'Fireball in the sky' the day after woman goes missing
The murder trial of a Donegal father-of-four accused of the murder of his estranged wife has heard that a "fireball in the sky" was allegedly seen at his home a day after his wife was last seen.
Mr Gary McCrea (aged 40) of Ballybulgin, Laghy, Co Donegal denies the murder of his estranged wife, Mrs Dolores McCrea (aged 39) of Ballintra, Co Donegal, on a date unknown between January 20 and January 22, 2004.
It is alleged that Mr McCrea murdered his wife and the mother of his four children and then burned her body in a fire at the rear of the old family home.
Postman Joe Gorman told the Central Criminal Court that around 1.45pm on January 21, 2004 while delivering post he "noticed a fireball in the sky" as he passed the McCrea home. He added that there was "thick, dense black smoke 40 feet above the back of the sheds".
The next-door neighbour of the accused man, Mr George Hammond, told the court that at around 8.30pm on January 20, 2004, he "noticed a redness in the sky" when he was checking his cattle. Mr Hammond said he thought the fire was coming from the Ballybulgin direction.
Mr Hammond said that in August 2003 he helped Mr McCrea dismantle an old caravan, which was subsequently burned.
In September 2003, Mr Hammond said, he helped clear bushes at the accused’s home, which were placed over the chassis of the burned caravan at the back of the sheds at Ballybulgin.
Hilary Rooney, who works for a waste-disposal company, told the court that Mr McCrea called into the office to pay off his annual wheelie-bin charges on the afternoon of January 20, 2004.
"Dolores’ name was on the docket and he asked for it to be taken off," she said. Ms Rooney told the court that Mr McCrea said: "It doesn’t’ live here anymore," referring to his estranged wife.
Ms Rooney said she called into Dolores McCrea’s home in Ballintra on the evening of January 21, 2004, after the deceased’s daughter rang to say her mother had not been seen since the previous evening.
She told the court that while she was there the accused man called to the house and asked his eldest daughter Sharon about her mother, who was missing. Ms Rooney said the accused said: "She’s probably away with some man."
The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Michael Hanna.
