James Kilroy, aged 49, of Kilbree Lower, Westport, County Mayo, stands trial at the Central Criminal Court charged with the murder of Valerie French Kilroy at their home between June 13 and 14, 2019. He has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, though his defence has formally admitted he killed his wife. The jury heard evidence that Garda Leanne Nallen discovered the accused naked and distressed in a field on the morning of June 14 and brought him to Westport Garda Station. Once informed of his transfer to psychiatric care, Mr Kilroy told gardai he had killed his wife. A body was subsequently located in a campervan at the property. The State Pathologist concluded Ms French Kilroy died from ligature strangulation in association with blunt force trauma and a stab wound to the neck. During four interviews, the accused demonstrated to gardai how he had killed his wife and sketched the knife used. The trial continues before Justice Mary Ellen Ring and a jury.
Source links
Original report plus public source leads and related archive reports used for review context.
Public source leads
- Jury view bloodied, bent knife in trial of husband accused of murdering wife Valerie French Kilroy in Mayo - Irish Independent Irish Independent · Thu, 11 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT
- Valerie French Kilroy murder: Husband found guilty after jury rejects insanity defence - The Journal The Journal · Fri, 26 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT
- Mayo murder accused waited in long grass for wife before slitting her throat, court told - BreakingNews.ie BreakingNews.ie · Tue, 14 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT
- Valerie died in terror for her life and the lives of her children, brother tells court - RTE.ie RTE.ie · Mon, 29 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT
- Airbnb guest was staying at Valerie French Kilroy's home when she was killed, trial hears - BreakingNews.ie BreakingNews.ie · Tue, 14 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT
- Man was found naked in a field after allegedly killing his wife Valerie French Kilroy in Mayo - Irish Mirror Irish Mirror · Wed, 08 Mar 2023 08:00:00 GMT
- Valerie French Kilroy’s family sue her killer husband for damages - The Irish Times The Irish Times · Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT
- James Kilroy murder trial: Psychiatrist denies focus on evidence that bolsters his conclusion - BreakingNews.ie BreakingNews.ie · Thu, 18 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT
Related court reports
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Airbnb guest was staying at Valerie French Kilroy's home when she was killed by husband, trial hears
Courts News Ireland · 2023-03-14
A man charged with murdering his wife in County Mayo has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity at the Central Criminal Court. James Kilroy, aged 49, of Kilbree...
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At the Central Criminal Court in Dublin, the Chief State Pathologist provided evidence that a woman from Westport, County Mayo, died from ligature strangulation, blunt...
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A man on trial for murder told gardaí he had killed his wife after being found naked in a field near Westport, Co Mayo, the Central Criminal Court heard. James Kilroy,...
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A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court has heard evidence concerning the death of a forty-one-year-old occupational therapist discovered in a campervan at a rural...
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Valerie French Kilroy murder trial hits 'bump in the road'
Courts News Ireland · 2023-03-15
At the Central Criminal Court, the murder trial of James Kilroy, aged 49, of Kilbree Lower, Westport, Co Mayo, has been adjourned until Monday afternoon following an...