The Cold Case Files (33 page)

Grace and her husband Jimmy on a visit to Co. Monaghan. (
Courtesy Livingstone family
)

Jimmy Livingstone has repeatedly called for his wife’s murder to be completely re-investigated. In 2011 the Garda Cold Case Unit confirmed it was to carry out a full review
of the unsolved case. (
Courtesy Livingstone family
)

Stephen Hughes Connors was 12 years old when he was killed by an arsonist in Tallaght in September 2001. (
Courtesy Hughes Connors family
)

Stephen was always full of fun, full of adventure. (
Courtesy Hughes Connors family
)

Stephen shares a joke with his sister Kelly. (
Courtesy Hughes Connors family
)

This image of Stephen was taken shortly before he was killed. (
Courtesy Hughes Connors family
)

Captured on
CCTV
: In the early hours of 1 September 2001, a man walks towards the makeshift hut where Stephen Hughes Connors is sleeping. (
Courtesy An
Garda Síochána
)

Less than a minute later the man walks quickly away, as the fire takes hold off camera. The reflection of the fire can be seen on the back of the killer’s jacket as he
flees. (
Courtesy An Garda Síochána
)

For every murder victim still awaiting justice

For further information visit www.barrycummins.com

You may reach me in confidence at [email protected]

If you have any information about any of the cases featured in this book, or indeed any unsolved cases, you can contact:

First and foremost I wish to thank the families of murder victims who spoke to me during my research for this book. In particular I say thank you to the
families of Lorcan O’Byrne, Nancy Smyth, Inga-Maria Hauser, Brooke Pickard, Grace Livingstone and Stephen Hughes Connors. The grief these families experience is compounded by the fact that
their loved ones’ murders remain unsolved. These families gave generously of their time and often of their hospitality and I am grateful for their time and trust. Thank you to Niall and
Gerard O’Byrne for speaking on behalf of the O’Byrne family about their memories of the night Lorcan was shot dead by armed robbers in 1981. One of the two-man armed gang was later
caught and convicted but the man who pulled the trigger was never brought to justice. Thank you to Des Murphy in Kilkenny for speaking with me on his family’s behalf about his aunt Nancy
Smyth, who was murdered in Kilkenny in 1987. In Germany, I say a special thank you to Almut Hauser whose youngest daughter Inga-Maria was murdered in Northern Ireland in 1988. Thank you Almut for
your hospitality and for sharing your memories of Inga-Maria. Thank you to Penny Pickard whose husband Brooke vanished in Co. Kerry in 1991. A group of men from Northern Ireland are suspected of
abducting the father of four. Penny and her family continue to hope that answers will be forthcoming about the case. Thank you to Jimmy Livingstone for speaking with me on many occasions about his
ongoing campaign for his wife’s killer or killers to be brought to justice. Jimmy’s wife Grace was murdered in her home in Malahide in 1992 and, as a result of Jimmy’s
persistence, the Cold Case Unit are now investigating the case. Thank you to Stephen Hughes Connors’s parents Liz and Billy for welcoming me into their home and sharing memories of their
eldest child. The killing of Stephen in September 2001 is one of the few child killings in Ireland which remains unsolved. Thank you to each of you for your trust and I sincerely hope you get
answers, and see your loved one’s killer or killers caught and convicted.

During my research I received invaluable assistance from An Garda Síochána. Thank you especially to former Commissioner Noel Conroy for penning the Foreword for this book. Noel was
Commissioner when the force established its Cold Case Unit in 2007. Thank you also to the members of the Serious Crime Review Team, otherwise known as the Cold Case Unit. In particular thank you to
Detective Superintendent Christy Mangan for his interview about the ongoing and increasing work of the Unit. Thank you also to Detective Sergeant Noel Mooney for his briefing on the work of the
Violent Crimes Linkage Analysis System (
V
i
CLAS
), which is utilised by the Cold Case Unit. Thank you also to Detective Sergeant Alan Bailey for his
pointers on the process of reviewing unsolved murders. Both Noel and Alan retired from the Cold Case Unit in 2011 after decades of service.

Thank you to Superintendent John Gilligan, Inspector John Ferris and all Gardaí at the Garda Press Office, and thank you to Director of Communications Sinéad McSweeney.

There are many Gardaí, both serving and retired, who provided crucial assistance with historical research.
Go raibh maith agaibh go léir
. Thank you especially to former
Assistant Commissioner Tony Hickey and former Detective Superintendent Michael Byrne. Thanks again to Inspector Syl Hipwell and thank you to retired Garda Paul Downey.

I also received invaluable assistance from the Police Service of Northern Ireland in relation to my research into the murder of Inga-Maria Hauser in Co. Antrim in 1988. In particular thank you
to Detective Superintendent Raymond Murray and Detective Inspector Tom McClure. Thank you also once again to Ken Devlin at the
PSNI
Press Office.

Thank you also to British cold-case expert, retired Detective Superintendent Mick Burdis, who works with Jimmy Livingstone to uncover the truth about the murder of Jimmy’s wife Grace.

Thank you to Eamonn Balmer and to Mick and Breda O’Byrne for recounting their memories of the night Lorcan O’Byrne was murdered in his home above The Anglers Rest pub in 1981.

In Germany I thank Nele Obermueller who worked as my translator during my interview with Almut Hauser, Inga-Maria’s mother. In Switzerland thank you also to Nele’s fellow victim
support worker, Susanne Nielen, who put me in touch with Nele.

In Westmeath I thank funeral director Michael Cassidy for his poignant memories both of the occasion in May 2008 when the body of murder victim Brian McGrath was exhumed as part of a cold-case
review, and also the occasion when Brian’s body was finally laid to rest for ever more in late 2010.

Thank you to Kilkenny Coroner Tim Kiely, Westmeath Coroner Dr Wilfred Hoover, Clare Coroner Isobel O’Dea, Offaly Coroner Brian Mahon, Kildare Coroner Dr Denis Cusack and also to
Bríd McCormack in the Kildare Coroner’s Office. Thank you to Dublin City Coroner Dr Brian Farrell and to Jerry Ryan and all the staff in the Dublin City Coroner’s Office. Thank
you to Dublin County Coroner Dr Kieran Geraghty and to Ciara Geraghty and Eileen Tobin in the Dublin County Coroner’s Office. Thank you to Kildare County Registrar Eithne Coughlan.