Murder at the Cottage | Sky

15-09-2021 07:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896290#Comment_117896290

Not necessarily. There's alot of references to "she" "he", "yerman" etc... Theres barely any names mentioned in the bandon tapes.

tibruit · 15-09-2021 07:32PM

A lie detector test on Farrell would be interesting.

mossie · 15-09-2021 07:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896313#Comment_117896313

Would he have left his car at the scene to be discovered?

tibruit · 15-09-2021 07:40PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896373#Comment_117896373

Discovered by who exactly? Sophie was dead, Alfie and Shirley were tucked up in bed.

mamboozle · 15-09-2021 07:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896313#Comment_117896313

Kealfadda bridge is over tidal mud flats and would not be a place you'd consider wading into at high tide, if you were 'lucky' enough to hit it at high tide in the middle of December

DivilsAdvocate · 15-09-2021 07:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117895889#Comment_117895889

You give such credence to all of the "confessions" but can't seem to realise how absolutely stupid it is that a man has gotten away with an incredibly brutal murder and is now going around confessing to people who aren't particularly close to him or who he wouldn't have a massive emotional connection to. This isn't him confiding in a loved one, these people aren't even his friends or associates. It's nonsense.

I'd just as sooner believe that people who did give statements against him are only revealing themselves as willing to be bought off or coerced by police.

Deeec · 15-09-2021 07:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896313#Comment_117896313

He would then have to clean the car thoroughly which would take a while if he needed to clean blood out of the car. There is no way he would have cleaned blood off himself in freezing sea water. Its alot to get done in a few hours. Jules would definitely have noticed either the blood in the car or that the car was cleaned overnight. She could of course be covering or be involved. By taking the car to Sophies there would have been the risk that someone seen the car and could identify it as Jules/IBs car - why would he risk driving the car the next day to the crime scene and the gardai noticing something odd.

tinytobe · 15-09-2021 07:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117895998#Comment_117895998

That's an excellent theory. The killer could have also made some unexplained noises, so she would come out and investigate, without him even having to knock on the door.

Knock knock,

Who is it asks Sophie.

Killer naming some name and some made up story to get her attention

Sophie doesn't recognize it, doesn't recognize the voice.

Sophie then says the killer should come back tomorrow morning in daylight.

This is exactly what the killer wanted to avoid.

Rather make some unexplained noise outside, something the killer would be sure, that Sophie would come out and investigate.

Deeec · 15-09-2021 07:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896402#Comment_117896402

There would have been the risk that someone would spot the car out and about and identify him. Alfie OR Shirley could identify the car so why would IB risk that by driving there. It was christmas party season - that time of year when it wouldnt be odd for people to be coming home from parties and get togethers at all hours. Anyone could have spotted the car.

mossie · 15-09-2021 07:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896402#Comment_117896402

Who knows? Just because it's the middle of nowhere doesn't mean someone can't pay by.

tinytobe · 15-09-2021 07:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896459#Comment_117896459

If Bailey would have been the murderer he would have walked. The chances of his car getting recognized and then having blood all over inside the car, was simply too risky.

If it was the French hitman or the bent Guard, I'd say they would have arrived in either a rented or private car.

tibruit · 15-09-2021 07:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896416#Comment_117896416

I`m not necessarily saying he drove there. However, the location is very secluded. The chance of somebody driving up Sophie`s road at that time of night and spotting his car would be almost nil. It would be likely that he had blood on his shoes and probably blood on his outer garments, although not certain. It would all depend on how incapacitated she was after the initial blow to her head and if she ran away after that. But let`s say he had blood on his shoes and clothes and had the cop on to understand the consequences of contaminating the car. He had options. Walk to where there was water and clean up. Alternatively, take off the shoes and pants, wrap them up in the coat and drive home. He bought bleach the next day and had his bonfire on the 26th. There were shoes or boots burned in the bonfire.

sekiro · 15-09-2021 07:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896141#Comment_117896141

Not "forced" but you'd think they'd be able to do a bit of digging and at least get a list of potential candidates pretty quickly.

She had associates and friends surely.

At the end of the day there's a key witness, possibly even a suspect, that the gardai didn't seem to try and identify.

They should have done everything they could to find out who this person was.

Instead they had tunnel vision regarding Bailey.

Theres really two scenarios here. First is that there never ever was a 2nd individual in the car. Second is that for all those years there's been someone out there who was in the area at the time and they were never found and never came forward despite gardai knowing that this person existed.

Seems like you are saying that it's hypocritical to moan that gardai forced MF to lie about IB and then demand that they force her to reveal this mystery person's identity.

That might be the case but it doesn't change the fact that this person should have been identified somehow. To allow them to remain anonymous and hidden is completely insane.

MF gets dropped off by this person but he gets lost trying to find his way home. Tries to get directions from a local cottage and something goes wrong.

What if she had named someone with a documented violent past or someone who's wife testifies that he came straight home and washed all his clothes and sold the car asap.

The difference between solving and not solving the case could have been the identity of that person.

MoonUnit75 · 15-09-2021 08:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896480#Comment_117896480

That’s assuming that the person who murdered Sophie went there with the intention of murdering her, I think that is unlikely.

Gussie Scrotch · 15-09-2021 08:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896485#Comment_117896485

Yes, this person, if he did, indeed, exist at all, would be a critically important witness.

Curious_Case · 15-09-2021 08:11PM

Focusing on the Blue Fiesta for a moment -

It's easy to conclude that the driver may have been in a heightened state of panic, fleeing the scene as quickly as possible.

Alternatively, the driver may have been calm and simply driving as fast as possible so as not to be suspiciously late arriving home, or indeed, work.

Perhaps the witness could expand further on the competency of the driving.

What direction was the car travelling? Who might be required to work the next morning?

Could the gate have been opened for the Blue Fiesta?

How long did it take for things to escalate?

Was wine found close to a field's entrance gate, where a car could have been parked?

tinytobe · 15-09-2021 08:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896517#Comment_117896517

I don't really agree with that. I couldn't see this was just the result of an argument getting out of hand, over whatever subject they argued about. I think the murderer went there with intent to murder. However, I also don't think that the planning of the murder was planned long ahead. Firing a gun could be heard by neighbours, especially if a silencer wasn't used, using a knife would bear the risk that she starts screaming, strangulation is probably too complicated at night, plus hard to do unexpected for the victim. Bashing her head in would have come totally unexpected to Sophy plus she would have been unconscious and quiet from the beginning.

dmc17 · 15-09-2021 08:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896366#Comment_117896366

Would be like a stress test for the machine

Gussie Scrotch · 15-09-2021 08:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896597#Comment_117896597

😁😁

Gussie Scrotch · 15-09-2021 08:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896552#Comment_117896552

The blue fiesta was worthy of further investigation, although I'm lukewarm on the "Bantry Garda" theory. ( because, other than gossip, there's nothing to implicate him)

What is interesting though is the imprint of a Doc Marten boot on her neck.

DivilsAdvocate · 15-09-2021 08:28PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896621#Comment_117896621

Bailey has said he was the cop dealing with Sophie regarding her complaints about drugs being grown or smuggled nearby. So there's a connection there.

tinytobe · 15-09-2021 08:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896552#Comment_117896552

These are also all very good questions which should have been investigated back then. However I know that a Fiesta was really common to have back then, but it could narrow down the suspects as well. I didn't know that Sophie had a Doc Marten boot imprint on her neck? Also something which should have been followed up on.

chooseusername · 15-09-2021 08:35PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896649#Comment_117896649

Where/when did Bailey say that?

tibruit · 15-09-2021 08:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896649#Comment_117896649

How would Bailey know that? According to him he didn`t even know Sophie.

DivilsAdvocate · 15-09-2021 08:48PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896683#Comment_117896683

On twitter.

tibruit · 15-09-2021 08:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896810#Comment_117896810

Maybe Sophie told him

odyssey06 · 15-09-2021 08:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896693#Comment_117896693

Because thats the only way he could know that?

Nonsense.

15-09-2021 08:58PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117896552#Comment_117896552

There is in fact, an entire witness statement by Martin O Sullivan. There were earlier statements, since "lost" where he apparently gave more detail, but the one in I think 2001 is what is out there.

To see people on this thread earlier actually contest this witness was crazy. Some have apparently never heard of it. It was NEVER chased up, likely because it doesn't fit the night time narrative the Gardaí clung to, and likely because the owner of this (let's just speculate but not really) unmarked garda car was well known to them, and it must be said, lots of locals.

Spend some time searching other forums, and listen to what local people have to say. This "theory" is actually an open secret in west cork and I just hope to God people finally start talking and it will come to light.

There. I said it.