He died earlier from a heart attack, very curious guy whatever you think of him. If he didn’t kill Sophie Toscan du Plantier he certainly didn’t help himself by his attention seeking behaviour.
What a way to go, penniless and the only assets he owned were his clothes, a few books and a few wood carvings.
After 66 years on this earth not one friend, former work colleague or member of his family were there at the cremation ceremony.
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/crime/ian-bailey-died-penniless-leaving-just-his-clothes-books-and-sophie-toscan-du-plantier-murder-case-files/a630803717.html
"Did someone break in thinking the place was empty whilst someone outside kept watch?"
Her hire car was parked outside the door and she usually left the outside light on at night.
Was the light left on when she was found?
He died Sunday.
His estate has not gone to probate yet.
The article is paywalled, but how could Ralph personally know what he owns or doesn't?
No, all lights were off.
I believe Shirley Foster recalled seeing the outside light on before she went to bed.
So Sophie could have went to bed after her and turned off the lights?
I agree that given the similarities of their backgrounds that he would have wanted to get to know her
Can we establish how long bailey was assisting Alfie. He said he used run errands etc and help people locally ..is this case with any others or was it just with Alfie. For example do we know did he start assisting Alfie after Sophie had bought the house or prior to that..
Regardless of whether you think Bailey “did it” or not, what do posters think of the latest Garda review of the case? Do you have faith in their work?
I do in that I trust them to do a thorough review of the facts and evidence- I wouldn’t have trusted them 20 years ago though- so hopefully we’re in new territory here.
If the Gardai are still focused on Bailey as the prime suspect, (which I believe they are and considering that Bailey himself felt before he died that an arrest was imminent,), I personally feel I have to support that approach - they know much more than we do. You either trust the Garda investigation or you don’t.
Saying all of that, there will be people unhappy that Gardai didn’t explore in a lot more detail certain leads or certain theories - hopefully the Gardai have a chance to explain to all, both the failings as well as the findings of this investigation - doubtful I know, but I think given the time money and resources spent no less the hurt imposed on so many in different ways, it feels like some sort of closure is required here.
Yes, I'll dig back and see if she left the outside lights on all night.
I suppose you also celebrate St. Patrick's Day on March 18th and buy your kids their Easter Eggs on Easter Monday?
Its also possible Sophie got up in the morning and turned off the light if it was off.
He got the ending he deserved
He had no estate, he literally had nothing but the clothes on his back and they were most likely secondhand.
Ralph Riegal is one of the most respected journalists in Ireland, I'm sure he wouldn't be too hard to find if you want to ask him how he knows what he reported.
It`s exactly what he was before he met Jules, basically an itinerant labourer. She put a roof over his head and provided him with a comfortable existence. She was always going to be the last person he would ever confess to.
He sure did, you reap what you sow.
Yeah I think intruder/break in is a strong theory.
She was initially attacked and assaulted by a stick or poker like weapon. A poker was missing from the house.
The slate and block were only used to finish her off.
I also think she left the house in a hurry and the lights were off.
This supports intruder or break in.
I think all the lights were off.
This means either she was disturbed and didn't turn on any lights for some reason. Or it happened in the morning.
And look how he repaid her, he bit her lip so hard he almost tore it from her face and assaulted her numerous other times.
A scumbag if ever there was one and a huge drain on society.
Imagine adding up how much he has cost the irish state since he came here, the mind boggles.
He might not have known she was a documentary maker.
And remember there's recent media reports about two French citizens, known to Sophie, who were hiding out in West Cork from criminals.
Gardai are also pursuing a connection between the tragic filmmaker and two other French men who lived in West Cork, although the men themselves are not suspects. The pair were hiding out in the isolated rural area after receiving death threats from a French criminal gang. It is understood that Sophie had met the men while she was in Ireland and Gardai are investigating whether she was targeted because of her friendship with them.
https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/crime/garda-trace-french-speaker-scratches-28729258
Im from a rural area and I just don’t believe he wouldn’t have known that tbh. He was a journalist with a huge interest in arts/culture she was a French film maker that had a house less than 3 miles away. It’s possible but I’ll never believe that it’s likely.
It's difficult to know but as there is next to no actual evidence, how can they use it to move further? Hopefully they can get something from the unknown DNA. I think if they had anything of value they'd have made an arrest by now sure
No trial, because there wasn't the evidence to even bring a prosecution against him, or anyone else for that matter.
There's a lot of men and women in the country that have assaulted their partner but that doesn't make them murderers.
It is hard to know. I would be concerned they may not sufficiently account for how much the original Guards 'poisoned the well' of the investigation, and nothing should be taken on faith from the Garda File merely on the word of a Guard. It should be verified. Given there is established malfeasance and tampering with Jobs Book etc, missing pieces of evidence. This is more than just mere incompetence.
Did you read the extent of the assaults?
Very little faith.
The reality is cops do not like investigating other cops, you could end up with a rat nailed to your front door.
The reason that unsolved crime years or decades later is refreshed to the public is not because they think they will find some smoking gun evidence, it's primarily for the people who existed around it, relationships change, loyalties, peoples outlook change.
If this is really a 100% fresh eyed view on the case, you'd imagine Jules at the very least given she is estranged from Bailey for several years would have been interviewed by them. She was arrested twice, once for the actual murder. She also lived with him for 20 odd years after the murder.
I think it is quite telling she hasn't been contacted.
Add in 140 odd witness statements and 22 pieces of evidence that went missing and the job books sabotaged.
At best a box ticking exercise to appease the family.
With Baileys death there may be an interesting rewrite in the end though.
The right avenue for this was a Public Tribunal. It always was.
The murder wasn't the only thing here that was in the public interest.
I'm from a rural area also.
Sophie didn't interact or socialise with locals except with her housekeeper, a couple of neighbours, people doing work on the house.
How often could she have spent in Ireland over the 3 years, a week or two a year maybe.
Oh so she didn’t interest with locals expect NEIGHBOURS HAHAHAHAHAH
Ralph was never too bothered by facts.
He reports he had no friends or family, so where did Ralph get his information?
From his hole.
He is hardly impartial in this case either.
That is correct, but if bailey was assisting nearby neighbours Alfie lyons, Alfie may have felt Ian might want to say hello given they both have artistic backgrounds...so that introduction definitely happened and bailey led us believe it was only from a far.
