Man on trial for alleged murder of 89‑year‑old in Nenagh

A 52‑year‑old man, Hasan Ali Gori, appeared before the Central Criminal Court in Limerick on Monday, pleading not guilty to the murder of 89‑year‑old Josephine “Josie” Ray.

Gori, described as having no fixed abode and using an interpreter, was arraigned before Mr Justice Sean Gillane on the charge that he smothered and strangled Ms Ray at her home on St Joseph’s Park, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, on 4 August 2024.

Senior counsel for the prosecution, Lorcan Connolly, told a jury of nine men and three women that Ms Ray died by asphyxiation after external compression of her neck, and that DNA matching Gori was found on her fingernails. He said the evidence suggested a close physical struggle and that Gori had both motive and opportunity, noting his co‑habitation with Ms Ray’s daughter, Mary Ray, for social‑welfare purposes.

Connolly described the household atmosphere as “volatile and tempestuous” and recounted that the Gardaí had attended the property the evening before the death. He also mentioned that neighbours saw Ms Ray smoking outside her house shortly after 2 am, which was the last confirmed sighting of her alive.

The prosecution’s case relies on forensic evidence and testimony from Samuel Abuchie, the victim’s grandson, who raised the alarm after finding his grandmother’s body around noon on the day of the incident. The trial is set to continue tomorrow.

Source: Limerick Post. Photo: Taylor Hunt / Pexels.