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. 4497Murder · Co. Laois

Three people released without charge over 2019 murder of William Delaney, Portlaoise

Gardaí believe William Delaney (56), who vanished in Portlaoise in January 2019, was murdered and his remains dumped in a makeshift grave. Three people questioned about his killing were released without charge, bringing the number detained in the investigation to six.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrested26 Nov
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
14 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatGardaí believe William Delaney was murdered and his remains dumped in a makeshift grave. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereWilliam Delaney vanished in Portlaoise. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe last confirmed sighting of William Delaney was in Portlaoise on 31 January 2019. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeGardaí believe Delaney was killed by a person known to him over a personal matter. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationDelaney's death has been treated as a murder since mid-2019. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí received intelligence claiming Delaney was tortured and murdered before his remains were disposed of. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThree people questioned about the 2019 killing were released without charge on a Tuesday. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationTwo women in their 30s and 50s and a man in his 30s were arrested on a Monday under section four of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 and released without charge. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationA man in his 20s was arrested in April 2021 and released without charge. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationA man in his 30s and a teenage girl were arrested for questioning in June 2019 and released without charge. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí and the Defence Forces searched the Rock of Dunamase in June 2019 and found nothing. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationFurther searches in March 2021 in the Fieldbrook area of Portlaoise also found nothing. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí appealed for anyone with information on the murder to contact Portlaoise Garda station or the Garda Confidential Line. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherDelaney's disappearance was not reported to gardaí for six weeks. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 26 Nov2025
    Arrestedirishtimes.com, first report
    Gardaí believe father of eight was murdered and his remains dumped in makeshift grave

    Reports that three people arrested for questioning were released without charge on Tuesday, and that the investigation has detained six people since 2019. Adds the investigation history, failed searches in 2019 and 2021, and the appeal for information.

    victim, William Delaney, 56, male, irish (judged from name)William Delaneysuspect, 30s, femalesuspect, 50s, femalesuspect, 30s, malesuspect, 20s, malesuspect, teens, female