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Sister did not want to report mother missing, son tells Mountains murder trial

Summary

The trial of Kieran Greene, Louise O'Connor, Stephanie O'Connor, and Keith Johnston is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court. Greene, 34, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patricia O'Connor, 61, at her home in Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, on May 29, 2017. Louise O'Connor, 41, has pleaded not guilty to agreeing to or acquiescing in her daughter Stephanie O'Connor, 22, disguising herself as the deceased to conceal her death. Stephanie O'Connor has pleaded not guilty to disguising herself as Mrs O'Connor. Keith Johnston, 43, has pleaded not guilty to assisting Greene in purchasing implements for the concealment of remains and to refurbishing a bathroom to destroy evidence. All defendants are charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Greene. Evidence presented includes testimony from Richard O'Connor, the deceased's son, who stated his sister Louise did not want to report their mother missing. He identified Stephanie O'Connor in CCTV footage closing the back door on the night of the alleged murder. The prosecution alleges Stephanie disguised herself as her grandmother to create a ruse that Mrs O'Connor had left the house. The court has heard that Mrs O'Connor's dismembered remains were found at nine locations in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains between June 10 and 14, 2017. The matter is currently at the trial stage, with no final verdict or sentence recorded.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Sister did not want to report mother missing, son tells Mountains murder trial. Charges or matters: murdering Mrs O'Connor (61) at her home in Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 on May 29, 2017; her murder; agreeing to or acquiescing in her daughter Stephanie O'Connor disguising herself as Patricia O'Connor at Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 on May 29, 2017 in order to conceal the fact that Patricia O'Connor was dead; disguising herself as Mrs O'Connor at Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 at a point in time after her murder on May 29, 2017 in order to conceal the fact that she was already dead; assisting Mr Greene in the purchase of various implements at Woodie's, Mr Price, B&Q and Shoe Zone, Tallaght, Dublin 24 on June 9, 2017, which were to be used in the concealment of the remains of Mrs O'Connor. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• May 29, 2017 Incident
• June 10 Other
• June 2017 Hearing Or Sentence
• May 30 Other
• May 31st Other
• May 29 Other
• June 1, 2017 Hearing Or Sentence
• June 11 Incident
• September 3, 2017 Other
• June 12, 2017 Other
• December 9 Other
• June 9, 2017 Other
• May 31, 2017 Other
• July 3, 2017 Other
• June 14 Other
• 2020-01-31 Publication

Why: It is the prosecution's case that at no point in time in CCTV footage can Stephanie O'Connor be seen as herself leaving Mountainview Park on the night of May 29 and that, in order to cover up the alleged murder, she dressed up as her grandmother as "a ruse" to pretend that Mrs O'Connor had stormed out of the house. Prosecution account reported by CNI

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report