It is approaching two years to the day since major college instructor Ashling Murphy informed her mom that she was heading out for a run in the midst of the afternoon.
Kathleen reacted by begging her to not go alongside the canal, however the daughter replied, “Ah mum, I’m 23-years-old” earlier than hugging her and saying, “I love you, you’re the best mum in the world”.
The date was 12 January, 2022. Ashling’s Fitbit confirmed she began her run at 2.51pm however not lengthy after closing her entrance door she was murdered close to the canal. A stranger stabbed her 11 occasions within the neck earlier than leaving her in a deep muddy ditch.
READ MORE: ‘Fat and ugly’ stepdad with axe made mum strip earlier than killing spree after Family Guy
For extra information, click on right here.
(Image: PA)
And 24 hours later, the killer was admitted to hospital together with his personal accidents the place he shockingly confessed to the crime.
Jozef Puska stated he had no recollection of the chilling confession after being charged however in November he was sentenced to life behind bars and under we take a better take a look at the case that despatched shockwaves all through Ireland.
Who is Ashling Murphy?
Ashling Murphy was a 23-year-old college instructor with sturdy hyperlinks to her neighborhood of Tullamore – an Irish city in County Offaly.
Away from the classroom, she was rooted within the conventional music scene and had carried out in a bunch referred to as Ballyboy Comhaltas ever since she was a bit of woman.
The proficient musician, who performed the fiddle and concertina, additionally competed in camogie for Kilcormac Killoughey GAA membership.
And remembering her, buddy David Vesey informed The Times: “As a person, she was kind and funny. She brightened up our tour group with her smile and her humour. She was passionate about music and was a real leader within the group. She is missed so much and she is always close to my thoughts.”
(Image: ashling murphy)
James Hogan, principal of Durrow National School the place Ashling taught youngsters, additionally described her as an “amazing young lady who left a strong legacy”.
Ashling had a loving household together with her dad and mom, Kathleen and Ray, brother, Cathal, and sister, Amy. She was additionally in a relationship with native lad Ryan Casey and the pair first bought collectively after they had been 15.
Tragically, they met with an architect weeks earlier than the homicide to speak about constructing a house the place they wished to lift youngsters.
Remembering it, Ryan stated: “I’d smile to myself thinking, I can’t wait to marry that girl. I would’ve married her a long time ago and I wish I did but we didn’t get a chance to reach that part.”
And the ‘monster’ accountable for that is Jozef Puska – who Ryan described in courtroom as being “the epitome of pure evil”.
Who is Jozef Puska?
Jozef Puska grew up near scenic ski resorts in Slovakia in a picturesque village referred to as Lucivna and his outdated neighbours described him as quiet and mild-mannered.
Speaking to The Times, one stated: “He was just a boy when he left. He was good when he lived here, he had no problems. No one knows what happened to him.”
Others stated he got here from a “normal family” and he went to high school and was properly dressed. And Puska, who’s a Roma gypsy, finally left the nation to seek out work as a labourer within the Czech Republic.
But ten years in the past he arrived in Dublin with a spouse and two youngsters earlier than having one other child. He moved to Tullamore two years later the place he had two extra youngsters.
He lived in a five-bedroom council home however one resident informed the Mail: “I’d be very happy if I never hear that b******’s name ever again. I remember him being here. I remember the mess that was in the front of the house, bags of rubbish everywhere. There were always people coming and going at all hours. There was noise. There were problems with rats and everything.”
Puska initially labored on constructing websites however ended up counting on £166-a-week in incapacity advantages after slipping a disk in his again in a piece accident.
Ashling’s Murder
Ashling’s life was cruelly taken in broad daylight near the Grand Canal in Cappincur, Co Offaly, moments after telling her involved mum that she cherished her.
(Image: PA)
She was set upon by Puska who was seen on CCTV stalking different ladies and enjoying with one thing in his pocket within the hours and minutes earlier than Ashling got here jogging alongside the banks on the afternoon of January 12, 2022.
He pounced and stabbed her within the neck 11 occasions and he was even interrupted throughout the horrendous assault by a lady who noticed him crouching over Ashling. The married father-of-five, who was on courting apps and was out on the lookout for ladies, shouted at her to go away earlier than fleeing.
And in line with knowledge obtained from Ashling’s fitbit, her coronary heart charge immediately dropped at 3.21pm earlier than stopping solely at 3.31pm earlier than anybody might rescue her.
The first officer on scene was Garda Shane Hunt who tried CPR and he later informed the courts: “There was a lot of blood. Her hair was matted and caught with briars. There was a necklace around her neck with the word ‘Ashling’.”
(Image: PA)
And after being informed the horrific information, Ashling’s mom, Kathleen, stated her “heart was ripped” from her physique.
Confession
One day after the mindless homicide, Puska discovered himself in St James’ Hospital in Dublin the place he informed workers he was randomly stabbed in a separate incident by two males. He arrived there in an ambulance after staying at his mother or father’s residence within the capital the evening Ashling died.
At the time, emotional vigils for Ashling had been going down all through the nation and workers had been suspicious of Puska earlier than police got here to query him as a possible crime sufferer.
Gardai arrived to speak to the killer who had seen scratches on his palms, arms and brow earlier than he made a bombshell confession by way of a translator the next day. Speaking throughout the homicide trial, Detective Brian Jennings stated: “He paused and said he is making an official statement that he is admitting that he committed the murder. ‘I did it. I murdered. I am the murderer’.”
He additionally informed the cop: “I tell her go. I won’t hurt you. When she passed I cut her neck. She panic. I panic.” Puska stated the homicide was not intentional and he added: “The reason I am pleading guilty, I don’t want my family, anything to happen to them, nothing bad for them. I feel guilty and I say I regret it.”
However, he later stated he had no recollection of those phrases and that he didn’t know something in regards to the homicide.
Trial
He subsequently pled not responsible after being charged however the trial at Dublin’s Criminal Courts of Justice was delayed after cops thwarted Puska from taking his personal life.
When proceedings finally started, Puska had once more modified his story and he claimed he was knifed by a masked stranger who then attacked Ashling earlier than he tried to assist her.
But this was all false and the proof towards him mounted, together with DNA matching his that was discovered beneath Ashling’s fingernails.
He was discovered responsible of homicide earlier than being handed a complete life sentence. It was additionally concluded that he most definitely stabbed himself within the abdomen earlier than requiring keyhole surgical procedure for 3 knife wounds.
(Image: PA)
(Image: PA)
Judge Tony Hunt stated the judicial end result was “richly deserved” after beforehand saying there was “evil in this room” after a unanimous verdict was introduced.
And in a robust impression assertion, boyfriend Ryan regarded straight at Puska, who refused to make eye contact again, and stated: “I don’t think we will ever truly know why this evil, evil, description of a human being decided to take our Ashling from us but all I will say to you is this, you have no idea, nor did you ever and will never have any idea, the level of connection and love that Ashling and I shared.
“I don’t care where you end up, or what happens to you after today – but you smirked, you smiled, and you showed zero remorse throughout this trial, which sums up who you really are, the epitome of pure evil.
“But one thing is for sure, you will never, ever harm or touch another woman ever again and when your day of reckoning comes, may you be in hell a whole half hour, before God even knows you’re dead.”
(Image: Image: Mick O’Neill/Daily Mirror/Irish Daily Star)
While Puska was sentenced in November, the Sunday World revealed how 5 individuals are set to seem at Tullamore District Court on December 20 charged with withholding info throughout the homicide investigation.
This consists of his brothers, Marek Puska and Lumbomir Puska, and in addition his spouse, Lucia Istokova.
And in line with the Irish Mirror, Ms Istokova has been Puska’s solely common customer in jail in current weeks as he prepares to enchantment his homicide conviction.