Murder at the Cottage | Sky

It was asked if it was an axe or a poker that went missing. Could it be a combination as below?

"Sophie was disturbed, that is clear."

You have no evidence for this but it's just one more thing you say like it was fact.

'Evidence' isn't required for Guards to seek search warrants. Alfie's admission of having been at the backdoor of Sophie's house could be construed as an attempt to cover for himself allowing a Guard to believe a crime may have been committed and so having grounds to seek a search warrant.

I find the buttons claim to be a bit odd as it means they must have been metal. What sort of overcoat has metal buttons?

Shirley was a just retired teacher from East London,

she came to live out her retirement in West Cork with Alfie.

She most likely did her speaking to the investigators, told the truth and stuck to it, really boring as far as this forum is concerned.

A Bailey or Farrell she was not.

What kind of "quotes or information" would you expect from her?

And your sympathy for Jules?

what evidence do the drug squad have to search a premises if the drugs are what they are looking for? eh?

I'd like to know if Shirley thought there might be someone using the house when Sophie was away.. And any ideas on who it might be? Had Alfie or Shirley ever noticed lights or any sort of activity at times when Sophie wasn't there?

Are they usually such sound sleepers? If Bailey committed this murder he would have been loud.. And Sophie must have been screaming.

I'd like to know more detail about why Alfie had referred to Sophie as being a bit of a pain? Was there really an ongoing disagreement about gate etc. Or is that just a rumour?

Was Alfies hand bandaged on the morning of the 23rd? And why? Apparently it was a dog bite but they didn't have a dog at the time?

Did Alfie and Shirley have a view on why Sophie didn't run towards their house? Did they give any insight about the pile of rocks near the bloody gate (that were shown in a photo a few pages back on this thread).

I'd love to know who Shirley thinks may have committed the murder. Yes, it's speculation but it's with the added insight of someone who knew Sophie and knew the locality.

Jules told a 'boring truth' too of just going to bed.. Until she was arrested and grilled by Guards in a stressful setting. I have no idea if Alfie or Shirley were in any way involved or if they ever knew more than they let on but they were the closest neighbours and we know very, very little about them.

Here's what I said:

" 'Evidence' isn't required for Guards to seek search warrants ". You understand the single commas?

Any Guard?

If forensics are from Dublin than they could hardly have been in league with corrupt local Guards having a part in a drug ring in the South West of Ireland. If they didn't find any DNA, any fingerprints, fiber of clothes or bits of hair at the scene, one must assume to a very high degree, that there were really none. So either the killer left no traces, or cleaned it up rather thoroughly.

The only behavioural thing that really ties or would tie Bailey to the crime is that he was having a fire and burning something behind the studio. These fires may be common there, but why bother burning clothes, when one can bring them to a garbage site? There were easier methods to dispose of something, not needing a fire, not needing to supervise a fire or bother the fire from spreading and the job is done quicker.

Again, that doesn't prove anything, nor is there any new evidence in this, it's just the idea that Bailey could have burned evidence which sticks to everybody's mind. The fire was long extinguished by the time Bailey was considered a suspect. So Bailey could have cleared away the ashes of the fire as well, which he apparently didn't do.

So, we're non the wiser.

I don't know it exactly, but it seems Sophie's house has hardly any windows facing north to the road leading to Alfie and Shirley's house. There is only one ? window facing to the west, all the other windows seem to be south facing. Facing to the west, there might have been trees obstructing the view to Alfie's and Shirley's? If there was any light coming out of the house, I'd tend to say, that Alfie and Shirley would not have noticed it in an instant. However they might have at a 2nd glance, as a beam of light would have illuminated the front of the house from the windows?

But these are guesses as well.