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In 1967, an Irish-American escaped custody on a charge of murdering his wife in upstate New York. Almost 60 years later, Joseph "Joe" Maloney remains one of the oldest unsolved cases in the FBI's books. Joe lived large in Ireland for 20 years, before escaping again. Can he finally be found? We believe we’ve come closer than anyone – even the FBI – to discovering what happened him… A new 9-part True Crime series from RTÉ Documentary On One in Ireland.

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Trailer

Episode 1 - A Question Of Identity

It's 1985 and a country estate owner and movie industry worker in Ireland finds himself up before a Dublin court facing an extradition trial. His wife pleads his innocence. He tells the judge - and anyone who'll listen - "you have the wrong man". None of this story makes sense. Apart from his fingerprints. Fingerprints don't lie. Has his true identity finally been rumbled? The real question is - how did he end up here? (Ep 1/9)

Episode 2 - June And Joe

We travel to Rochester, New York, back to the beginning, to find out where this story really starts. What we find is a young girl who grew into a woman, living her dream and looking for true love. And a young boy who liked to talk with an Irish accent who grew into a man but never really grew up. Love blossomed between them. But then control kicked in. And what began as a whirlwind love story spirals into a hellish nightmare. This was never going to end well. (Ep 2/9)

Episode 3 - Manhunt

Having been charged with the first-degree murder of his ex-wife, Joseph Michael Maloney is imprisoned and awaits trial. But in a huge embarrassment to the authorities, the defendant tricks his own lawyers - and the judge - into a ploy which allows him to escape. Local and state police, an army of bloodhounds and the FBI all take part in his pursuit. As they begin to close in on the fugitive, the net becomes tighter and tighter. (Ep 3/9)

Episode 4 - Living Large

Different countries. Different lives. One man becomes another and creates a life the other could never have imagined. Within two years of allegedly murdering his ex-wife, Joe Maloney has become Michael O'Shea. He marries a shy Dublin woman and through a series of lucky breaks, begins to live the life of a wealthy squire. Eclectic. Extravagant. Is this all fantasy? And if it is, when and where will it all end? (Ep 4/9)

Episode 5 - The Ripple Effect

The actions of Joe Maloney have far-reaching effects, beyond what even he could ever have imagined. Broken families. Broken homes. Broken lives. We manage to find close family members of both June and Joe and are shocked by what they have to tell us. (Ep 5/9)

Episode 6 - Closing The Net

As new information is sent into us by listeners, we begin to piece together new, unknown parts of Joe Maloney's story. We also focus in on the transatlantic efforts being made to arrest him and to bring him to justice - all of which lead to blowing the cover on the alias identity of Michael O'Shea. (Ep 6/9)

Credits: Runaway Joe is written, reported and produced by Pavel Barter and Tim Desmond. Research by Nicoline Greer. Original music soundtrack by Martin Klusák and Tomáš Borl. Sound designer is Peadar Kearney and the executive producer is Liam O’Brien. Marketing is by Roisin Clune and Hilary O'Callaghan. Press and Publicity by Jilly McDonough. The designer is Loren Gibbon. Social Media by Bree Tracey. Audio Product Support by Nigel Wheatley. With online supporting content from Anna Joyce.

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