Houses searched in Joanne murder case
Outhouses connected to couple’s Meath home the focus of investigation
GARDAÍ investigating the murder of Joanne Lee searched two houses yesterday, the Irish Mail on Sunday has learned.
Joanne – who also went by her family name Ball – and her estranged husband Keith Lee lived in an isolated cottage in Co. Meath, for 10 years until October of last year.
Gardaí searched outhouses connected to this property yesterday afternoon.
Neighbours told the MoS that
‘Couple believed to have separated recently’
Joanne and her husband – the chief suspect in the case – were regularly seen walking their three dogs in the rural area.
One told how he sometimes saw Mr Lee walking the dogs late at night, while Joanne was regularly seen out and about during the day.
A couple of hundred metres up the rural laneway Joanne’s family gathered in her mother’s home last night. They were too upset to speak.
Meanwhile, gardaí also searched a house in the North Strand area of Dublin yesterday.
It is understood Mr Lee may have briefly stayed at this property.
Joanne and Mr Lee are believed to have separated only in recent weeks.
Gardaí are waiting for the green light from medical staff to speak to the 41-year-old.
Joanne’s body was discovered wrapped in blankets, placed in a sleeping bag in a wardrobe at a property on Ranelagh Road on Thursday afternoon after gardaí investigating her disappearance broke into the property.
Mr Lee suffered two broken ankles after jumping from the third floor of the property. He also tried to slit his wrists before jumping.
However, a quick-thinking garda from Mountjoy Garda Station prevented the suicide when he took off his shirt to stem the flow of blood.
Mr Lee was still being treated for his injuries at St James’s Hospital last night, with gardaí posted at his bedside.
Detectives are hoping to speak to him in the coming days.
Joanne, 38, moved into her parents’ home in Garristown, Co. Meath – near where she had previously lived with Mr Lee – after the split.
Mr Lee, meanwhile, moved in to the Ranelagh property, which was being leased by a friend of a friend.
Detectives launched an investigation after Joanne was reported missing by her family late on Tuesday. Mr Lee reported her missing soon after. Gardaí issued a public appeal to establish her whereabouts on Wednesday.
Shortly after the appeal, Joanne’s car, a silver Nissan Micra with the registration 08MH16073, was discovered parked outside the Ranelagh building.
The car was removed and examined by Garda technical experts.
A post mortem held on Friday morning established that Joanne was strangled.
Her heartbroken uncle John Curry told of the family’s pain shortly after Joanne’s body was found on Thursday.
He said: ‘This has torn the soul out of us. I’m so upset. The whole family is torn apart.’
The last known sighting of Joanne was on February 5 at her parents’ Garristown home. Mountjoy Garda Station launched the missing persons case but the murder investigation is based at Donnybrook Station.
Superintendent Gerry Delmar urged anyone with information on Joanne’s movements over the last 11 days to come forward.
The senior officer said: ‘As a result of a missing persons investigation, gardaí from Mountjoy found a female that was unresponsive.
‘Medical assistance was given to this female. However, she was pronounced dead at the scene.’
He added: ‘Also at the rear of this premises, gardaí found a male with injuries.’
‘This has torn the soul out of the whole family’