The trial of a Dublin woman who is accused of the murder of two men more than ten years ago has heard that both men were shot in the head.
Ruth Lawrence (45), who is originally from Clontarf, is accused of the murder of Anthony Keegan (33) and Eoin O'Connor (32), whose bodies were found on Inchicup Island on Lough Sheelin near the Meath-Cavan border on 26 May 26, 2014.
In May 2023, Ms Lawrence was charged 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 prosecution alleges Ms Lawrence fired one of four shots and was part of a joint enterprise with her boyfriend to murder the two men over a €70,000 drug debt.
Opening the case this afternoon, prosecuting counsel Michael O Higgins told the jury the reason there was no specific date for the murder was because the prosecution could place Eoin O’Connor and Anthony Keegan as being alive on the 22 April 2014 and thereafter "they disappeared from sight" before their bodies were recovered on 26 May.
He said the bodies were found on Inchicup Island on Lough Sheelin which is a lake that straddles the borders of Cavan, Meath and Westmeath. He said the accused, Ms Lawrence, lived at Patrick’s Cottage with her boyfriend Neville Van Der Westhuisen which was on the Westmeath side of the lough.
Mr O’Higgins said Inchicup Island is about 100 metres from the shoreline close to Patrick’s Cottage.
He said both men died from gunshot wounds. Mr O’Connor had been shot in the head and stomach and Mr Keegan had been shot in the neck and head.
He said the jury would not have to decide if the men had been murdered as both had been shot dead but they would have to decide if the evidence establishes that Ms Lawrence murdered them.
Mr O’Higgins said the prosecution would contend that Ms Lawrence shot Mr O’Connor, although that shot was not immediately fatal but was followed by a shot from her boyfriend who also shot Mr Keegan.
He told the jury the prosecution would contend that Ms Lawrence was acting in concert and as a team with her boyfriend Mr Van Der Westhuisen and that both were guilty of the offence of murder.
Mr O'Higgins said Mr O'Connor was a drug dealer who was owed €70,000 by Mr Van Der Westhuisen and it was suggested there should be an immediate payment of €15,000.
He said Mr Keegan had accompanied Mr O'Connor to Cavan in a "supporting role" in case there was any trouble and it was not suggested it was any more than that.
He said the jury would also hear about a father and daughter Jay Simms and Stacey Simms who also sold drugs and occasionally got them from Mr Van Der Westhuisen and Mr O'Connor.
Mr O'Higgins said on the night he went missing Mr O'Connor had travelled to Cavan to meet Mr Van Der Westhuisen and the last time there was any activity on his phone was at 8.45pm.
The jury was told it seemed likely that he was shot dead later that evening and his car was found the following day in a car park at Lough Owel.
He said the prosecution would contend that Ms Lawrence drove the car to that location.
The jury was told that Ms Lawrence has also borrowed an outboard motor from her neighbour and landlord and that a clean up of their home had taken place with the assistance of another friend.
The jury was told it will hear evidence that Mr Simms and his daughter Ms Simms went to the home of Ms Lawrence and Mr Van Der Westhuisen the next evening where the atmosphere was "extremely intense" and people were intoxicated with drugs and alcohol.
It is alleged that Ms Lawrence and her boyfriend spoke openly about the murders and disposing of the bodies.
Mr Simms and Mr Van Der Westhuisen were later interviewed by gardaí after Mr O'Connor's family had travelled to Cavan concerned about his welfare.
After those garda interviews the Simms, Ms Lawrence and her boyfriend drove to Ashbourne in Co Meath where they slept in a disused house before heading to Rosslare and boarding a ferry to the UK and travelling on to London.
Ms Lawrence and her boyfriend later flew to South Africa where she remained for a number of years.
Mr Simmis and his daughter Stacey returned to Ireland after two weeks and were later interviewed at length by gardaí, the jury was told.
On 26 May 2014 some fishermen noticed a strong smell coming from Inchicup Island where the bodies of Mr O'Connor and Mr Keegan were found bound with rope and tape and covered in tarpaulin.
Post-mortems revealed they had died from gun shot wounds and a murder investigation began.
