Courts / Mayo / Report

Murder accused described 'waiting in long grass' for wife

Summary

The Central Criminal Court trial of James Kilroy, 50, accused of murdering his wife, Valerie French Kilroy, 41, at their Co Mayo home in June 2019, continued with the prosecution case closing. Mr Kilroy has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury heard evidence from gardai interviews in which the accused described waiting in the long grass for his wife before slitting her throat and choking her with his bare hands. He stated he used a black serrated knife and smashed her head, describing the event as a frenzy. The prosecution noted that Ms French Kilroy died from strangulation, blunt force trauma, and a stab wound. Defence counsel called consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Ronan Mullaney, who testified that the accused had a long history of cannabis use, including therapeutic consumption of high-THC 'AK-47' strain in the three years prior to the death. Dr Mullaney stated that THC can induce substance-induced psychosis in predisposed individuals and that the accused slightly increased his use in the week before the incident. The accused also reported feeling watched and paranoid in the days leading up to the event. The trial is ongoing, with no final verdict or sentence recorded at this stage.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Murder accused described 'waiting in long grass' for wife. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• June 13, 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
• June 14, 2019 Incident
• June 14 Hearing Or Sentence
• June 15 Other
• June 13 Incident
• June 2019 Other
• January 2020 Other
• April 2019 Other
• June 5, 2019 Other
• 2023-11-14 Publication

Why: When Dr Mullaney asked the accused about the events of June 13, Mr Kilroy said he had picked up a knife in the shed that night when he felt three bodyguards approaching "in order to kill or harm him". CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Trial Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report