Cold Case Review of Sophie Tuscan du Plantier murder to proceed

The whole case is just he said/she said. Easy to believe whatever you want to believe about Bailey and find things to back you up, easy enough to debunk many things too. Interestingly we never hear what’s said about any other suspects all the same.

Isn't that what happens in a court of law before a jury?

There are verifiable witnesses who could have been in a court of law to state what Bailey told them. Obviously Bailey would have had to deny. Then it's up to the jury to decide if this man is a liar or not.

Thats exactly it. That area of Cork at that time was full of misfits who had brushes with the law and personal grudges with each other. Virtually everyone living there was connected and had personal history. It's very hard to know what to believe from any of them

It's not a question of terms and conditions, it's an obvious fact that the office was under-fulfilled as a matter of course, and that it was accepted that the pathologist would not be available at any and all times by the powers that be. If you think about it for a moment this is obvious as beyond the odd drunken night out, any one individual can be sick, contagious or just uncontactable for a number of reasons, or even perhaps two suspicious deaths could happen in different places at once!

This is the expectations of the role at that time, and likely with that expectation Dr Harbison could choose to stay at a party, or travel a different day as he saw fit. It's only because the case went so high profile that (some) people realised the absurdity of the situation.

What I find odd is that all of the rebuttal to what you post is a 30 second Google away.

Before making a comment do you actually do a little research or do you simply use your clearly biased and inaccurate source and believe everything it says?

You have yet to still answer the question, have you read in full the DPP report. Is this the fifth or sixth time of asking now?

Do you accept that your source of information could be wrong? Could be biased?

I wouldn't be surprised given the shenanigans of the Gardai, the released notes from the former DPP, and the unreliability of whichever witnesses chose to show up, the judge would have declared a mistrial before it ever even got to a jury deliberation.

I'm starting to become more interested in Karl (sometimes Carl) Heinz Wollny (sometimes Wolney).

He lived a mile from Sophie's house.

He spoke fluent French.

They were both in the Courtyard Bar in Schull on the Saturday 21st of December. Karl was setting up for his gig that night.

It is after Sophie was in the Courtyard and was in Marie Farrell's shop that Marie looked out her window and saw the 'foreign looking man' on the other side of the road.

Sophie went home while Karl remained in Schull for the day, going to the French restaurant 'La Coquille' at 7pm before returning to the Courtyard to play the gig. He got home around midnight or 1a.m. and stayed in bed until 4pm the next day when the owner of the Courtyard called him to clear away his equipment. He then went home and was alone that night.

Some sources say he was playing in Crookhaven the next day, the Sunday that was Sophie's last day alive, but this is inaccurate. His gig was the night before in Schull. Sophie was in O'Sullivan's Bar in Crookhaven on the Sunday. No mention of Wollny ever being in Crookhaven.

His wife had left him about six months before Sophie's murder and he was allegedly violent towards her.

Shortly after Bailey's arrest in February 1997 he jumped off a cliff after allegedly telling a friend he had done something terrible and couldn't live with himself. When the friend became seriously ill he apparently passed this information on to the Gardai. But I don't think this has been confirmed for definite.

From a post on r/Dunmanus Files:

"Her social circle in Ireland was very limited and comprised acquaintances among her neighbors and some local pub and shop owners. Sophie was limited by a language barrier and a tiny social circle from meeting new people. The artist Tomi Ungerer was the only person she sought out as a friend. I don't think he has anything to do with her murder, but the fact she sought out his friendship is very revealing as to why the other suspect stands out.

Reading all the testimonies from Sophie's friends and family I got a much clearer idea of her character and personality. One thing really stood out. Sophie was drawn to people with status and achievement as artists, or in the arts in general. Her husband matches this description, as did her former lover Bruno Carbonnet. Her social diary in Paris is full of similar people she networked with to help her career as a film producer.

So if Sophie did have some romantic involvement in Ireland, she would find it easier to choose a French speaker. She was drawn to men with achievement or status in the arts, and it would probably be someone connected to her very small circle of acquaintances or neighbors. Funnily enough, there's someone on the suspect list who ticks all those boxes - Karl Heinz Wollny. He was in an avant-garde jazz band in the 80s with his friend the painter A. R. Penck. Penck, though not as famous an artist as Tomi Ungerer, might even be someone Sophie had heard of.

Was Wollny her killer? I've no idea. However if Sophie had a lover in Ireland, the pool of potential choices would be tiny. I doubt Sophie would have found Ian Bailey even slightly attractive, but Heinz Wollny might have seemed a more promising proposition."

I don't think Sophie was pursuing a relationship with this man as this poster theorises but I find this to be an interesting take given what we know of her personality. Maybe they spoke in the Courtyard and had found they had something in common. Maybe the interest was more one-sided on Wollny's part. We do know that Sophie sought out French speakers in the area like Yvonne Ungerer and Bill O'Sullivan.

"Statement of CARL HEINZ WOLLNY, Date of birth 28th August, 1952, made to Detective Garda J.P. Culligan, Denis Harrington of Toormore, Goleen on Saturday, 11th January, 1997.
I was born in East Germany in Blankenbrug, Harz, Stauffenberg, 11. I have one brother Franz (49) and one sister (39). My parents are both dean and none of my family now reside at the address. I escaped from East Germany in 1972 by crossing the border at Harz on foot with a male friend. I stayed for one year in West Germany in the town of Wolfsburg. I then went to France in ‘73 and lived with my Aunty and Uncle, Toulon, (South France). I do not know the specific address. I travelled forward and back to Germany and France as a musician for many years. I have been to Italy, Greece and I came to Ireland in 1991. I came in the country via England as I had lived in London for about 9 (nine) years. In London, I resided at Fawe Street, East End, London and St. Philip’s Road which is near Angel Square. I am a foreign language correspondent and am fluent in German, French and English. I lived at St Philip’s Road with A.R. Penck (pseudonym, his name being Ralf Winkler), he used to visit me here in Toormore quite often but I have not seen him since ½ year. He lives somewhere in Dublin and is a famous Artist. I arrived in Ireland via Rosslare. I came to west Cork and found this place and bought it from a French man Pierre Farou through the Auctioneers Matt O’Sullivan, Clonakilty for £105,000. It has 3(three) acres. It has no mortgage. I was married at that time to [redacted by this publisher] and she arrived into the country with me. She is English. I met her there. We have no family but I have a daughter by another partner who is living in Germany. I have lived here ever since but a half year ago, [redacted by this publisher] just walked out and is now living in Schull. I used no violence against her and I think she just got bored. I hear stories since she left that I was violent but that is not correct. We had difficult times, arguments, continuously disagreements. We will be divorced automatically after two years. On the evening of Friday 20 the December, 1996, I went to the Courtyard to set up equipment it was afternoon to evening. I came back home.  I was driving motor car, a white jeep, reg. no. 92-C-1677. I remained here all night on my own. I was just preparing music stuff for Saturday. On Saturday 21st December, 1996, I went back to the Courtyard again after lunch to complete the sound check. I met the drummer John O’Callaghan, who lives in Schull and Denis Quinlan. I remained there until 7 p.m. when I returned home in my van for a shower and change. I then went to the French restaurant named ‘La Coquille’, Schull. I met there John and Michael O’Callaghan and we had dinner until I left at about 8 p.m. and I went directly there to the Courtyard and I remained there until closing time. I took my guitar and microphones and drove home in my van. It was after midnight, nearer 1 a.m. perhaps. I remained at home on my own. On Sunday 22nd December, 1996 I was awakened by Denis Quinlan’s wife Fionuala at about 4 p.m. I had been in bed all that time. She phoned me to come and clear my equipment’s. I got up and rove directly over there. I was clearing up for one hour about, and I had my van parked directly outside the pub. Denis, the owner helped me and he knows exactly when I finished. It was dark. I drove home again. I unloaded and remained here on my own. I had cans of Guinness and I listened to the recording of the gig we had had in the Courtyard. I phoned John O’Callaghan form my home (28399) about the drum kit and made arrangements to meet around 3 p.m. on Monday.(John 28557). I do not know what time I rang but it was dark. On Monday morning 23rd December, 1996 I went to Schull to do some shopping. I went to the builder and Spar Shopping Centre. It was around lunch time. I had my Jeep with me and I went to the Courtyard to meet John. He was not here so I drove home to put away my messages and I returned to the Courtyard but he was still not there and I then went to the Gallery Inn. John’s sister Maura was there and she worked there and she rang John and he came and met me. It was exactly when I went into the Gallery Pub that I first heard about the murder. Maura switched on the radio and we listened there to it. Maura jokingly said tome “Where were you last night”, John also said the name to me when he met me. I do not know the area where the girl was murdered although 3(three) years ago my wife and I went to the German at Kealfadda for German Creed. I would not find my way there now. I know that David Bray somewhere there. I do not know Alfie Lyons, I do not know any woman Shirley and I did not know Sophie the dead girl. I drink mostly in the Courtyard, in the past half year and drink on my own there. I know Ian Bailey from there. I drank with him sometimes, about three times ever. About 3(three) or 4(four) weeks ago I met him in the gallery and Ian had an English guy with him and we drank together. The Englishman was very colourfully dressed and tall and spoke with an English accent. He was introduced as Ian’s friend from England. About half year after we arrived in Ireland I went to a party in Jules home and met Ian then. There were loads of people there and it was my first time meeting him and Jules I do not know Lyons name and perhaps I might know him to see. I am not in receipt of any dole or state assistance and receive a monthly cheque from a Dublin account which is transferred to A.I.B., Skibbereen. It originates in Germany (3,000 Marcs per month). About £1,000. I am not paying my wife maintenance. My passport is a new European one. I have heard this statement read over to me and it is correct."

Note: in his statement, which was translated from German to English, he says he went to the 'builder' on Monday morning but apparently a more accurate translation would be 'hardware store.'

More information on this blog post although it is a shame that they replicate some random person's theory about what might have gone down between Sophie and Wollney that night.

https://koudekaas.blogspot.com/2019/12/the-murder-of-sophie-toscan-du-plantier.html

Edit: I believe the wine bottle was found not too far from his house but I haven't been able to find any map locating either the wine bottle or Wollney's place of residence.

Edit 2: just in reference to Finbarr Hellen passing her house around 1pm on the Sunday and finding it unusual that she didn't come out to greet him as she usually did. Was she feeling a bit spooked that day? Had something about one of her interactions over the weekend spooked her? Later that day when walking at Three Castle Head she had what she described to Yvonne as a feeling of fear and apprehension.

I finally got around to watching the Netflix documntary. It's fairly damning of Bailey alright. a few things jumped out at me though. They mention the importance of the timeline of when Bailey knew about the murder the following morning. fair enough, but they fail to mention that the statements given by the people he told were given much later, often years later.

There is also the "evidence" given during the french trial by Sophie's friend and relative, both magically remember her mentioning Bailey before leaving on her trip. There was also the Italian woman who saw the coat in the bucket and spoke up years later. I feel the documentary should have scrutinised these suspicously fortuitous and incredably convienent recollections instead of just taking them at face value.

This is such a wild story, and the fact that he killed himself so soon after the arrest is crazy. It is also interesting that he specifically mentions Bailey, and about whether he knows him etc. He doesn't even call out anything suspicious about him at all, in fact there is nothing of substance in his statement. The name David Bray is a new one for me also, who is that guy living close by, and "the German" too? Similar to the plumber and other workers at the house, there are so many random people that I am just hearing about after all this time. How many more are out there, were they all even looked at or questioned?

Often people who are violent/abusers aren't even aware of the extent of harm they cause to other people, and just think the victim was strange, bored etc. or left for some other reason. "I can't understand why they left" and such like. Meanwhile hopefully the victim is off moving on with their lives and hopefully living a good one.

Bailey was similar, but as we've discussed before this mentality was fairly commonplace back then, and frequently brushed under the carpet by society (and still is today in a lot of cases).

In addition people can be violent and intimidating towards others as we have established with a few other people in this case too. This can frequently pop up when people "see red", or alternatively "have a bit of drink on them", situations that Sophie being in the country very infrequently, coming from France, may not have experienced much directly, if at all, until her fateful final encounter with someone's dark side. It's not just an Irish thing per se, but she was pretty much just a tourist here for the most part.

Except for Marie Farrell! Despite running a shop in town... then she saw him everywhere.