Carrie Mullane murder: body kept in camper van for two weeks, then dumped in Lough Erne
The body of Limerick woman Carrie Mullane was stored in a camper van for about two weeks before being wrapped in plastic and submerged in Lough Erne, a court has heard.
Carrie Mullane's body kept in van before being weighted down and dumped in lough
The body of Limerick woman Carrie Mullane was left inside a camper van for approximately two weeks after her death before being wrapped in black plastic sheeting, weighted down and placed into Lough Erne in Co Fermanagh, Strabane Magistrates' Court heard on Thursday.
Irishmirror.ie reports that a PSNI detective sergeant told the court that Ms Mullane, 39, is alleged to have been struck four times to the head by her partner, Michael Lynch, immediately after entering a property at Trasna Park, Enniskillen on the evening of October 10. Lynch then lifted what is believed to have been a vacuum cleaner and struck her again, causing her to lose consciousness, the officer said.
Ms Mullane had been missing since travelling to Enniskillen from Limerick on that date. Her body was recovered by police divers from Lough Erne on Monday following a formal search of the site.
Three family members charged
Michael Lynch, 35, of Trasna Park, Enniskillen, has been charged with the murder of Ms Mullane and with preventing the lawful burial of a corpse. His mother, Mary Lynch, 69, of Windmill Heights, Enniskillen, has been charged with withholding information from police.
Kenneth Lynch, 31, also of Trasna Park and a nephew of Michael Lynch and grandson of Mary Lynch, appeared before the court via videolink from Musgrave Street in Belfast. The detective sergeant told the court that police could connect him to charges of withholding information and encouraging or assisting in the offence of murder. When asked if he understood the charges, Kenneth Lynch told the court: "I do."
A defence solicitor said there was no application for bail at this stage but asked that the case be adjourned until the following week, when such an application would be made.
CCTV and changing accounts
The detective sergeant told the court that on October 29, the PSNI had been contacted by Gardaí regarding Ms Mullane, who had not been seen since October 10. When officers initially spoke to Michael Lynch, he said he was unsure when he had last seen her, suggesting it may have been in Limerick around that date and that he had been attempting to contact her via Facebook Messenger.
When police returned to the Trasna Park address on October 30, Lynch changed his account. He then told officers that the two had travelled from Limerick to Enniskillen by bus on October 10 and had argued during the journey about a former partner of his.
CCTV footage from Enniskillen bus station showed Lynch walking ahead of Ms Mullane carrying a shopping bag. The detective sergeant said: "She is seen to stagger before falling on the footpath outside the bus depot."
House-to-house inquiries in the area of Trasna Park revealed that neighbours had not seen Ms Mullane for a number of weeks. Neighbours also reported seeing Lynch clearing out the camper van, which had been parked at the front of the property, around October 23. The officer told the court: "He seemed to be carrying shopping bags and what appeared to be blankets and duvets." The van was removed from the property the following day and sold for scrap, though police have since seized the vehicle.
Forensic examinations located blood belonging to the victim on pieces of carpet inside the van, the court heard.
Kenneth Lynch's account to police
During police interview, Kenneth Lynch told officers that both he and his grandmother Mary Lynch were present at the Trasna Park property when Michael Lynch and Ms Mullane arrived on the evening of October 10. He described the attack in detail, telling police that after Lynch struck Ms Mullane repeatedly and she fell, Lynch "continued to kick and beat her".
Kenneth Lynch said he made attempts to stop the attack but at no point contacted emergency services. He left the house for a period and upon returning found Ms Mullane "slumped in a chair in the kitchen, making gurgling sounds with a large bleeding head injury." He then assisted his uncle in placing her in the camper van, where she was laid on a mattress.
Kenneth Lynch further told police that Michael Lynch had threatened to kill him and his family if he spoke to anyone. The detective sergeant told the court: "He believes that Michael had Carrie's body in the van for around two weeks until, on an unknown date or time, he accompanied him to a secluded area of Lough Erne, where the victim's body was placed into the water."
Police believe Kenneth Lynch was present at the property when Ms Mullane was murdered and potentially assisted with covering her death, removing the body and removing items from the address. He was declared a suspect on November 3.
Flight to Republic of Ireland and arrest
The detective sergeant said Kenneth Lynch and Mary Lynch had "fled to the Republic of Ireland in what we believe was an attempt to evade police". The pair returned to Northern Ireland on November 9 and were arrested.
A post-mortem examination established that the cause of death was injuries to the head and neck. Kenneth Lynch had provided police with the location of the site in Lough Erne, and the body was recovered by police divers on Monday. A formal identification process is ongoing.
The case was adjourned to Dungannon Court on November 18.
Source: Irish Independent