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

[missgreenbanks]

@kemo Regarding DNA testing in cold cases - is this more successful in bringing a solution when the killer is a stranger to the victim? What happens if a killer is known to a victim and can excuse their DNA being found at a crime scene?

 

[dotr]

@kemo Regarding DNA testing in cold cases - is this more successful in bringing a solution when the killer is a stranger to the victim? What happens if a killer is known to a victim and can excuse their DNA being found at a crime scene?

DNA Evidence: Applications

www.forensicsciencesimplified.org

''For example, if a family member assaults another family member within their home, DNA of both parties will be found all over the home because they both live there, so DNA may not be helpful in determining guilt as some other form of evidence''

 

[Lonicera]

DNA Evidence: Applications

www.forensicsciencesimplified.org

''For example, if a family member assaults another family member within their home, DNA of both parties will be found all over the home because they both live there, so DNA may not be helpful in determining guilt as some other form of evidence''

I had read that the DNA research would be on the stone used to kill Sophie: if it is, it does not matter that the killer is close to this beautiful young woman.

 

[kemo]

I had read that the DNA research would be on the stone used to kill Sophie: if it is, it does not matter that the killer is close to this beautiful young woman.

If Ian Bailey’s Touch DNA is on the rock, that would settle this issue once and for all, otherwise we won’t learn much at all. No DNA tells us nothing. It doesn’t even clear Bailey since contact doesn’t always result in DNA transfer. Unidentified DNA either means someone else is the perpetrator or someone had contact with it unrelated to the crime.

 

[Lonicera]

If Ian Bailey’s Touch DNA is on the rock, that would settle this issue once and for all, otherwise we won’t learn much at all. No DNA tells us nothing. It doesn’t even clear Bailey since contact doesn’t always result in DNA transfer. Unidentified DNA either means someone else is the perpetrator or someone had contact with it unrelated to the crime.

If Bailey’s DNA is on the stone, it signals his guilt no matter what you think. I love Ireland.

 

[dotr]

April 20 2025 John Kierans rbbm.

Cold case cops hope forensic progress & FBI can help solve Sophie Toscan murder

GARDAI are hoping advancements in forensics and the FBI will help them solve Sophie Toscan du Plantier’s murder. The French filmmaker, 39, was battered to death near her remote holiday home in Schu…

www.thesun.ie

''Speaking on the Garda Podcast, Supt McTiernan added: “We are being extremely comprehensive, that case happened on December 23, 1996, so it’s 29 years old.

“A lot of work was done over the years by various senior management in An Garda Siochana, and by the French as well.

“From a forensic perspective we are trying to develop it more because there is new advancements out there on a worldwide scale.''

“We just don’t confine ourselves to Ireland and our ability and our capacity here. We have gone abroad, we have close links to the FBI and it is working quite well.”

 

[Melt71]

15 August 2025
www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/2025/08/15/sophie-toscan-du-plantier-gardai-awaiting-results-of-tests-using-advanced-dna-collection-method/

DNA hopes to solve Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder​

Gardaí investigating the Sophie Toscan du Plantier cold-case murder should know ‘within weeks’ if a new DNA analysis method has successfully identified her killer, sources have told Extra.ie.....

 

[su5ie]

The Sun

The Best for News, Sport, Showbiz, Celebrities

www.thesun.ie

 

[BobleFlambeur]

The Sun

The Best for News, Sport, Showbiz, Celebrities

www.thesun.ie

If they get a result from the DNA it will be Ian Bailey's

 

[Chaldean]

If they get a result from the DNA it will be Ian Bailey's

How do you know? Real question.
Speaking as a would-be Sleuth, I like to see some backup for a claim.

 

[BobleFlambeur]

How does one "know" anything?. All views on these discussions are formed from the preponderance of (mainly circumstancial) evidence, and my view is that the dna will be his.
If knowledge, in the true sense, was a requirement, there would be very little discussed on this forum.

 

[Lalalacasbah]

I'm late to this party, just watched the Netflix doc. Will go back and re-read the pages in the thread to catch up.

Thank goodness there's only 9 pages and not hundreds...so doable for me with time restraints!

Will read before I post any ideas and curious to read other posters thoughts on this sad story.

 

[Lalalacasbah]

It could certainly explain Marie Farrell’s obsession with Sophie! How likely was it that she saw Sophie in the Shop on Saturday and then is the person who puts IB at Kealfadda Bridge? Her husband has a history of violence… was she protecting him & inventing the ‘affair’? People who were in her ‘circle’ when she was in the relationship with the ex could easily have identified him!

I am wondering with all her unreliable stories if she isn't being truthful for a reason. She seemed to insert herself as well as IB.

 

[su5ie]

I am wondering with all her unreliable stories if she isn't being truthful for a reason. She seemed to insert herself as well as IB.

Maire was having an affair apparently and was in the car with her lover or had come from a liason with him when she asserted it was Bailey on the bridge . She lied to protect her marriage

Doesn't make sense but there you go , it's easily googled

I'm unsure if Bailey did it ,he was a violent man to jules but did he kill Sophie, I don't know .

I think she was in an open marriage and had many lovers and so did her husband. So was she entertaining that night I don't know

This case unsolved is a stain on the irish police force and at the time and before in other cases like the una lynsky case there was a lot of corruption so its very hard to know if Bailey was moulded to fit the crime

I know harribson the state forensic examiner was delayed as apparently he was at a Christmas party and drunk

So couldn't attend there was also rumour he was unfit to do his job as he was an alcoholic

I feel because Sophie ran down the garden path toward the gate she either went to meet someone to open the gate or she fled from someone in the house

She had no curtains on the windows as far as I know so could it have been a random stalker ,peeping Tom that observed her by chance while driving down country roads and decided to hang around and follow her and then murder her

I can't fathom how no dna would be found ,it was extremely gruesome murder and her post mortem is a stomach churning read

I don't think it will ever be solved

 

[su5ie]

I also can't understand how Sophie had no dna under her fingernails surely she fought back at some stage even initially unless she was hit immediately with the block and it knocked her unconscious. I wonder was there blood in her lungs through swallowing

 

[Lalalacasbah]

My first thought was a woman did this (same as some other posters here), for these reasons:

1. Sophie did not seem to get overpowered at the house and seemed to get away to run down to the gate where she was finally overpowered or trapped. The 55lb rock was out of desperation to be sure she was dead after the attack because Sophie recognized or maybe could have identified the attacker

2. No SA. If it was meant to be an SA but it went wrong, attacker was rejected and a struggle ensued - once Sophie was on the ground incapacitated/vulnerable/semi unconscious they could have SA'd her easily. She would've been farther from the other couple's house so a better location for noise not to tranfer. I get closer to the road though, but if SA was motive they could have dragged her out of view by a bush and did that

3. The damage to her face, rage or jealousy? Was a local man obsessing over her and he was married?

JMO MOO

 

[Lalalacasbah]

BUT then I think possible these as well:

1. Romantic interest/rejected man as well

2. If she was pregnant and man was married this would be a problem. Or if she was pregnant, maybe she told the man she might go back to her husband. This could be a reason for no SA too, if perp knew she was pregnant (if this is true)

3. Land/local dispute over something petty? Some neighbors down the road? Did she anger someone in town that day and the person stewed, then went to her house to confront her? Throwing this out there, as so many of these crimes happen because of these things

4. Or a man and woman as mentioned up thread, maybe a confrontation as well about something

All JMO MOO

 

[Lalalacasbah]

Maire was having an affair apparently and was in the car with her lover or had come from a liason with him when she asserted it was Bailey on the bridge . She lied to protect her marriage

Doesn't make sense but there you go , it's easily googled

I'm unsure if Bailey did it ,he was a violent man to jules but did he kill Sophie, I don't know .

I think she was in an open marriage and had many lovers and so did her husband. So was she entertaining that night I don't know

This case unsolved is a stain on the irish police force and at the time and before in other cases like the una lynsky case there was a lot of corruption so its very hard to know if Bailey was moulded to fit the crime

I know harribson the state forensic examiner was delayed as apparently he was at a Christmas party and drunk

So couldn't attend there was also rumour he was unfit to do his job as he was an alcoholic

I feel because Sophie ran down the garden path toward the gate she either went to meet someone to open the gate or she fled from someone in the house

She had no curtains on the windows as far as I know so could it have been a random stalker ,peeping Tom that observed her by chance while driving down country roads and decided to hang around and follow her and then murder her

I can't fathom how no dna would be found ,it was extremely gruesome murder and her post mortem is a stomach churning read

I don't think it will ever be solved

@su5ie ! I was going to msg you about this case!!! Then while reading from the beginning of the thread last night, I saw you posted here, yay! I was hoping you were into this one and curious your somewhat Irish perspective

Yes, heard about the affair reasoning which I get. Sounds like she has an alibit as well if she was with her lover (not that she'd have motive to be a suspect but ya never know!)

Oh boy about the examiner... can't make this stuff up hey? Very sad this seemed botched from the beginning.

I am shocked no curtains too. I understand living somewhere remote/quiet you can feel somewhat safe - and as stated the area has always been safe! But as a woman, I will always have my guard up for privacy especially if all alone. Sad but true, us women will always be vulnerable in some form

I haven't read the post mortem. But from what I read in the thread and I think in the doc(?) it mentioned overkill. This had to be somewhat personal or maybe just rage induced. To smash someone's face to me is always a personal crime, however I know there have been crimes where this has happened from a stranger.

 

[Lalalacasbah]

Sorry to overpost my internet stopped working last night just as I was getting into it lol... posting this article:

"A recently rediscovered witness statement is now being called by detectives as potentially a key point. It tells of a panicked early-morning cell phone call on the day of the murder in which a woman said that something awful had happened. Investigators have singled out the caller and plan to re-interview her as her story might prove beneficial in confirming the forensic timeline constructed on the basis of current analyses. This new push is the best hope in years for the family of Sophie, which has long been expecting truth and accountability. With the changing of the tools used in forensic methods and a previously cold case drawing new information, the Ireland of the most notorious cold case is getting closer to closure again, evidence that even decades later science can still give voice to the voiceless."

New Witness and Advances in DNA give the 29-year-old Sophie Toscan du Plantier Murder Case a new Life.

Nearly 30 years later, new witness testimony and advanced DNA technology breathe fresh hope into Ireland's infamous Sophie Toscan du Plantier cold case.

legaldesire.com

 

[Lalalacasbah]

I also can't understand how Sophie had no dna under her fingernails surely she fought back at some stage even initially unless she was hit immediately with the block and it knocked her unconscious. I wonder was there blood in her lungs through swallowing

Definitely a strong theory, a whack to the head to disorientate even a little gives the attacker a big advantage.

My father who worked in corrections with violent and sex offenders mentioned many offenders he interviewed did this to their victims. He said many victims don't or won't even know what hit them as they usually start an attack with a violent whack to the head. Always warned me to watch my back as attackers can come from behind

Even though this crime wasn't an SA (still baffled on that piece actually), I think an initial head strike to shock the victims is common even if or a robbery or any kind of attack