Suspicious Death Alan Hall

Dublin Fire Brigade were called to a house fire around dawn in 2020 and when entering the house they found the body of Alan Hall inside the front door. Mr Hall had suffered injuries in line with an assault. Attempts had been made to set the house on fire but fire retardant bedding prevented it from catching hold. This occurred during the strictest of the COVID lockdowns when socialising was not permitted and initially no suspects were identified. However, CCTV showed a taxi arriving at the house the previous night delivering takeaway drinks. Among many items recovered from the scene were a bottle of vodka and two bottles of mineral mixers. FSI scientists examined liquids and fire debris from the scene and found one contained a light petroleum distillate matched a commercially available lighter fluid.

An Garda Síochána were seeking an investigative lead and met with FSI Fingerprint and DNA scientists to focus the examinations on the drinks bottles and blood stained items. On one of the bottles of a lemon and lime mineral mixer, finger marks were recovered and identified to fingerprints of Conor Curran. This was the initial lead in the case. Blood stained clothing had been recovered, discarded in the locality and DNA analysis established the clothing were worn by Conor Curran and the blood staining matched Alan Hall’s. In 2021, Conor Curran, was charged with the murder of Alan Hall, but in December 2022 he passed away minutes after playing a football match. A co-accused, Mr Derek Coady previously charged with the murder of Alan Hall pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of endangerment as well as arson at the Central Criminal Court.