A 67-year-old former Defence Forces member has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his long-time friend and retired army Captain, Mr Patrick O’Mahony, who was found shot dead at his home in Castlemaine, Co. Kerry, in February of 2024.
Mr Thomas Carroll, of Brookway, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, entered the plea at the Central Criminal Court in Limerick, where a jury of nine men and three women has been sworn in.
Opening the prosecution case, Mr Dean Kelly SC said Mr O’Mahony, aged 84, was a respected firearms dealer and former FCA and Defence Forces member, who retired as a Captain with an exemplary record. He had been widowed three months before his death.
The court heard that Mr Carroll, also a retired soldier with an excellent service record, travelled from Co. Tipperary to visit Mr O’Mahony for the weekend. The two men socialised together on the Friday and Saturday.
Mr Kelly said Mr Carroll contacted Mr O’Mahony’s son early on the Sunday morning claiming his father had suffered a fall. However, a post mortem later confirmed Mr O’Mahony died from a single close-range gunshot wound, thus prompting a murder investigation.
The prosecution alleges that events between the two friends “took a foul turn” and that Mr Carroll pointed a handgun at Mr O’Mahony with intent to kill or cause serious harm. It is further alleged that Mr Carroll’s account of a fall was “self-serving”.
The trial is ongoing.
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