Irishman denies party boat murder

An Irishman accused of throwing a Swiss man over the side of a party boat in San Francisco Bay has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and will go on trial in March.

William Monaghan, aged 27, was arrested after he allegedly told a fellow passenger on the Royal Prince that he had thrown Lionel Voillat over the side because “he was the jealous type.”

Voillat’s body was found in November floating between Alcatraz and Angel Island.

Witnesses testified during a preliminary hearing that the two men had argued about a conversation Monaghan had with Voillat’s girlfriend moments before the 30-year-old Swiss man went over the side of the boat that cruised San Francisco Bay on the night of October 26.

Monaghan, who worked as a carpenter in San Francisco before his arrest, is being held on €4.5m bail.

Prosecutors pushed for a quick trial because of concern their main witness would be returning to Ireland in May.

The trial has been scheduled for March 28 trial in San Francisco Superior Court.