Ireland Ireland - Sophie Toscan du Plantier, 39, murdered, County Cork, 23 Dec 1996

[MsMiniSleuth]

Foster thinks that Bailey went there to have sex and was rejected. He thinks that they had recently become acquainted and that Sophie possibly gave Bailey a ride from the airport. (The passenger seat on her rental car was all the way back as if to accommodate someone very tall. Bailey is 6'4" or thereabouts.) Sophie may have been seen at a gas station with a male passenger who, the author says, may have been Bailey.

According to others, Sophie told people in France that she was planning to meet with a weird poet, which is an apt description of Bailey. Foster says he, Foster, was given access to Sophie's diary by her family and in it he found references to the Indian goddess Kali. Foster feels that it could not be a coincidence that in January 1997 Bailey talked about Kali to a French reporter.

Bailey denies knowing Sophie so it would be significant if it could be proved that he did.

As I understand it, there is still some DNA from Sophie's murder, some drops that might have been left by someone standing over her, someone bleeding from cuts on the arms and forehead, drops waiting for technology to improve.

If it hasn't been done, I think it would be worthwhile to see if there was a more sinister reason for Bailey's leaving England than just abandoning the "rat-race."

Foster's book has some helpful maps and it's also very well-written.

Thank you.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

I agree with you … rumours still abound that it was a Member of the Gardaí who murdered her in fact.

MF’s husband was done for assault so I often wondered if he had anything to do with it & did she just implicate IB?

What I still cannot get comfortable with is the actual true reason that Sophie came to Schull that weekend. Her family mentioned she needed to have the heating in the house fixed, did the Police ever follow this up and see if she had dealt with an electrical contractor who might have been in the house and be a suspect as a result? Her family in early interviews did not admit that her marriage was more or less over to protect her obviously but even if the relationship was sour with Daniel, I cannot believe any husband/Son-in-law would not travel to Ireland to see his wife’s body. I’m also wondering if his call to Sophie was to check that she was at home having arranged a hit man. IMO a genuine hit man would use a rock rather than a firearm to throw off the suspicion of an arranged hit to make it look less ‘professional’. There is uncertainty also as to whether she was intending to return to France for Christmas. One friend said in interview that she wasn’t due back until New Year… is there another man the picture here that has literally gotten away with murder? Her husband said she intended to fly back on the Monday (day after the murder) but Airport CCTV shoes that she had brought an awful lot of luggage for a 3 day stay!

You raise some interesting points.

 

[dotr]

July 26 2021
Cold case review could see Bailey quizzed again by gardaí over Toscan murder
''Ian Bailey is likely to be quizzed again about the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier in any Garda cold case review.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has not given the green light for a fresh investigation but it is expected to happen.

Sources said that self-confessed prime suspect Mr Bailey would not be seen as a victim in any new spotlight on the tragedy.

French film director Sophie (38) was brutally bludgeoned to death outside her home in Schull, Cork in 1996.

A senior Garda source told The Star: “A final decision on the review will be made in the next few weeks and if it does go ahead Mr Bailey will be among a number of people who will be re-interviewed''.

 

[JPHOLZER]

A hitman would not chase her around a field and then pick up 3 different items to smash her head in. Sophie had tickets for 2 return possibilities, both before Xmas. Re luggage 1. She would take gifts over for several people at Xmas. People with second homes often often take a lot of stuff with them that they leave at the house. HTH.

 

[altojack]

Just seen this

Ian Bailey dismisses claim ex-partner confided about destroying evidence with him

Also a page to scan down for more reports.

Ian Bailey | The Irish Times

 

[RichardKimble]

Bit of an update.

Witness claims Bailey did not deny being seen near Toscan du Plantier murder scene

 

[dotr]

Sophie Toscan du Plantier was beaten to death outside her home near Toormore, Goleen, Co Cork in December 1996
Jan 9 2022
Cold-case unit files its initial review into murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier - Independent.ie
''A preliminary review by specialist cold-case investigators into the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier is now complete, and is due to be submitted to one of the most senior gardaí in the country, the Sunday Independent can reveal.

The report will either recommend or not whether a full cold-case review into the 1996 murder is warranted.''

 

[dotr]

 

[dotr]

Apologies for serial posting.
Jan 15 2022
Ian Bailey will co-operate with ‘objective’ cold-case gardaí over Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder investigation - Independent.ie

Ian Bailey who is now living in Glengarriff.
Ali Bracken
January 15 2022
''Ian Bailey will “fully co-operate” with gardaí if cold-case investigators launch a re-investigation into the 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier.

The Sunday Independent revealed last weekend that a preliminary review by specialist investigators into the French film-maker’s death is complete and is due to be submitted to one of the most senior gardaí in the country.''

''It is understood the team examined whether forensics issues and advances in technology would make the case worth revisiting.''

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

I was accused of battering woman to death with breeze block - I didn't do it

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

First posted upthread on page 2 in May last year.

 

[Mo Thuairim]

Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder: New witness statements and DNA technology lie behind full cold-case review​

• Full-scale reassessment of the case will be undertaken
• Detectives have examined potential new evidence over the past 12 months and also interviewed a number of potential witnesses
• Many witnesses were a result of two true-crime documentaries that aired about the death of Sophie

Improvements in DNA testing and new witness statements have prompted a dramatic Garda statement last night that keeps alive the prospect of a trial in the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier.

A review of the file formerly submitted to the DPP has found clear new avenues for investigation – with the result that a full-scale reassessment will be undertaken.

Detectives have examined potential new evidence over the past 12 months and also interviewed a number of potential witnesses, many in the wake of two high-profile documentaries on the case screened by Sky TV and Netflix.

Now, gardaí are about to conduct a full review of the case file – the third time such a review has been conducted in 20 years.

One area seen as promising is the development of M-Vac technology that has proved adept at extracting DNA lying deep in rock surfaces that cannot be detected through the ordinary swabbing technology that was in place 25 years ago.

Gardaí still possess the bagged and bloody rock and concrete block that were used to bludgeon the 39-year-old filmmaker to death on the night of December 23, 1996, at her holiday home in Toormore, near Schull in Co Cork.

(...)

Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder: Son says family have ‘big expectations’ as gardaí open cold-case review

The son of murdered French woman Sophie Toscan du Plantier has said the family have “big expectations” after the dramatic Garda statement last night confirming a review of the case file.

m.independent.ie

 

[dotr]

June 29 2022

Sophie Toscan du Plantier cold case review - why now?

Cork murder of French film-maker in 1996 has received massive international attention

www.irishtimes.com

''The Garda decision to establish a cold case review into the 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier while sudden, was not unexpected given the attention the case has garnered internationally in recent years.

The screening of two separate documentary TV series in 2021, Murder at the Cottage by Jim Sheridan and Sophie: A Murder in West Cork by John Dower, about the murder of the 39-year-old French film producer at her west Cork holiday home helped focus the spotlight on the unsolved murder of the mother of one.''

''The Irish Times understand the review team will begin its examination next month and it will based at Bantry Garda station. It is expected that a key part of the review will focus on forensic evidence gathered at the postmortem and from a technical search of the crime scene.''

 

[altojack]

My fingers are crossed that the newer technologies can bring results to this terrible killing.
I watched both of the documentaries and got drawn right in and tried to keep up to date.

 

[Anxala]

Thanks to @Mo Thuairim and @dotr for the updates re the review.

Good news for both Sophie's family and Ian Bailey.

 

[Mo Thuairim]

Du Plantier review 'not a futile exercise' - Garda Commissioner​

The Garda Commissioner has said the review of the investigation into the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier is "not a futile exercise" and will be fully resourced.

Drew Harris said the gardaí have been through a process and have decided the review of the case and all evidence gathered since the first report of the murder in December 1996 is worth doing.

He said the intention is to identify a suspected perpetrator and report that person to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The Commissioner also appealed to anyone with any information on the case to come forward.

There is, he said, a lot of information out there and something may have been triggered in an individual's mind.

He said they will revisit all of the evidence and all witnesses and "it will be a very thorough piece of work".

(...)

Du Plantier review 'not a futile exercise' - Harris

The Garda Commissioner has said the review of the investigation into the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier is "not a futile exercise" and will be fully resourced.

www.rte.ie

Review of du Plantier murder 'good news for justice', says son​

The son of Sophie Toscan du Plantier has described the announcement of a full review being carried out into his mother's murder as "very good news for justice".

Speaking on RTÉ's News At One programme, Pierre-Louis Baudey-Vignaud also said his family has "big expectations" from it after waiting over 26 years.

(...)

Review of du Plantier murder 'good news for justice'

The son of Sophie Toscan du Plantier has described the announcement of a full review being carried out into his mother's murder as "very good news for justice".

www.rte.ie

 

[dotr]

New M-Vac technology employed to extract DNA from the rock used to murder Sophie..
June 30 2022

 

[Mo Thuairim]

Gardai will travel to France to track new suspect in Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder case

The Cold Case review team will work with French police to find and interview the suspect after looking again at a key witness statement

(...)

Officers from the new Cold Case review team will work with counterparts in France as they look again at some key witness evidence, from a local shopkeeper in the village of Schull which could back up one of the main theories about the never-solved murder.

The team charged with going back to the start of the evidence and taking a comprehensive, new look, is reported to be taking seriously the statement from former Schull shopkeeper Marie Farrell, who said Sophie was followed around the West Cork village the day before she was brutally killed at her home in Toormore, on December 23rd, 1996.

The senior garda officer responsible for ordering the comprehensive review of the case has said claims about a 'new person of interest" and suspected missing evidence were factors that influenced his decision to take a new look at the murder investigation.

(...)

A Garda source told the Irish Mirror: “We are taking this new evidence very seriously."

“It is the first time we have another suspect in the case other than Ian Bailey and we want to find this person, interview them and get their DNA.

“For all we know he could be the killer, we have to check it all out.”

It is understood the man was identified after Ms Farrell assisted with a photofit.

The film director Jim Sheridan, who made the smash hit Sky documentary Murder At The Cottage, subsequently used his contacts in France to get the suspect identified. It turns out he is a known associate of Sophie’s late husband Daniel.

Both Sophie and Daniel had been having separate affairs around the time she was battered to death outside her home on Christmas Eve 1996.

Sophie had split up with her lover French artist Bruno Carbonnet several weeks earlier, while Daniel then went on to marry the model he had been seeing behind his wife’s back. Bruno had an alibi and was in France at the time of the murder.

(...)

The new suspect is still living in the Paris area. Gardai know his name and have been given the address where he lives. The French police have promised to give full cooperation.

(...)

Gardai will travel to France to track new suspect in Sophie Toscan murder case

The Cold Case review team will work with French police to find and interview the suspect after looking again at a key witness statement

www.corkbeo.ie

 

[Anxala]

Well that's a lot of new info in that link, isn't it?

 

[Anxala]

I was doing a google recently to remind myself of the nuts and bolts of this case and I came across this, an analysis of the DPP's report, which was new to me. I found it a very interesting read as it throws new - and imo, important - light on numerous of the more contentious issues surrounding Bailey. Anyway, I thought I'd post it on here for anyone interested -

(no title)

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