A review by Gript of killings of women in Ireland in the past five years has shown that foreign nationals have been charged or convicted of murder in disproportionate numbers, being involved in almost 1 in 3 – or 31% – of these violent deaths.
The analysis was carried out in response to debate online regarding the prevalence of involvement of non-nationals in the killing of women and girls, and the Femicide report produced by Women’s Aid was used to examine the deaths in the period.
The review of every femicide between 2020 and 2024 showed that, excluding a number of cases where the perpetrator is unknown or charges of murder or manslaughter have not been brought, 11 out of 35 killings of women and girls (31%) in those 5 years involved foreign nationals being found guilty of murder or charged with murder – a significantly disproportionate number.
The CSO says that in April 2022, there were 631,785 non-Irish citizens living in Ireland, accounting for 12% of the usually resident and present population, up from 11% of the population in 2016. However, the 2016 Census showed that almost 17% of people living in Ireland at that time were not born here, and that proportion rose to just under 20% in the 2022 Census.
The killings on the Femicide list does not include the murder of eight-year-old, Malika Noor Al Kattib in New Ross town on December 1, 2024. Her father, 34-year-old Muhammad Al Shaker Al Tamimi has been charged with the murder of his daughter and the attempted murder of Malika’s mother, Aisha Al Kattib (31) in their home.
When the analysis was further extended back to 2015, it can be seen that the number and proportion of femicides involving foreign nationals has risen across the period. The killings include the high-profile murder of teacher and musician Ashling Murphy by Slovakian Jozef Puska in 2022, and the strangulation of an elderly woman, Rose Hanrahan, by a Romanian national who had broken into her home in 2017.
Ms Hanrahan (78) was followed home from the supermarket by Alexandru Iordache, who beat and strangled her in her own house. Iordache had been in Ireland previously and had 8 prior convictions for theft in this country.
Another high profile case involves Habib Shamel, an Afghan national, who is charged with the murder of Geila Ibram (27) who was stabbed to death in a “frenzied attack” in Limerick.
Six murders of women took place in 2015, with all perpetrators being Irish, but in 2022, 4 out of 11 (36%) of the killings of women and girls involved non-nationals, while in 2023, in 3 out of (33%) of the killers/alleged perpetrators were born outside of Ireland.
In 2024, if the slashing of Malika Noor Al Kattib is excluded, 25% or 1 out of 4 of the killings involve non-nationals. If her murder had been included, foreign nationals would be involved in 40% of the violent deaths afforded to women in 2024, where charges have been laid.
In cases where the perpetrator is known, the number cases and nationalities involved each year are as follows (further details of each case are also given below):
2015 – 6 killings: Perpetrators all Irish.
2016 – 2 killings: Perpetrators both Irish
2017 – 7 killings: 5 perpetrators are Irish and 2 are non-nationals
2018 – 6 killings and 1 manslaughter case: 5 perpetrators are Irish and 2 are non-nationals
2019 – 6 killings: 4 perpetrators are Irish and 2 are non-nationals
2020 – 4 killings: 3 perpetrators are Irish, 1 is a non-national
2021 – 7 killings: 5 perpetrators are Irish and 2 are non-nationals
2022 – 11 killings: 7 perpetrators/accused are Irish and 4 are non-nationals
2023 – 9 killings: 6 perpetrators/accused are Irish and 3 are non-nationals
2024 – 4 killings: 3 perpetrators/accused are Irish and 1 is a non-nationals
In addition to the killings listed above, there are 7 cases between 2015 and 2024 where the woman’s body has not been found, but where the Gardaí believe the victim has been murdered – or where Gardaí have not brought charges of murder against a suspect. In 2 out of those 7 cases, it has been reported that foreign nationals were suspected to be involved.
In 2015, Anastasija Varslavane was believed to have been abducted by gangland criminals. Her body has never been found.
In 2017, unusually, there were three such cases. Saoirse Smith (29) disappeared, but her body was never found. She is now presumed to be dead. No-one was ever charged with the murder of Antoinette Corbally, believed to be an innocent victim of a botched gangland shooting. And while Gardaí said that Linda Evans, who was found dead in Coolmine Woods, Blanchardstown, was last seen with a Romanian man, they have not brought charges in relation to her death.
The following year, Giedre Raguckaite (29) disappeared without trace. She was last seen with two Lithuanian men at a house in Laytown, Co Meath. It is suspected she was abducted, drugged and raped before being murdered and her body disposed of.
Patrick Lawlor has been arrested in connection with the death of Louise Muckell (54) in Limerick in 2023, and has been charged with assault causing harm, but not with murder or unlawful killing. No-one has yet been arrested in connection with the death of Vanessa O’Callaghan (36) in Cork in 2024.
In addition to the names on the Femicide list from Women’s Aid, is the case of Josephine (Josie) Ray (89) who was asphyxiated by her killer as she lay in her bed in her home in Nenagh in 2024. Mrs Ray’s daughter, Mary Ray and Mary’s partner Hassan Ali Gori were arrested on suspicion of murder but released without charge. They deny any involvement in her death.
Women’s Aid’s Femicide Watch report as at March 2025 says that 275 women have died violently between 1996-the present day, and that 20 children have died during incidents where women have died violently.
179 women have been killed in their own homes, the organisation reports, with 87% of women (where the case has been resolved) were killed by a man known to them. 13% of women were killed by a stranger. In almost all murder-suicide cases (23 out of 24) the killer was the woman’s current or former intimate partner, Women’s Aid said.
2015
Jane Braidwood (65). Stabbed to death by her son Fionn, who was found not guilty of murder and assault by reason of insanity
Anne Shortall (47). Bludgeoned to death with a hammer. Roy Webster was found guilty of her murder.
Anastasija Varslavane (21). Believed abducted and shot dead by gangland criminals. She was pregnant with her first child.
Marie Quigley (68). Bludgeoned and stabbed to death by her husband Jim, who then died by suicide.
Natalie McGuiness (23). Strangled to death by Oisín Conroy at an apartment in Sligo.
Brigid Maguire (43). Strangled to death by her former partner, Danny Keena.
Marian Horgan (60). Stabbed to death. Her son Paul was found guilty of her murder.
2016
Clodagh Hawe (39). Murdered by her husband Alan, who also murdered their three little boys Liam, 13, Niall, 11, and Ryan, 6,
Kitty Fitzgerald (72). Murdered by her husband Tom Fitzgerald, who then died by suicide.
2017
Nicola Collins (38). Beaten to death by Cathal O’Sullivan with whom she had an on-off relationship.
Samantha Walsh (31). Beaten to death by Danny Whelan with whom she had an intimate relationship.
Amy McCarthy (22). Died after being assaulted by her boyfriend Adam O’Keeffe, who was father to her son.
Amadea McDermott (27). Stabbed and beaten by her partner, Martin Hayes, causing her death.
Saoirse Smith (29). Vanished in April 2017. Gardaí believe she may have been murdered.
Patricia O’Connor (61). Battered to death by her daughter’s boyfriend, Kieran Greene.
Linda Evans Christian (29). Found dead in Coolmine Woods, Blanchardstown. Gardaí say she was last seen ‘with Romanian man who has since left country’.
Antoinette Corbally (47). Shot dead in a gun attack. No one has been charged. Her death is believed to have been connected to an attempt on the life of Ms Corbally’s brother, Derek Devoy.
Anne Colomines (37). Stabbed to death by her husband Renato Gehlen.
Rose Hanrahan (78). Beaten and strangled in her home by Alexandru Iordache, who had followed her home from the supermarket.
2018
Joanne Lee (38). Strangled to death by her husband, Keith Lee, who had become addicted to cocaine.
Christine Treacy (76). Her nephew Michael Scott was found guilty of manslaughter, for the killing of his aunt, who died after she was run over by a teleporter driven by Scott.
Natalia Karaczyn (30). Murdered by her husband, Rafel Karaczyn, who strangled her and dumped her body in the woods.
Anastasia Kriegel (14). Subjected to violent attack, sexual assault and murdered in Lucan near Dublin. Two boys, known only as Boy A and Boy B, were 13 years old at the time they murdered Ana. Boy A was further convicted of aggravated sexual assault.
Jastine Valdez (24). Abducted and murdered by Mark Hennessey, who was shot dead by Gardaí.
Giedre Raguckiate (29) Two Lithuanian men were last seen with an unconscious Giedre on May 29, 2018 at a house in Laytown, Co Meath. Gardaí launched a murder investigation but no-one has been brought to justice.
Ingrida Maciokaite (31). Stabbed to death by her former partner Edmundas Dauksa.
Amanda Carroll (33). Strangled by her partner, Seán Nolan, in her own bed.
2019
Elzbieta Piotrowska (57). Murdered by her son, Tomasz Krzysztof Piotrowski, who stabbed and decapitated his mother in her home.
Jasmine McMonagle (28). Killed by her former partner, Richard Burke, during a psychotic episode. Burke was found not guilty of murdering Jasmine but guilty of her manslaughter.
Catherine Doyle Ward (41). Stabbed to death by her husband, Alan Ward, in their home.
Skaidrite Valdgeima (34). Stabbed to death. Valerijs Leitons, with whom she was having an intimate relationship, was found guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Valerie French Kilroy (41). Beaten, stabbed and strangled by her husband James Kilroy.
Nadine Lott (30). Murdered by her former partner, Daniel Murtagh, who beat her so badly that she was “completely unrecognisable”.
2020
Jean Eagers (57). Murdered by her husband, Dillon Eagers, who stabbed her 16 times with a samurai sword in their home.
Neasa Murray (88). Beaten to death by her son, Brendan Murray, who was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity.
Seema Banu (37). Murdered by her husband, Sameer Syed, who also murdered their two children, daughter Asfira, 11, and son Faizan, 6.
Anne Butler (70). Murdered by Trevor Rowe, who broke into her home.
2021
Urantsetseq “Urnaa” Tserendorj (49). Stabbed by a 14-year old boy who was found guilty of her murder.
Mary O’Keeffe (72). Murdered by Michael Leonard, who set fire to his car after dousing her in petrol.
Sharon Bennett (29). Murdered by her former partner, Patrick Ballard, who attacked her in a public toilet.
Jennifer Poole (24). Stabbed to death by her former partner, Gavin Murphy.
Eileen O’Sullivan (56). Murdered by her husband, Mossie O’Sullivan, who also shot dead their son Jamie before killing himself.
Fabiole Camara (33). Decapitated by her husband, Diego Costa Silva, who was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity.
Zeinat Bashabsheh (42). Her partner, Bahaalddin Al Shwawrah, has been charged with her murder.
2022
Ashling Murphy (23). Murdered by Jozef Puška, who stabbed her repeatedly as she was going for a run.
Sandra Boyd (34). Killed when her brother, Derek Boyd, accidentally discharged his semi-automatic pistol. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Mary (Maura) Bergin (76). Stabbed to death by her daughter, Moire Bergin, who was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Ruth Lohse (88). Her son, Guenter Lohse, pleaded guilty to manslaughter by way of arson.
Louise Muckell (54). Patrick Lawlor has been charged with assault causing harm.
Lisa Thompson (52). Stabbed to death by Brian McHugh in her home.
Larisa Serban (26). Stabbed to death by her partner, Daniel Blanaru.
Miriam Burns (75). She died following a violent assault. Her son, Billy Burns, has been charged with her murder.
Lisa Cash (18). Murdered by her brother, Andy Cash, who also murdered their siblings, 8-year-old twins, Christy Cawley and Chelsea Cawley
Ioana Mihaela Pacala (30). Strangled by her partner, Andrei Dobra, who was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Emma McCrory (45). Fatally injured in a house fire. George Turner has been charged with her murder.
Sharon Crean (34). Found fatally injured in her apartment. Seán Egan has been charged with her murder.
2023
Bruna Fonseca (28). Was beaten and strangled. Miller Pacheco has been charged with her murder.
Maud Coffey (41). Stabbed in an apartment in Ashtown. Austin Mangan has been charged with her murder.
Geila Ibram (27). Stabbed to death in a “frenzied attack”. Habib Shamel has been charged with her murder.
Angela Canavan (58). Found with severe head injuries in her home. Her son, Nigel Canavan, has been charged with her murder.
Catherine Henry (62). Found dead after a violent attack. Luke Donnelly has been charged with her murder.
Anna Mooney (46). Stabbed to death by her husband, Stephen Mooney, who pleaded guilty to her murder.
Deepa Dinamani (38). Bled to death after being stabbed in the throat. Her husband, Regin Parithapara Rajan, is standing trial for her murder.
Lorna Woodnutt Kearney (51). A teenage boy admitted to her murder which he videoed and sent out on Snapchat.
Claire Collins (50). Died by asphyxia due to smothering. Her husband, Joe Collins, died by suicide.
2024
Patrica Muckian (81). Died after being attacked with an axe. Nicholas Muckian has been charged with her murder, and with assaulting two others.
Deana Walsh (27). Found dead in her home with stab injuries. Her partner, Adam Corcoran, has been charged with her murder.
Vanessa O’Callaghan (36). Died from injuries sustained in an assault in Cork city centre after a row broke out near a soup kitchen. No-one has yet been arrested in connection with her death.
Searon Naughton (50s). Died after a violent attack in her home. Her husband, Owen Naughton, was charged in connection with the incident.
Mirjana Pap (58). Killed and her remains buried in a field in Co Roscommon. Her son, Nebojsa Pap, has been charged with her murder.