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 property near Westport, County Mayo in June 2019. Gardaí located the body in a foetal position with a child's car seat covering the face. Three young children were found in the home in a state of distress, hungry and severely dehydrated. One child requested breakfast cereal, which a garda witness purchased. Park ranger James Kilroy, aged forty-nine, from Kilbree Lower, Westport, is charged with murder. He has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, though his legal representative has made formal admissions that he killed his wife. A consultant psychiatrist from Mayo Mental Health Services assessed the accused on the day of discovery and determined he did not meet criteria for involuntary mental health detention. The accused indicated to the psychiatrist that killing his wife "wasn't part of the plan" and attributed the act to God's will. The trial continues before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and a jury.
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Original report plus public source leads and related archive reports used for review context.
Public source leads
- Body of Valerie French Kilroy found lying on campervan floor with child’s car seat over face, murder trial told - Irish Independent Irish Independent · Thu, 09 Mar 2023 08:00:00 GMT
- Gardaí found Cork woman's body on floor of campervan with child's seat over face, trial told - Irish Examiner Irish Examiner · Thu, 09 Mar 2023 08:00:00 GMT
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