Murder at the Cottage | Sky

If forensics are from Dublin than they could hardly have been in league with corrupt local Guards having a part in a drug ring in the South West of Ireland. If they didn't find any DNA, any fingerprints, fiber of clothes or bits of hair at the scene, one must assume to a very high degree, that there were really none. So either the killer left no traces, or cleaned it up rather thoroughly.

The only behavioural thing that really ties or would tie Bailey to the crime is that he was having a fire and burning something behind the studio. These fires may be common there, but why bother burning clothes, when one can bring them to a garbage site? There were easier methods to dispose of something, not needing a fire, not needing to supervise a fire or bother the fire from spreading and the job is done quicker.

Again, that doesn't prove anything, nor is there any new evidence in this, it's just the idea that Bailey could have burned evidence which sticks to everybody's mind. The fire was long extinguished by the time Bailey was considered a suspect. So Bailey could have cleared away the ashes of the fire as well, which he apparently didn't do.

So, we're non the wiser.

I don't know it exactly, but it seems Sophie's house has hardly any windows facing north to the road leading to Alfie and Shirley's house. There is only one ? window facing to the west, all the other windows seem to be south facing. Facing to the west, there might have been trees obstructing the view to Alfie's and Shirley's? If there was any light coming out of the house, I'd tend to say, that Alfie and Shirley would not have noticed it in an instant. However they might have at a 2nd glance, as a beam of light would have illuminated the front of the house from the windows?

But these are guesses as well.

Did any garda go to the spot of her death late at night, roar loudly and have another garda above at Alfies with the windows closed to test could they hear anything ?

It is entirely possible that Sophie was killed right on her doorstep and without any forewarning. At least this would have explained the blood stain at the door. Neither Alfie nor Shirley would have heard any screaming. The first blow to the head could have come from the back and totally unexpected to Sophie, and then the murderer carried her to the site where she was found. Injuries on the hands and her arms and legs could have been inflicted later on. Sophie was not too big, and a man the size like Bailey could have carried her with ease. He could then have taken one of those cavity blocks from that pump house and continued bashing her head in.

Also there is no proof for this, but it's possible. It would at least explain why nobody heard anything that night.

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The available evidence suggests there should have been a lot of noise if Sophie had defensive wounds from a fight.

Unless... I wonder if its possible for a blow to the struck to the head that would partly stun a person, such that they couldnt / wouldnt be able to speak / scream but the flight instinct would still kick in.

Agreed, but on the other side, noise would not have mattered at all, if for some motive known, speculative or not, Alfie and Shirley were both the killers. It would only have been their story, as the other neighbours were not there, and who would have known that with utter certainty: Only Alfie and Shirley. So Sophie could have screamed all she wanted, nobody except Alfie and Shirley heard her that night.

It is a possibility. Naturally they won't admit to that in public.

"activities that could induce a pleasant sedation"

Jules said the coat taken by the Gardai was cut up into small pieces for testing. It's in one of the documentaries.

I think it would be helpful if fact could be separated from fiction in Alfie's case.

Is it true he had a bandaged hand from a dog bite on the morning of the murder?

We all know it would have been handcuffs for Bailey, painful as possible, if he'd had similar.

The fact remains that Alfie and Shirley are the only people we can say for certain were in the vicinity when this murder happened.

Yes I saw that last night. When did he lose his way? Back in the 80s or 90s?🤑

This is why I believe Bailey didn't do it. How many drinks did he have that night in the pub? I would believe that it was at least that much, that legally he couldn't drive. Not that that would have stopped him, but taking a hike for one hour to kill a women, cover everything up not leaving any evidence and hike back again, and not getting discovered by Alfie and Shirley is something I find highly impossible. And then he would have to wash himself, change clothes, and hide everything from Jules.

This is one reason, why I think that Alfie and Shirley must have had some role in it if that "local knowledge" is to be emphasised on. They also knew when Sophie was there, who was coming and going, cars coming up the driveway etc.... At some stage they must have known Sophie's habits, like was she an early riser? When did she go to bed? etc.. If somebody had real local knowledge it was Alfie and Shirley. Only Alfie and Shirley would have known with certainty that they were totally alone that night and had little risk of witnesses if they killed Sophie. They were also way to close to get away with "we haven't heard anything that night" kind of talk. Noise must have been part of the murder, that much is certain. If Alfie and Shirley did the murder I don't think they acted on their own interest, they were probably coerced to do it by somebody they were connected to, possibly by the drug ring.

If the killer was taking this (cross country route) as a return route it would take him back past Sophies house & door.

That's the view from the Lyon's driveway at ground level towards the clearly visible Sophies house. The growth a couple of years previously would have been less I'd imagine and especially with it being Dec where the bushes/tress would have been at their barest.

An even better view from their upstairs windows;

My point being, I think it's fair to assume that they would know if the house just below them was occupied at certain times after dark. Not implying their guilty at all but as pointed out its strange with the lack of information regarding their movement in the days leading up to the murder and even the day of the murder.

And there was two windows on the Lyons side of her house;