Drogheda Coroner's Court was told yesterday that an alleged drugs dealer, Mr Patrick Farrell (49), died from a shotgun blast to the head inflicted at short range. His body was found on a bed in the same room as that of his companion, Ms Lorraine Farrell (29). Gardai found the shotgun underneath her body.
Gardai believe that she killed Mr Farrell, from Dublin Street, Newry, as he lay on the bed and then turned the gun on herself. Dr Joseph Stuart, pathologist, said it would have been virtually impossible for Patrick Farrell's injury to have been self-inflicted. The Louth coroner, Dr Ronan Maguire, refused an application from a legal team for Mr Farrell's widow, Mrs Anne Farrell, for a verdict of unlawful killing.
The inquest heard that in the days leading up to the deaths Lorraine Farrell paid £200 to an undertaker for a double plot in the graveyard close to her home. She borrowed the shotgun from a Drogheda man.
The couple's bodies were found around 9 p.m. on September 10th last by her stepfather, Mr Dessie Wilton. He and his partner, Mrs Peggy Farrell, had returned from work at teatime and noticed that Paddy Farrell's car was parked outside the house.
While they watched a football match they could hear the couple's mobile telephones ringing upstairs. At half time Mr Wilton went up and saw Mr Farrell in bed and thought he was asleep.
After the match he called to Mr Farrell but got no reply. Mr Wilton was concerned that Lorraine's purse was not visible as she always had it with her. He told Peggy Farrell to look for it, and in it she found a note addressed to one of her other daughters.
Mr Wilton went back upstairs and turned on the light. There was blood everywhere, and Lorraine's body was on the floor behind the door, with a gun on the floor. He ran to get a neighbour, Mr Patrick Townley.
Mr Townley, an undertaker, said Lorraine's body was cold and he believed rigor mortis had set in.
The inquest into Ms Farrell's death was adjourned as members of her family were not present.