A Dublin woman extradited from South Africa will go on trial next year charged with the double murder of two "inseparable" friends whose bodies were found wrapped in plastic on a lake island nearly ten years ago.
Ruth Lawrence, 42 and who is originally from Clontarf, is accused of the murder of 33-year-old Anthony Keegan and 32-year-old Eoin O'Connor, who were found in plastic sheeting on Inchicup Island on Lough Sheelin, which straddles the Meath-Cavan border, on 26 May 2014.
At the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice David Keane scheduled a trial date of 7 October 2024 after hearing the matter is expected to last three weeks.
Mr Justice Keane then adjourned the matter to 12 January 2024, for a case-management update.
Ms Lawrence appeared before Trim District Court on 25 May after her extradition from Bloemfontein where she was being held.
Detective Garda Raymond Flynn told the court that he arrested Ms Lawrence at Dublin Airport earlier that day.
Ms Lawrence was taken to Trim Garda Station where she was charged by Det Gda Flynn with two counts of murder on an unknown date between 22 April and 26 May 2014, when gardaí were alerted to the discovery of the men's bodies.
The bodies were found after a fisherman on the lake identified a smell coming from the tiny island.
Mr O'Connor and Mr Keegan went missing after Mr O'Connor borrowed his mother’s car to travel to Ballyjamesduff in Co Cavan.
When he failed to return home from the trip, his family raised the alarm, leading to appeals for information and searches of areas in Co Cavan by the families and friends of both men.
At their June 2014 funeral, mourners were told that the two men had been "inseparable" friends.
