‘She thinks about her every day' – Sophie Toscan du Plantier mum in fresh DNA test hope for end of 29-yr murder mystery
Marguerite Bouniol, who is in her 90s, is battling
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The murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier has been a mystery for 29 years
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Marguerite Bouniol, mother of murdered French woman Sophie Toscan du Plantier is battling Parkinson's disease
Credit: PA:Press Association
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The murder took place on December 23, 1996, at this house near Schull in Cork
Credit: AFP - Getty
She lost her husband Georges, 98, who passed away in
Newly advanced DNA testing methods may lead to answers as to who killed
A team from the
They are understood to have focused tests on a bloodstained flat rock and a concrete block used in the shocking
READ MORE IN IRISH NEWS
Sophie's uncle Jean-Pierre Gazeau told The Irish Sun on Sunday that not a day goes by without Sophie crossing her mother's mind.
Jean Pierre said: 'Sophie's mother is now very old. She has Parkinson's and is fragile, but she is good mentally and she is still fighting. She thinks about Sophie every day, all the time, you know?
'She has a very close
Sophie, a mum of one, was battered and left to die at the gateway to her holiday home on December 23, 1996, near Schull in Co
Most read in Irish News
Although self-proclaimed suspect Ian Bailey was arrested, he was never charged and always denied any involvement.
Bailey died last year.
It is understood Mr Bradley's team carried out extensive new testing with members of Forensic Science Ireland after travelling from its headquarters in
Their new M-Vac system works using wet vacuum principles to release and capture cells.
A substance is sprayed directly onto the surface while vacuum pressure is simultaneously applied around the pattern, to collect the buffer and suspended particles in a collection bottle.
Before travelling over to
'If what I believe will happen actually does, it will be massive for us in a host of ways.
'Please pray for us.'
VALUE OF THE EQUIPMENT
They include the killing of teenager Krystal Beslanowitch in Utah 28 years ago which was similar in detail to that of the savage and brutal
Both local gardai and the cold case unit have been working on the case since 2022.
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They are understood to have focused tests on a bloodstained flat rock and a concrete block used in the attack
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Self-proclaimed suspect Ian Bailey died last year
Credit: AFP or licensors
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The Irish Sun
33 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Iran planning to execute 30,000 in repeat of horror 1988 ‘massacre' as part of desperate crackdown, insiders fear
IRAN'S merciless regime is plotting to kill tens of thousands of prisoners in a repeat of the 1988 massacre, insiders fear. Rattled supreme leader Ali Khamenei has ordered a surge in executions - turning hangings into public spectacles in a chilling warning to dissidents. 9 Executions are often well-attended public events Credit: AFP 9 Mehdi Hassani has been executed by Iran's regime Credit: NCRI 9 Behrouz Ehsani was also killed by the regime Credit: NCRI It comes as callous mullahs yesterday hanged two political prisoners who had been jailed on trumped-up charges. Mehdi Hassani, 48, and Behrouz Ehsani, 70, were killed in cold blood for daring to oppose the barbaric regime they were forced to live under. Earlier this year, The Sun shared a Ehsani meanwhile bravely More on Iran Iran has repeatedly unleashed lethal force on its own people - especially at times of crisis - in a sickening bid to stamp out rebellion. Glaring vulnerabilities in the regime's grip on power have been exposed after Israel and the US launched a monumental effort to destroy its nuclear threat. Executions and arrests are weaponised to scare dissidents, and it is feared panicked Ayatollah Khamenei is planning a similar plot to the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners. The regime was also in turmoil that year after accepting a ceasefire with Iraq. Most read in The Sun Now, death sentences against those affiliated with the main democratic opposition, the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI/MEK), are being expedited as Khamenei scrambles for control. Chillingly, state-run Fars News Agency - a mouthpiece of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - this month issued a public call to repeat 1998's inhumane massacre as the regime fears for its survival. Dad set to be executed in Iran shares powerful audio message blasting regime from behind bars British politicians and leading human rights lawyers have urged the UK government to intervene to prevent such an atrocity. Alongside the (NCRI), they also criticised the focus on Tehran's nuclear programme, warning that it has overshadowed the worsening human rights crisis. Baroness O'Loan DBE said: "Those threatening our national security are the same individuals planning atrocities in Iran's prisons. So, we must act, now." Dowlat Nowrouzi, the NCRI's UK representative, told The Sun: "The international community's failure to hold the regime accountable for its atrocities, including crimes against humanity and genocide, has allowed the regime to enjoy impunity. "It is long overdue to hold Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, and others accountable for committing these crimes. It comes as one of Iran's longest-serving political prisoners has laid bare the dire situation in a handwritten letter shared with The Sun. More than 100 armed guards raided the ward Masouri was on, beating prisoners before hauling them across the floor with handcuffs and leg shackles and bags over their heads. Masouri has been exiled to the notorious Zahedan Prison - just days after penning a haunting letter warning a massacre is looming. 9 Saeed Masouri has been in jail for 25 years Credit: NCRI 9 He shared a chilling handwritten letter from inside jail Credit: SUPPLIED 9 Four Iranian convicts hanging after a public execution in 2007 Credit: AFP 9 Pictures show a man named Balal who was led to the gallows by his victim's family He wrote: "Just as it happened in 1988, today we fear that the same path is being repeated, albeit with different language and methods. "Back then, it was called the 'Death Committee'; today, it is 'Fire at discretion'. "But this widespread repression and intensification of executions are not signs of strength—they are admissions of the regime's helplessness in the face of truth and the will of the people. "Likewise, this so-called 'fire at discretion' is nothing but an attempt to conceal the depth of infiltration, decay, and structural collapse within the ruling system—failures they now seek to compensate for by exacting revenge on the people of Iran and their prisoners." All contact between political prisoners and their families has now been cut off. Ms Nowrouzi added: "The assault on Mr. Masouri is not an isolated incident. "It is part of a broader campaign of escalating executions, arbitrary detentions, and systematic repression. "The regime, emboldened by decades of impunity and inaction, is now openly signaling its intent to repeat the horrors of 1988. "As Mr. Masouri warned in his message from prison, 'a crime is in progress,' and the world must not remain silent." Iran's calculating mullahs meanwhile are refusing to hand the bodies of slain Ehsani and Hassani back to their grieving families. How Iran is stifling critics after defeat to Israel by Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter (Digital) TYRANNICAL leaders in Iran have demanded citizens act as undercover informants to turn in anyone who dares oppose the regime, insiders say. Panicked mullahs have also ordered "telecom cages" be installed around prisons as the regime Political prisoners - largely Insiders say their treatment is being weaponised to deter opposition. The fight against repression has loomed large for decades in the rogue state - but the so-called 12-day war last month has made the barbaric Ayatollah more fearful than ever of being toppled. Sources inside Iran told The Sun how a direct alert has been issued to the public, urging them to report any activity linked to resistance groups of the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI/MEK). Regime loyalists have been implored to act as informants - compiling detailed reports with photos, times, locations, licence plates and facial features of suspected individuals. Orders were publicised in an official government news outlet - marking a distinct shift in the paranoid regime's usual strategy of covert suppression. Insiders noted it points to the regime's growing perceived threat posed by the PMOI's grassroots operations. The PMOI has long fought for a secular, democratic Iran, and is understood to be gaining traction amid frustration with economic hardship, political repression, and international isolation. Insiders say they are instead planning to secretly bury them in a twisted bid to cover up their actions. Hassani's devastated daughter, who bravely campaigned for her dad's release, wept as she told how they had not been informed of his execution. In a harrowing video message shared with The Sun, she said: "They didn't grant him a final visit before the execution. "None of us knew, not even my father, who had told my sister to visit him on Monday. "I don't know what to say. I fought so hard. I had so much hope, so much… I still can't believe what has happened." Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the NCRI, has called on the United Nations to take "concrete and effective measures against a regime built on executions and torture". Mrs Rajavi said: "They [Ehsani and Hassani] now join the eternal ranks of those who have given their lives in the struggle for freedom and justice. "In what appears to be a desperate act during the twilight of his rule, Khamenei has perpetrated yet another grave crime - an effort to delay the inevitable collapse of his regime. Ayatollah 'on his heels' by Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter (Digital) IRAN'S merciless regime is "fully on its heels" - leaving the Ayatollah's days numbered, a former US ambassador says. But the West will not be able to topple Tehran's brutal dictatorship, Mark D. Wallace, CEO & Founder of United Against Nuclear Iran, warned. The ex-ambassador to the UN said it will be down to the Iranian people - who have suffered outrageous repression for decades - to finally end the regime's rule. Iron-fist fanatics have used violent and ruthless measures, including executions and torture, in a twisted bid to stamp out opposition and silence critics. The regime's future now appears to be hanging by a thread, however, as it sits in a "combustible state" following the obliteration of its nuclear empire by the US and Israel. Several of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's top military brass were wiped out in the 12-day war - leaving the barbaric ruler vulnerable. Power held by Iran's terror proxies - including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen - has also been severely depleted. Wallace told The Sun: "The regime isn't just wounded, they're fully on their heels." "Far from securing his hold on power, this brutality only intensifies the outrage of the Iranian people and reinforces the determination of Iran's courageous youth to bring an end to this theocratic tyranny. "Honour to these steadfast Mojahedin who, after three years of unwavering resistance under torture, pressure, and threats, fulfilled their solemn pledge to God and the people with pride and dignity." It comes after The Sun reported how Iran's wounded regime As Israeli missiles rained down on a nearby military site on June 16, panicked inmates at Dizel-Abad Prison in Kermanshah begged to be moved to safety. But they were instead met with a hail of bullets from the regime's merciless enforcers in a "deliberate and cold-blooded act", a witness said. Meanwhile, sweeping arrests are also plaguing Iran's population - with around 700 people understood to have been detained last month with reported links to a "spy network". Iran has one of the most horrific human rights records in the world, and according to campaigners also holds the harrowing title for the highest execution rate. Official records show that the number of executions last year reached 1,000 - the highest number in 30 years and 16 percent higher than the previous. Insiders believe this year that distressing toll will be much higher. 9 Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei makes his first public appearance since the war with Israel on July 6 Credit: Getty 9 A demonstrator takes part in a protest against the Iranian government outside the Federal Building in Los Angeles, California on June 23 Credit: Reuters
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Britain's most stolen cars revealed with humble motor topping the list… where does your vehicle rank?
BRITAIN'S most stolen cars have been revealed with a humble motor topping the list from the Government's most recent car theft statistics. The data shows which 4 Range Rovers are stolen less frequently thanks to security upgrades Credit: Nick Dimbleby 2022 4 Toyota Hilux' are a target for thieves selling into foreign markets Credit: Getty Range Rover owners can breathe easy but Thefts of the reliable Japanese four-by-four were up 549 per cent in 2024, equating to 584 missing motors in just a year. Overall Land Rover models came out well in the statistics with Read more in Motors This brought the brand out of the list of top ten most stolen cars in Britain. The firm has been focused on security improvements with recent models after receiving a slew of theft reports from customers. Amidst the crime wave insuring a Range Rover, especially in the city, was nearly impossible for motorists. In response Land Rover's parent company JLR invested a whopping £1 million to fund proactive policing. Most read in Motors This was aimed at tackling the organised crime groups suspected to be targeting the The firm went on to splash out an eye-watering £17 million on updating the security of its motors. Watch moment brazen gang steals car from family driveway in under 20 seconds as thief claims robbing to order is like 'working for Amazon' This included retrospectively upgrading the key systems on 300,000 cars to the As a result of the effort there are now no Land Rover models in the top 22 most stolen models for 2024. But car thieves have seemingly pivoted to target another The near indestructible Toyota Hilux appears to be highly sought after by criminals who nick the motors using electronic bypasses to drive them off without a key. 4 BMW remained number two on the list of new cars stolen Credit: Getty 4 Kia branded motors are being stolen more often, rising from fifth to third place Credit: Getty The Hilux has a ready market in foreign countries where its ruggedness is prized and buyers are less concerned about Richard Billyeald, chief research and operations officer at the insurance industry's Thatcham Research, said: 'Top destinations for stolen UK vehicles include the Democratic Republic of Congo, UAE, Cyprus, Jamaica and Georgia, driven by global shortages of With so many Hilux' being stolen police forces across the country have begun issuing warnings to owners. After 11 were nicked overnight North Yorkshire Police and Nottinghamshire officers have issued similar warnings. Toyota is fighting back though, a spokesman told "These include protective plates, immobilisers, blockers and trackers." Thefts by region varied with How to protect your car from thieves Wheel clamps are another great option that can prevent your car from being driven away. Again, they are highly visible as they are often sold in bright colours, and may deter opportunistic thieves looking for a quick and easy target. Traditional security measures are also considered when calculating insurance premiums. Rich Morley at Lancaster Insurance explains that, no matter what car you drive, classic or modern, traditional-style security measures can provide extra peace of mind and security for your vehicle, helping to deter thieves in the process. He added: 'When considering a risk profile, we will establish with customers any security measures they have in place to prevent potential theft."
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Delta pilot arrested in front of shocked passengers on flight from Minneapolis to San Francisco after landing into SFO
A DELTA co-pilot has been arrested and cops were reportedly seen storming the cockpit after the passenger plane landed. Around 10 agents, some from Homeland Security, boarded the plane after it landed at Advertisement 2 A Delta co-pilot was arrested after landing in San Francisco (stock) Credit: Getty The plane had taken off from Minneapolis airport earlier in the day, as reported by the ABC affiliate Travelers were preparing to disembark when they saw the commotion at the front of the plane. 'We were all shocked and stunned. What was happening?' one passenger, known as Sarah, said. Sarah documented what unfolded on board the aircraft. Advertisement "They barged through and stormed the cockpit," she said. "They removed the co-pilot, cuffed him, presumably arrested him." Sarah said the co-pilot was then flanked by officers, walked down the aisle, and taken off the plane. She recalled how the cabin crew seemed bewildered by what was going on. Advertisement Most read in The US Sun Live Blog "I looked at him [the pilot] and I said 'What's going on?'" one told the Fox affiliate The traveler said passengers were standing up on the plane, a Boeing 757-300, getting ready to grab their bags from the overhead lockers. Another passenger told The traveler said the agents had badges and vests with letters on them. Advertisement Once the co-pilot was taken off the plane, some agents then re-boarded the aircraft to collect his belongings. A Boeing 757-300 twin-engine jet can carry up to 295 passengers and can travel at a maximum speed of 571 mph. The plane's arrival into San Francisco was delayed due to heavy fog. More than 50 million people passed through San Francisco airport last year. Advertisement In 2023, the airport was named the 13th busiest airport in the US. "This is an ongoing local investigation with the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office," a Homeland Security spokesperson told The Chronicle. Delta officials are yet to issue a statement. The U.S. Sun has approached the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department and Delta for comment. Advertisement Read more on the Irish Sun 2 The arrest happened at San Francisco International Airport (stock) Credit: Getty More to follow... For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos . Like us on Facebook at
