Drug debts and buried bodies: the trial of Ruth Lawrence for double murder

Eleven years after the bodies of Anthony Keegan (33) and Eoin O’Connor (32) were discovered buried on Inchicup Island, Dublin woman Ruth Lawrence (45) has gone on trial for their murder. She has pleaded not guilty.

The prosecution has laid out its case: alleging that Lawrence worked “as a unit” with her South African boyfriend Neville van der Westhuizen to kill O’Connor, a drug dealer and his friend Keegan.

Van der Westhuizen was in considerable debt to O’Connor.

It was further alleged that Lawrence and her boyfriend had “spoken openly” about “the murders and disposing of the bodies”.

The jury has already heard from the landlord of the remote Co Meath lakeside cottage where the accused and her boyfriend were living at the time of the murder. He testified how they had asked to borrow a boat with an engine and had done so.

Set to last until November, the judge sent the jury away on Tuesday due to a medical issue with a witness but the court heard on Thursday that the trial would continue.

Court reporter Alison O’Riordan has been following the trial.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. 

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