Detective tells trial murdered Kilkenny woman suffered a ‘violent death’

The trial of a man charged with the murder of a Kilkenny women whose remains were found in the Wicklow mountain has heard “the deceased suffered a violent death”.

Kieran Greene (34) of 34 Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham denies murdering 61-year-old Patricia O’Connor  (nee Cooke) originally from Windgap, county Kilkenny on 29 May, 2017.

The Central Criminal Court in Dublin today heard that Mrs O’Connor’s body was found in nine different locations in the Wicklow mountains in June 2017. In total, 15 parts of Mrs O’Connor’s body were found close to Enniskerry, county Wicklow between June 12 and June 14, 2017.

While giving evidence today Detective Garda Janette O’Neill of the Garda Ballistics Section who examined the locations where the body parts were found told the court she did not believe Mrs O’Connor died at any of the nine locations body parts were found.

It was the Detective Garda’s opinion Mrs O’Connor’s remains were dumped at those locations.

Garda O’Neill was also present at the post-mortem examination and told the court there appeared to be blunt force trauma to the head, as well as other fractures and lacerations.

While searching Mrs O’Connor’s house in Mountain View Park in Rathfarnham in the aftermath of the discovery of her body, Garda O’Neill told the court she did not find any signs of a struggle.

Forensic analysis of a spot of blood found in the bathroom of the house found it was not from Mrs O’Connor, but from a male.

Further forensic analysis of the accused Kieran Greene’s Toyota Corrolla did not turn up any blood or DNA of Mrs O’Connor.

The deceased’s daughter Louise O’Connor (41), of Millmount Court, Dundrum Road, Dublin 14, her ex-partner Keith Johnston (43), of Avonbeg Gardens, Tallaght, Dublin 24 and their daughter, Stephanie O’Connor (22), of Millmount Court, Dundrum Road, Dublin 14, all deny impeding the investigation into the death of the 62-year old retired nurse.

The trial will continue next week.