Garda review of one unsolved murder unearths second case

It was during a review of one historic unsolved murder that gardaí in Kilkenny came across a second unconnected cold case.

Both victims were women and both had died by manual strangulation.

In 2012, local gardaí started a cold case review of the murder of Ann ‘Nancy’ Smyth, a 54-year-old widow, at her home in Kilkenny City in September 1987.

That review ultimately led to the prosecution and conviction of local man John Joseph Malone in April 2017 — a decision upheld on appeal last April.

In their review, gardaí in the Kilkenny/Carlow division came across the unsolved murder of local woman Marie Tierney, a 34-year-old mother of two, in October 1984.

Her body was discovered two months later in a ditch on the outskirts of Kilkenny City. Like Ms Smyth, she had been strangled to death, by a different assailant.

The review into Ms Tierney’s death, involving an extensive investigation, led to an exhumation of her remains at Conahy graveyard early yesterday.

“Marie Tierney’s case came to our notice when we reviewed the case of Ann Nancy Smyth,” said a garda source.

All the gardaí who had been involved in the original Tierney investigation had left the force and officers had to begin from scratch.

“Gardaí involved had retired a long time, so the crew looked at it for the first time, with fresh eyes and investigated it as if it happened yesterday,” said the source.

Gardaí sought access to paper exhibits from the original investigation.

The statements from witnesses had been done on an old typewriter and had to be typed up again and examined.

Detectives spoke to retired gardaí about their investigations and members also spoke to family members.

A family liaison officer was appointed.

Witnesses were contacted again and interviewed. As inquiries continued, new witnesses came forward with information that significantly assisted the investigation.

Last November, gardaí went public and launched a fresh appeal. Officers realised that key evidence — forensic evidence — could only be gathered from the remains of Ms Tierney.

“There are a few unanswered questions that can only be answered with an exhumation,” said the garda source.

Garda forensic officers in Kilkenny/Carlow were aware of advances in technologies that might advance their investigation, requiring an exhumation. An application was made to Kilkenny County Council and an order from the minister for justice was obtained.

The Garda FLO explained to family members the reasons and objectives behind the exhumation.

An array of specialists gathered for the exhumation including from the State Pathologist’s office, forensic anthropologist Laureen Buckley, a scientist from Forensic Science Ireland, as well as the divisional forensic team.

Post-mortem tests were conducted at Waterford Regional Hospital yesterday and the remains of Ms Tierney were reinterred at 4.30pm, after a short ceremony attended by family members and accompanied by prayers.

Ms Tierney was reported to have left her home, in Jenkinstown, on the night of October 21, 1984.

She was reported missing by her husband Jim the following day, when her car was also found at Newpark Fenn. They had two children, a boy and a girl, aged 12 and 13 at the time.

Her body was discovered on December 21 on Bleach Road, outside the city, in a ditch.

Detectives believe Ms Tierney was probably killed elsewhere and then dumped. Gardaí hope that the results of tests will be available in around a week. Officers will then assess the evidence and decide on their next course of action, including whether or not to make an arrest.

People considered relevant to their investigation are still alive, sources said. Gardaí have strong leads, but are keeping an open mind, pending more evidence.

Ms Tierney’s siblings John Bourke and Breda Fay yesterday appealed to her killer to “do the right thing” and “hand yourself in”.

In a statement, the gardaí said more than 500 lines of investigative enquiry had been opened and over 200 witness statements taken.

Gardaí appealed to people near Newpark/Newpark Fenn on October 21, 1984, to contact them as well as anyone who saw people, or vehicles (including Ms Tierney’s Renault 18 35-HIP), near Bleach Road that night.

The statement said: “With the passage of time relationships may have changed or circumstances may have changed which may enable persons to come forward with information to gardaí that they may not have done previously. Time may have given context to something they felt was unimportant at the time but may be of assistance to the investigation.”

They are asked to ring 056-7775000 or on the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.

This story first appeared in the Irish Examiner.