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. 4645Murder

Jury deliberations paused in Ruth Lawrence double murder trial

The jury in the Central Criminal Court trial of Ruth Lawrence, who denies murdering Anthony Keegan and Eoin O'Connor, has paused deliberations for the weekend. The jury is due to resume on Monday morning.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court7 Nov
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
11 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatRuth Lawrence is accused of shooting a drug dealer and working as a unit with her boyfriend to murder him and another man. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe bodies of Anthony Keegan and Eoin O’Connor were found on a lake island in the midlands nearly a decade before the trial. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe murders are alleged to have happened on a date between April 22nd 2014 and May 26th 2014. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeStacey Symes gave evidence that Ruth Lawrence told her she had shot Eoin O’Connor, but it went wrong. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationTwo protected witnesses, Jason and Stacey Symes, came forward to An Garda Síochána in 2014 and gave voluntary statements about the alleged involvement of Ruth Lawrence and her boyfriend. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeRuth Lawrence has pleaded not guilty to murdering Anthony Keegan and Eoin O’Connor. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe jury has ceased deliberations for the weekend and will return to the Central Criminal Court on Monday. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe jury of four men and eight women has spent four hours and 51 minutes over two days considering its verdicts. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe presiding judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, told the jurors to return on Monday morning at 11am. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtRuth Lawrence was extradited from South Africa to face trial in 2023. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe presiding judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, said the jury can return alternative verdicts of assisting an offender. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 7 Nov2025
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    Deliberations cease in Ruth Lawrence double murder trial, with jury to return on Monday

    Reports that the jury has paused deliberations for the weekend in the double murder trial, with the court hearing that the accused is alleged to have worked with her boyfriend to murder two men whose bodies were found on a midlands lake island.

    accused, Ruth Lawrence, 46, female, named, irish (judged from name)Ruth Lawrencevictim, Anthony Keegan, 33, male, irish (judged from name)Anthony Keeganvictim, Eoin O'Connor, 32, male, irish (judged from name)Eoin O'Connorsuspect, Neville van der Westhuizen, namedNeville van der Westhuizen