Jozef Puska's wife and brothers face trial over withholding information into Ashling Murphy murder case

Judge fixed April 28, 2025, for the trial of the five accused

Jozef Puska's wife Lucia Istokova at a hearing at Tullamome District Court in December. Picture: Colin Keegan/ Collins 

The wife of Jozef Puska and two of his brothers will go on trial next year charged with failing to disclose information to gardaí investigating the murder of Ashling Murphy.

Ms Murphy, a 23-year-old primary school teacher, was stabbed 11 times in the neck by Jozef Puska as she went for an afternoon run in Tullamore, Co Offaly, on January 12, 2022.

Last November, Slovakian native Puska was found guilty of the murder on day 18 of his trial at the Central Criminal Court and is serving the mandatory life sentence for the crime.

Puska, 33, with an address at Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Co Offaly, had pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Murphy at Cappincur, Tullamore, but a unanimous jury took just two hours to find him guilty.

At the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday, Ms Justice Karen O’Connor fixed April 28, 2025, for the trial of the five accused, which include Puska’s brothers and wife. Their trials are expected to last up to four weeks and will be heard together.

Puska’s brothers Marek Puska, 34, Lubomir Puska, 35, and wife Lucia Istokova, 34, whose addresses cannot be published by court order, are accused of failing to disclose information to gardaí on a date unknown between January 12, 2022, and January 27, 2022, at Tullamore Garda Station.

Jozefina Grundzova, 33, and Viera Gaziova, 38, are both accused of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of a person.

Free legal aid for senior and junior counsel was granted to all five defendants, who were not required to attend the court. The matter was then adjourned by Ms Justice O’Connor to a case management list in June.