Ruth Lawrence murder trial hears Dublin man died from gunshot wounds to head and neck

Alison O'Riordan

A Dublin man, whose decomposing body was found covered in coal sacks and tarpaulin on a lake island over a decade ago, died from two gunshot wounds to the head and neck, a retired pathologist has told the Ruth Lawrence murder trial.

Ms Lawrence (45), who is originally from Clontarf in Dublin but with an address at Patricks Cottage, Ross, Mountnugent in Co Meath has pleaded not guilty to murdering Anthony Keegan (33) and Eoin O'Connor (32) at an unknown location within the State on a date between April 22nd, 2014, and May 26th, 2014, both dates inclusive.

Retired Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis, on Monday told Mr Michael O'Higgins SC, prosecuting, that he conducted a post mortem on Mr Keegan's remains, which were in a fairly advanced stage of decomposition, at the mortuary of Our Lady's Hospital in Navan on May 27th, 2014.

Dr Curtis said he was informed that Mr Keegan and Mr O'Connor were last seen alive in Ballyjamesduff in Co Cavan in or around April 22nd, 2014.

He said a search had been carried out at Inchicup Island on Lough Sheelin on May 26th, 2014, and the two men's bodies were found concealed in wrappings.

The witness testified that there was a ripped coal sack on Mr Keegan's upper body and blue plastic tarpaulin covered with metal rings on the lower body. There was a coal bag on the victim's feet.

Dr Curtis said there was a white pleated rope sloped over the neck and down the back and then looped over the lower legs. The witness agreed with Mr O'Higgins that this was how the body was tied.

In his evidence, Dr Curtis said there was a gunshot entry wound, measuring 1.5cm in diameter, in the right temporal region of the head, towards the back.

The exit wound was on the left side of the jaw and the bullet had "crossed the head". The expert witness said the skull bones at the back of the head were shattered.

Dr Curtis said there was a second gunshot wound at the back of the neck.

In conclusion, Dr Curtis said the "through and through" gunshot wound to the head had "coursed" through the inner ear and exited on the left side of the face.

Whereas, he said the gunshot wound to the neck had caused catastrophic fractures to two of the vertebrae.

The witness added: "Either of these injuries would have been instantaneously fatal".

The cause of death, he said, was gunshot wounds to the head and neck.

Under cross-examination, the witness agreed with Patrick Gageby SC, defending, that there were no shoes on the body. Dr Curtis also agreed that a toxicology sample found evidence of Morphine, Methadone, Zopiclone and alcohol.

The trial continues this afternoon before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of four men and eight women.

In his opening address, Mr O'Higgins told the jury that the State would argue that Ms Lawrence shot drug dealer Mr O'Connor and worked "as a unit" with her boyfriend to kill him and Mr Keegan, with their bodies later found "bound in rope, tape and covered in tarpaulin" on Inchicup Island.

Counsel for the State said the 12 jurors would hear evidence that the accused woman shot one of the two men but this was not immediately fatal and was "quickly followed up" by a shot from Neville van der Westhuizen.

The jurors were also told by Mr O'Higgins it is the prosecution case that the accused woman and her boyfriend had "spoken openly" about "the murders and disposing of the bodies".