Fresh Sophie Toscan killer update as Ian Bailey to name who he thinks murderer was from beyond grave & ‘row’ revelation
Bailey had suspicions that one individual who lived in the West Cork area had killed Sophie
IAN Bailey will tell people from beyond the grave who he thinks killed Sophie Toscan du Plantier.
It is understood he sent several WhatsApp messages to close friends about who he believed murdered the French woman in 1996 — and is adamant it is not him.
The views of the eccentric Englishman, who died two years ago on Wednesday, are set to feature in a new documentary.
The programme is being made by filmmaker/producer Niamh Reilly and legendary director Jim Sheridan.
They are in discussions with a national broadcaster to screen it.
Reilly recorded hours of previously unseen video with Bailey in the months before he died from a massive heart attack.
Many of the recordings were made at Bantry Hospital where Bailey was being treated for heart disease.
Bailey wanted to set the record straight and had serious suspicions that one individual who lived in the west Cork area had killed Sophie at her holiday home near Schull.
It is understood this man had connections in the area and knew Sophie.
He had no convictions for any major crimes but it is believed he had a dispute with Sophie in the months prior to her death.
He is said to be known to gardai but was never questioned or interviewed about the killing.
One source who spoke to Bailey said: “Ian, in the last months and year of his life, was convinced that this man is Sophie’s killer.
“He had originally thought that Sophie’s late husband Daniel was responsible but changed his mind.”
“He was given information about this individual and a row that he had with Sophie.”
The Niamh Reilly documentary will also feature long interviews with Marie Farrell, the woman who identified Bailey as near the scene but later withdrew this.
She claimed that she originally said this because she was put under pressure to say that Bailey was the man she saw washing blood off his boots in the early hours on the night of the murder.
She was having an affair at the time and said she didn’t want anyone to know the person she was with in her car.
Marie will set the record straight in the extensive interview and explained why she said what she said, knowing it was false.
Her original statement was one of the reasons that Bailey was initially arrested.
Bailey was nicked twice in total but never charged over the killing.
ONLY SUSPECT
A number of Garda sources say that Bailey is still the only real suspect they have for Sophie’s murder despite a three-year cold case review.
No other new names have emerged over the course of that time and officers have followed up hundreds of old leads and a number of new ones.
The original murder investigation is still ongoing and is being run from Bantry Garda Station.
Jim Sheridan is fascinated by Sophie’s case and spent seven years making Murder At The Cottage, the five-part documentary series on the murder for Sky TV which was later screened across the globe.
