Man goes on trial accused of murder of 89-year-old

By David RaleighA man went on trial today (Monday) accused of murdering his then partner’s 89-year old mother

A man went on trial today (Monday) accused of murdering his then partner’s 89-year old mother by allegedly smothering and strangling her.

Hasan Ali Gori, (52) denied a single charge of murdering Josephine “Josie” Ray, at her home, which she shared with her daughter Mary Ray and the accused, in Nenagh, Co Tipperary.

African native, Mr Ali Gori, who is using the services of an interpreter in court, replied “not guilty, sir” when arraigned before Mr Justice Sean Gillane, on the charge on the indictment, that he allegedly murdered Ms Ray at her home at St Jospeh’s Park, Nenagh, on August 4th, 2024.

Prosecuting barrister, senior counsel Lorcan Connolly, opened the trial in front of a jury of nine men and three women, at the Central Criminal Court, Limerick.

“Josie Ray was killed at the hands of Hasan Ali Gori, she was found dead in her bed, she died by asphyxiation after external compression of her neck — Josie Ray was smothered and strangled,” Mr Connolly told the jury.

“You’ll hear about inward fractures caused by this compression and DNA matching the accused found on the fingernails of the late Josie Ray,” he continued.

“The prosecution says there was a close physical struggle, perhaps Josie was trying to defend herself, and the person who did it was Hasan Ali Gori,” added Mr Connolly.

Mr Connolly said that while “nobody saw him do it, so perhaps it is a circumstantial case”, the prosecution case is that Mr Ali Gori “had motive” “manifested by his DNA found on the victim’s fingernails” and the “opportunity” to kill the victim “who was in her bedroom in her own home”, which she shared with the accused.

Mr Connolly claimed Mr Ali Gori and Mary Ray were involved in “a volatile and tempestuous” relationship at the time of Josie Ray’s death.

Mr Connolly said that prior to the alleged killing, Mr Ali Gori, a native of Chad, Africa, had “struck up” a relationship with Mary Ray, then 55, who has a “learning disability” and who shared a “close bond” with her mother.

“Hasan Ali Gori was Mary Ray’s co-habitant for social welfare purposes, and he ultimately came to live at 91 St Joseph’s Park – Hasan Ali Gori was dependent on the Rays for accommodation,” said Mr Connolly.

“He and Mary shared an upstairs bedroom, and in August 2024, there was a fractious atmosphere in the house, and Josie Ray was killed at the hands of Hasan Ali Gori,” he added.

Mr Connolly said Josie Ray was “a well known and sprightly lady regularly seen out and about” in her native Nenagh.

He said Ms Ray’s marriage had broken down in the 1980s and while four of her five daughters lived with her husband, she and her daughter Mary resided togther.

Mr Connolly said that prior to her death, Josie Ray was not suffering from any acute medical condition. She had been recovering from a broken hip in early 2024, which left her unable to walk upstairs, and and so she was sleeping in a downstairs front room in her home.

“She was a small, frail, 89-year old lady,” said Mr Connolly.

Mr Ali Gori and Mary Ray shared a room upstairs in the house, however there was a “fractious” “volatile and “tempestuous” atmosphere in the house, said Mr Connolly.

Mr Connolly said there had been “going’s on” in Ms Ray’s home on the evening prior to her death resulting in gardai attending at the property. “You’ll hear from the gardai who attended as well as some recordings.”

Mr Connolly said Josie Ray left her home that evening to stay with one of her daughter’s however, “at some stage she returned to her home, uninjured, well and normal”.

Later on, after 2am, the following morning, neighbours saw Josie Ray smoking a cigarette outside her house “and that was her last time she was seen alive”.

Prosecution witness, Samuel Abuchie, a grandson of the victim, gave evidence of raising the alarm after finding his grandmother’s body, at around noon on August 4.

A 999 call that the witness made to emergency services in respect of his grandmother was played in court.