Jury shown knife in trial of man accused of wife’s murder

A murder trial jury has been shown the weapon that a man used in killing his wife at their rural Co Mayo home.

The Central Criminal Court also heard today that accused James Kilroy demonstrated to gardaí in an interview how he killed his wife Valerie French Kilroy and drew a sketch of the knife.

Mr Kilroy, 51, a park ranger, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the charge of murdering Ms French Kilroy, 41, at their home at Kilbree Lower, Westport, Co Mayo, between 13 June 2019 and 14 June 2019.

The prosecution have told the jury that psychiatric testimony will be in conflict over whether or not the defendant was insane at the time of the killing.

Patrick Gageby SC, for Mr Kilroy, today told the jury the defence accepts that the accused killed his wife.

Today, Detective Garda Sergeant Michael Doherty of Castlebar Garda Station – one of the senior investigators in the case – showed the jury a 20cm knife bent to almost a 90-degree angle.

The knife was found at the scene and next to the camper van in which the victim was discovered.

Forensic analysis revealed that it had Ms French Kilroy’s blood on it.

A hatchet found next to Ms French Kilroy’s body in the camper van was also shown to the jury by Det Sgt Doherty.

‘Clear’ French Kilroy ‘met violent death’ – Garda Sgt

In outlining the case to the jury, the detective said that when gardaí searched the house at Kilbree Lower, they found blood in the camper van, in the bathroom of the house and on the ground at the shed and that “it was clear [Ms French Kilroy] met a violent death”.

Det Gda Doherty agreed with Anne-Marie Lawlor SC, prosecuting, that a pathology report found that Ms French Kilroy’s death was caused by ligature strangulation, blunt force trauma to the head and a stab wound to the neck.

Det Sgt Doherty said Fiona Needham, who lives in nearby Doon, Co Mayo, called gardaí at 2.45am on 14 June, reporting a man banging on her front door.

The detective said Ms Needham said she heard the man say that he had travelled the world “a few times over” and that her house was the first he had seen with a light.

Niall Corrigan, a resident of nearby Derrygorman, saw a man walking naked in his field the next morning – 14 June 2019 – and called gardaí, who attended the scene.

Gardaí Leanne Nallen, Aisling Barrett and Colm Boyle answered Mr Corrigan’s call and Garda Nallen detained Mr Kilroy under the Mental Health Act.

The court heard that Mr Kilroy was naked, dishevelled and dirty when gardaí approached him.

While naked in the field, Mr Kilroy told gardaí that he was on a “pilgrimage of penance” to Croagh Patrick for what he had done and that “God had shown him the path”.

He told gardaí that he did not have a family and that he was divorced.

Doctor’s evidence

Gardaí brought the accused to Westport Garda Station but there was no doctor available to assess Mr Kilroy.

There was “no option” but to transfer Mr Kilroy, who was now wrapped in blankets, to the A&E department of Mayo University Hospital in Castlebar, said Det Gda Doherty.

Dr Ann Shortt told Michael Hourigan BL, prosecuting, that she was an A&E consultant at Mayo General Hospital and was told Mr Kilroy was behaving “erratically” since his arrival.

She attended to him to assess if his admission to the mental health ward was warranted.

Dr Shortt said Mr Kilroy had abrasions all over his body, was stable but was agitated.

“The conversation was a little bizarre but he would answer questions of a physical nature,” said Dr Shortt.

“He had no pain and was walking normally, despite extensive abrasions,” she said.

Dr Shortt recommended Mr Kilroy be taken to the mental health unit for psychiatric assessment.

Mr Kilroy then told Dr Shortt he had a “confession” to make but that it would be better for her not to hear it and he instead spoke to gardaí.

Gda Nallen told the trial that Mr Kilroy told her that he had “killed his wife” before he gave gardaí directions to the house.

Gda Barrett said she and Gda Boyle observed blood on the bathroom wall of the Kilroy home and that a section of an electrical extension lead had been placed in the bath.

Gda Barrett said she and Gda Boyle went to a shed and found a large amount of pooled blood inside a green Ford camper van. She saw a hand and noted that a seat had been placed over a body.

Mr Kilroy was interviewed on four occasions, during which he demonstrated to gardaí how he killed Mrs French Kilroy and drew a sketch of the knife.

CCTV of Mr Kilroy’s movements on the day of 13 June has been played to the jury and the trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.