An Irish Traveller has been arrested in connection with the murder of a 72-year-old Texas housekeeper.
Colleyville police say 26-year-old Bernard Gorman faces a murder warrant in a scam to collect on $1 million insurance without the victim's knowledge.
Gorman was arrested and is being detained in relation to the murder of Anita Fox (73), an elderly housekeeper who was found stabbed to death last year. Polk County jail records show Gorman was being held without bond Thursday.
Colleyville Police Chief Michael Holder says Fox was found slain in September at a residence where she worked. She was discovered at a house in Colleyville with stab wounds to her head, back and chest areas.
According to the Star Telegram, it was the city’s first homicide in 23 years.
Holder says the suspect's late father Gerard Gorman - who recently died of natural causes in January - fatally stabbed Fox.
Police allege the victim had been followed by two suspects in the days leading up to her death. They believe the father-son duo planned to murder Fox and collect an insurance policy.
The Telegram reported that greed was the motive, and that the Gormans planned to collect on a $1 million life insurance policy in Fox’s name. Gorman was part of a group of three people paying for the policy.
The arrest results from a months-long investigation launched by the U.S. Attorney's office in Columbia, South Carolina.
Colleyville Police Chief Mike Holder said: “Our investigation discovered an elaborate, organised scheme, organised by several individuals and designed to obtain fraudulent life insurance policies.
“Specific to our investigation, we discovered there was an insurance policy issued on Miss Fox, for at least seven figures.”
A man and a woman who met on the night they were involved in an armed robbery have avoided jail.
Suzanne O’Connell (42) was the get away driver for Daniel McMahon (23) and another man who went into the petrol station in Clonsilla, Dublin armed with a pellet gun and a knife.
O’Connell of Whitestown Crescent, Blanchardstown, Dublin and McMahon of Woodlands, Clonsilla, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery of the Applegreen shop on September 19, 2013.
Detective Garda Rebecca Doolin said that gardai had O’Connell under observation on the night and followed her as she drove from her home to a house on Briarwood Lawn, Clonsilla where she picked up McMahon and another man.
She drove off and parked on a cul-de-sac road opposite the petrol station. The two men got out and, wearing balaclavas, walked into the shop. McMahon was pointing what looked like a 6mm colt handgun and demanding money. The other man had a knife.
The raiders told staff to fill a plastic bag with cash and they left with around €800. Gardai who had followed the car then moved in and arrested all three.
They shouted “armed gardai, stop” as the men left the shop and the men threw down their weapons. The gun was found to be a pellet gun and was a convincing replica, the court heard.
After his arrest McMahon said he didn’t know O’Connell and they had only met that night. Detective Doolin agreed with McMahon when he said: “I’m not a big criminal mastermind”. He has no previous convictions and O’Connell’s convictions are for road traffic offences and a drug dealing offence in 2002.
Garnet Orange SC, defending, said she is actively involved in the care of her autistic son.
Ronan Kennedy BL, defending McMahon, said he comes from a very decent family and that things spiralled out of control for him after his cousin, who he was very close to, killed himself. He said he is now back in education and also carries out volunteer work.
Judge Martin Nolan suspended a five year prison term on condition that each of them keep the peace for that time. He said he was taking into consideration their personal circumstances and the mitigating factors of a guilty plea and their co-operated with gardai.
