In this episode of Lines of Enquiry: Case Notes producer Siobhan Maguire steps out from behind the scenes to share a significant update on one of season one’s most troubling stories, the death of 23 year old Kelly Lynch in Monaghan. Siobhan outlines new findings from an independent pathology review commissioned by the Katie Trust, including questions over the original cause of death, issues around a lack of evidence, and indications that third party involvement may no longer be ruled out.

She and John discuss what this could mean for the ongoing investigation, the unanswered questions faced by Kelly’s family, and the implications of decisions made in the crucial early hours of the case.

Then, Siobhan turns interviewer, putting your questions to John about his time in An Garda Síochána, the emotional impact of revisiting difficult cases for the podcast, and what listeners can expect from season three of Lines of Enquiry.

Lines of Enquiry returns next week, on Tuesday 14th April.

In this episode of Lines of Enquiry: Case Notes, retired Detective Superintendent Frank Keenaghan takes us inside one of the most shocking cases in recent Irish history, the abduction and murder of 24 year old student Jastine Valdez.

Frank led the frantic 24 hour search in May 2018, from the first early morning briefing to the moment a member of the public spotted the suspect’s car, and the dramatic scene where Mark Hennessy was shot by gardaí.

Frank explains the race against time in a live abduction, the critical decision to release the suspect car’s registration to the public, and how small details, including a blood soaked note and a single guard’s instinct on a Wicklow hillside, ultimately led to finding Jastine’s body.

Drawing on 40 years in An Garda Síochána, he reflects on the emotional toll of cases like this, the importance of public cooperation, and why gut instinct still matters alongside procedure and forensics.

In this episode of Lines of Enquiry: Case Notes, renowned courtroom artist Mike O’Donnell takes us inside the hidden world of Ireland’s criminal courts as seen from his sketchpad. In his day to day, Mike sits just feet away from judges, juries, gardaí, families and some of the country’s most high profile defendants, capturing not only the people in the dock but the tension, emotion and fragile humanity of the courtroom itself.

He explains how he became Ireland’s first full time professional courtroom artist, and how his process has developed over the years, moving to ink and learning what exactly to look for when trying to distill an entire trial into a single image.

Mike reflects on what it is like to sit behind some of Ireland’s most notorious figures and study them at close range, from a Bible waving Enoch Burke to Conor McGregor losing his temper, and even having tart and tea with Gerry Hutch as he draws him in his home. He shares what years of observing faces in murder trials, gangland prosecutions and other high stakes cases have taught him about the best and worst of human nature.