Double killing and the disposal of the bodies

Double killing and the disposal of the bodies in the river Bandon in November 2011

John Forrester, a father of four, was killed following a jealous row with Ciprian Grozavu and Catherine O’Connor over his former girlfriend. John Forrester’s body was recovered from the River Bandon strangled, battered and bound. A cardigan belt was found wrapped around his feet. It was similar to the one missing from Catherine O’Connor’s cardigan.

Just 24 hours later a second man Jonathan Duke, also a neighbour in the same flat complex, was visiting both accused when he observed bloodstaining in the apartment and became aware of the killing of Mr Forrester the day before. Duke’s body was also tied with a flex and recovered from the River Bandon.
Catherine O’Connor pleaded guilty and was convicted of the murder of her former boyfriend and neighbour in 2011. Ciprian Grozavu was also convicted of the murder of John Forrester. Both Catherine O’Connor and Ciprian Grozavu were convicted of Mr Duke’s murder following a trial.

Ciprian Grozavu appealed the murder conviction of Jonathan Duke and the Court of Appeal quashed it and ordered a retrial. During the retrial, evidence was given in respect of bloodied plantar marks made by the right bare foot of Mr Grozavu.

The bloodied footmarks were on a wooden floor inside the hall and inside the apartment where the killing took place. The identification of plantar marks is rare but has the same significance as finger and palm print evidence with respect to uniqueness and persistence.

The blood on the plantar marks matched that of the deceased Mr. Duke.
Mr. Grozavu was acquitted of murder upon direction of the judge but was convicted of two counts of impeding the investigation and disposing of the body. He was sentenced to eight years for disposing of the body and a concurrent sentence of six years for helping Catherine O Connor remove the body from the scene.