Man found guilty of murder of Josephine ‘Josie’ Ray (89) in Tipperary

A jury at the Central Criminal Court has found a man guilty of the murder of his then-girlfriend’s 89-year-old mother, Josephine “Josie” Ray.

Hasan Ali Gori (52), a native of Chad, central Africa, with an address in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, showed no reaction when the verdict was read out shortly after 2pm on Tuesday afternoon.

The jury returned a majority verdict of 11-1 against Gori, following a three-week trial in Limerick.

The victim, Josephine Ray, died trying to “fight off” Gori as he strangled her in her bed at her home at St Joseph’s Park, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, the trial heard.

State pathologist Dr Yvonne McCartney gave evidence that the victim died of strangulation and smothering.

McCartney said the great grandmother sustained two broken bones in her neck and was covered in bruises, 44 in total, to her head, neck, face, shoulders, chest, arms and legs.

“Josie Ray didn’t go down without a fight,” senior prosecuting counsel, Lorcan Connolly, told the jury in his closing address.

“The prosecution say bruises to her forearms is evidence of Josie’s struggle as she tried to fight off the accused as he was trying to strangle her.”

Josephine Ray’s arms were upright by her face when her body was found in her bed, in a front room at her home, on August 4th, 2024, the court heard.

“The prosecution say Josie Ray caught her killer and in doing so, in defending herself, she suffered damage to her forearms,” said Connolly.

The senior prosecuting counsel argued it was “significant” that Gori’s DNA was found on the victim’s right hand and underneath her fingernails.

“Unbeknownst to himself, Hasan Ali Gori left his calling card, his DNA under Josie’s fingernails,” Connolly said.

Josephine Ray rarely left her daughter Mary out of her sight because she has an intellectual disability and was described as a “vulnerable” adult.

The victim did not approve of her daughter having a relationship with Gori, who had been living in a hostel prior to moving in with them.

Prior to her death, gardaí had attended Josephine Ray’s house after receiving complaints from neighbours of constant rowing at the property.

On the night before her death, neighbours reported seeing Gori headbutting Mary Ray and telling her he was “sick” of living with her mother, adding that either he or Josephine Ray would have to leave the house.

Connolly suggested Gori had “motive” and “opportunity” to carry out the murder. He argued Gori was “at risk” of being evicted from the house and losing out on social welfare payments attached to a disability allowance being claimed by Mary Ray.

In his closing speech, Gori’s barrister, senior counsel Aidan Doyle, said the court had heard from a former neighbour that Josephine and Mary Ray were “constantly rowing before Gori came on the scene.

The neighbour told the court she also saw Mary Ray threaten her mother with a knife nine years previously.

Doyle highlighted the evidence of Carmel Ray, a sister of Mary Ray, who told the court Mary was “very kind, and shy” but she sometimes “couldn’t control her emotions”.

Carmel Ray claimed Mary had assaulted another sibling when she was a teenager, and that following another incident, Mary was so upset that it took “five” gardaí to “restrain” her.

Doyle had told the jury: “If you think it’s even possible that Mary did it, you have to acquit (Gori).”

Having deliberated for a total of eight hours and 52 minutes, the jury of nine men and three women decided by 11-1 that Gori was guilty of murder.

Judge Seán Gillane thanked the jury for their “very very difficult work” and the “care you brought to that work”.

“It’s not easy work, it is fundamental to democracy, thank you on behalf of the community for the care with which you brought to your task.”

It’s understood Gillane will pass the mandatory life sentence for murder on Gori later on Tuesday afternoon, after the court hears victim-impact statements from the family of Josephine Ray.