Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 1966Probate (grant of administration) · Co. Mayo · 31 Mar 2025

Brother of murder victim Valerie French granted High Court order to administer her estate

David French, brother of Valerie French who was murdered by her husband James Kilroy in Co Mayo in 2019, was granted a general grant of probate by Ms Justice Siobhán Stack in the High Court after Kilroy, serving a life sentence, failed to consent to the appointment.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court31 Mar
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
14 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatValerie French's young sons were in the house at the time of the murder. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatKilroy was found the following morning wandering naked in a nearby field. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatValerie French died intestate, without having made a will. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHer estate comprises a half share in the family home, a car and an insurance policy. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatKilroy has guardianship rights over the couple's three young sons. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereValerie French was murdered at Kilbree Lower, Wesport, in Co Mayo. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe probate hearing took place on Monday, 31 March 2025. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe murder occurred in June 2019. (irishtimes.com)
  • weaponKilroy attacked Valerie French with a knife and beat and strangled her. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtAt his trial at the Central Criminal Court, Kilroy pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, but a jury rejected that defence. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtKilroy has appealed his murder conviction. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtMs Justice Stack said the question of who becomes trustees of the proposed trust can only be dealt with after the grant of probate is taken out. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceJames Kilroy, 51, a former park ranger, was sentenced to life imprisonment in July 2024 for the murder of Valerie French. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherA Bill has been proposed to change the law concerning the guardianship rights of those convicted of killing their spouses. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 31 Mar2025
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    Brother of murder victim Valerie French gets court order to administer her estate

    Reports the High Court probate hearing in which David French was granted a general grant of probate to administer Valerie French's estate, with details of the underlying murder, Kilroy's conviction and appeal, and the proposed trust for the couple's three sons.

    victim, Valerie French, 41, female, irish (judged from name)Valerie Frenchconvicted, James Kilroy, 51, male, named, irish (judged from name)James Kilroyvictim, David French, male, irish (judged from name)David French