Nun's sex killer 'may strike again'
A vicious sex attacker who strangled a nun in the grounds of her convent could strike again, gardai warned today.
Det Supt Tom Long, leading the hunt for the killer of 68-year-old Sister Philomena Lyons, said the chance that he may strike again was of ‘‘great concern’’ to him.
He added: ‘‘This was a vicious, brutal attack on one of the most defenceless people in society. This instills great fear in a small community such as that in Ballybay.’’
The attack in the grounds of the convent in Co Monaghan appeared to be the work of an ‘‘opportunist’’, he said.
The killer pounced on Saturday morning as Sr Philomena waited at a bus stop next to the convent, on her way to celebrate the 100th birthday of a friend.
She was dragged into the grounds, sexually assaulted and choked to death.
The nun, a former teacher, would have celebrated her own 69th birthday on December 23.
As forensic officers continued to examine the scene today, Det Supt Long said: ‘‘She was accompanied to the bus stop from the main entrance of the convent but unfortunately did not make that bus.’’
The attacker had a time space of between 15 to 30 minutes to commit his crime, he said.
‘‘The nun was seen between 8.10am and 8.20am. The other nuns found her luggage on the wall at 10.30am. We were contacted on that afternoon and later we found the body at the rear of the convent grounds.’’
Forensic experts were also searching for clues at a house about half a mile away from the murder scene where an attempted break-in had been reported on Saturday.
A nearby telephone box had also been sealed off for tests after a man was seen acting suspiciously there, around the time of the attack.
As gardai carried out door-to-door inquiries, Det Supt Long urged locals to help police track down the killer.
Sr Philomena, a member of the order of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, had worked as a teacher in Ballybay for more than 30 years and was a popular figure with locals.
A native of Mallow, Co Cork, she had begun working at St Joseph’s nursing home, attached to the convent, when she retired from her job at St Bridget’s Girls National School two years ago.
Locals spoke of their shock at the horrific murder as they visited St Joseph’s nursing home, which is attached to the convent, to pay their respects.
One woman, leaving flowers at the gates, said: ‘‘She was just a wonderful woman who wanted to spend her life helping people. It is a sad world when such a lovely person can be taken from us in this way.’’
