out to his parents home, and found blinds down. The back door was locked but he knew someone was inside. He used his key to get in, and ran upstairs. He found the bedroom door locked, but could hear his mother’s phone ringing inside.

He couldn’t get the door opened, but said he knew something was wrong, so rang 999 and went to get help from his uncle and cousin. They went to get a crow bar from the shed, and managed to get the bedroom opened.

He told how he saw his mother lying on the bed. She was naked- and there was ‘ blood all over the place,’ and described it as ‘ the most devastating moment of my life.’

The inquest heard there were significant injuries to her head, and a towel stuffed into her mouth.

Superintendent Brian Mohan, who was then a garda inspector based in Dundalk, gave evidence that he attended the scene at Newtownbalregan.

He went upstairs to the bedroom where he recalled seeing the woman lying on the bed partially covered with a duvet. He said it was clear she had suffered a very violent attack.

State Pathologist, Dr. Marie Cassidy who attended the inquest, gave evidence that she carried out a post mortem on the body of Marie Quigley.

She outlined the circumstances of the tragic death, where Mrs. Quigley had been found with a towel stuffed into her mouth. Dr. Cassidy said this had effectively pushed the tongue backwards, gagging her.

There was evidence of ‘significant blunt force trauma’ to the right side of her head, and a scalding injury to the side of her face and ear.

There were also stab wounds to her neck, but these were not thought to have contributed to her death.

The post mortem showed ‘extensive damage’ to her brain, the result of at least a dozen blows to the head with a blunt instrument, such as a hammer.

Dr. Cassidy said that with the extent of her injuries, Mrs. Quigley’s death would have been ‘fairly rapid.’

She found the cause of death to be instrumental blunt force trauma to the head, and obstruction to the upper airways due to a gag.

Coroner Ronan Maguire said it was clear these injuries were not self inflicted, and he put it to the jury to deliver a verdict.

The jury concluded Marie Quigley’s death was the result of an ‘unlawful killing.’

Speaking after the verdict was delivered Supt. Brian Mohan expressed his deep sympathy to the family, and his thanks on behalf of the gardai for the family’s ‘patience in what was a long and difficult case.’