Monster used €6k van to hide body after brutal murder, rages Valerie French's brother amid fight for sister's belongings
The release of the pic comes as her brother David, 56 — who is taking civil action for damages against Kilroy — is on a mission to find the items in his dead sister's estate.
4
Valerie was killed at her home in June 2019
4
Valerie's brother David is on a mission to find the items in his dead sister's estate
Credit: Collins
4
This is the first photo of the camper van used by killer James Kilroy to hide wife Valerie French's body
David believes all his sister's belongings — including the camper van — should be sold and the money placed into a trust fund for Valerie's
Kilroy inflicted 57 injuries on the occupational therapist in a 'brutal' blade attack at their home in Co
He then put her body in the Mazda Bongo van and left their children in the house near Westport before he was later arrested by
The €6,000 vehicle — bought by Kilroy in 2013 as a treat for his 40th birthday — was used by the killer before the murder as he roamed around Ireland while his wife ran the family home and cared for their three kids.
Read more on Valerie French
Our exclusive image shows the monster enjoying the outdoor life in the camper van.
David — whose new book For Valerie, inset, is published on Thursday — believes his sister's estate includes her car, savings accounts, a motorcycle and a ride-on lawnmower.
He told The Irish Sun: 'The van should be sold because it's of no use to Kilroy, now he's serving a life sentence.
'He loved that camper van and just didn't care about other people.
Most read in The Irish Sun
'He also loved knives and bows and arrows — and this also shows his violent tendencies.'
David added: 'He bought that van as a treat as he was so entitled and only ever cared about himself.
'BRUTAL CRIME'
'He used that camper van in the commission of a truly brutal
'I believe everything in Valerie's estate should be sold and that the proceeds should be put into a trust fund for her children.
'I have asked Kilroy's legal team to provide information on what he thinks should be in Valerie's estate.
'Once we have received his reply on the estate we will then consider our next course of action.'
INSANE CLAIM
David also believes Kilroy — who tried to claim that he was insane by insisting the mother of three had hired
Brute Kilroy is legally recognised as the sole owner of the
Although David has urged him to sell the property for Valerie's children, he has yet to agree to the move.
Valerie's brother is now considering taking legal action over the house.
LEGAL BATTLE
During a previous court ruling, wife killer Eamon Lillis was forced to surrender half of the proceeds from his house sale to victim Celine Cawley's daughter.
David added: 'Kilroy should not be in a position where he can benefit financially from my sister's horrific murder.
'Proceeds from the sale of that house should go to providing a future for her three children.
'If he doesn't agree to the house being sold, and the proceeds going to the children, we will be taking him to
'We have already seen cases where killers have been ordered to share sales from a house and this will be another option open to us.'
'ROBBED KIDS OF THEIR MOTHER'
David also said of Kilroy: 'He deprived those three children of a loving mother — it's time he finally did the right thing by those kids.
'He robbed those children of a future simply because of jealousy and rage. Why should he earn a nest egg after he completes his sentence?'
Since his sister's murder, he has fought a campaign for legislation to prevent individuals who have killed their spouses from having guardianship rights over their kids.
Entitled Valerie's Law, the issue is one of a number of themes in David's new book.
TRIBUTE TO SISTER
The publication pays tribute to his sister's loving personality, her relationship with monster Kilroy and the 'shocking aftermath' of the killing.
It will also outline details of the inquest into the murder, and three murder trials, before Kilroy was convicted in July 2024.
Kilroy — who has appealed his conviction and has never shown any remorse for the horrific killing of the mum of his three kids — is also described as an 'entitled and controlling' husband in the book.
'Kilroy should not be in a position where he can benefit financially from my sister's horrific murder."
David French
In one extract, David reveals how the couple's relationship 'was deteriorating' before she died.
It reads: 'One of Valerie's close friends afterwards told us Valerie was 'practically a single parent'. A few days before she was killed, they had gone with a group of friends to the cinema.
'ODD BEHAVIOUR'
'Kilroy had sat on his own. This was odd behaviour on a rare night out for the couple.
'He saw everything belonging to him as very important.
'And he cared more about his possessions than people.
'He was obsessed by the things he bought. He was obsessed about his motorbike, his camper van and his PlayStation.
'He only talked about himself — I felt Valerie was less important to him than his possessions.'
FOR Valerie by David French is published by Gill Books and is available in all good book stores from Thursday.
4
David's new book For Valerie is set to be published on Thursday
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sunday World
14 hours ago
- Sunday World
Parents of autistic boy expelled from primary school grateful for fresh start
Senan Maguire missed out on three months of education but will return to school in September. The family of a 13-year old Louth boy with autism who was expelled from his local primary school say they are looking forward to a new chapter as he has been allocated a place in the new school for children and teenagers with complex special needs in Castleblayney that opens in September. Senan Maguire missed out on three months of education and was unable to make his confirmation after he was expelled from a north Louth school earlier this year. His parents David and Tina watched as their son, who also has a moderate intellectual disability and is suffering with PTSD since the sudden, tragic death of his younger sister in 2018, struggled without the routine provided by school. David and Tina Maguire with their son Senan News in 90 Seconds - Wednesday, July 30 While accepting that their son can present with challenging behaviour they feel that he was let down by the system. They were told that their son's presence in the school was a threat to his safety and that of others and he was blamed for assaults leading to other people being injured. He was suspended from the rural north Louth school seven times since January 2024 and missed making his confirmation as he hadn't been able to go to school to prepare for the sacrament. "It's a shame how so many people let him down,' says David. 'All we wanted to do was to get him our little boy through to June so he could finish his education.' They received the letter informing them of his expulsion on World Autism Day, April 2, and unsuccessfully sought places for him in other schools in the county as there were no available places. 'It was heart-breaking watching Senan at home, not understanding why he couldn't go to school,' recalls David. Now, however, they are hoping that he can start a new chapter. 'We're very lucky that Senan has been allocated a place in the new school opening in Castleblayney in September,' says David. "He also got two weeks with a behaviour therapist and he loved it, and has another week in August. He did July provision with ABACUS in Drogheda and again he had a great time.' "He's happy again, he's dancing around. He can manage when the right setting is in place. This is all we asked for.' David and Tina are very grateful for the support they received from the local community.
Irish Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Man extradited to Ireland from US under Interpol warrant arrested by Gardaí
A man who was extradited from the US on foot of an Interpol warrant was arrested by Gardaí on Monday. Officers attached to the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau arrested the man, aged in his 40s, on foot of an extradition warrant under Operation Skein (Jackal) this morning, July 28. The man was extradited from the United States of America with the assistance of Interpol and US authorities and is currently being detained at a Garda Station in Dublin. He is expected to appear before Dublin Circuit Court, Court 5 later this morning. Interpol's Operation Jackal is referred to as Operation Skein in Ireland. Operation Skein is co-ordinated by the Garda Economic Crime Bureau and investigates international criminal organisations that commit fraud worldwide and launder the proceeds through networks of bank accounts in Ireland. The Criminal Courts of Justice, Dublin. (Image: Collins) Since 2020, Gardaí have identified 1,400 potential suspects involved in the theft and laundering of €94 million. To date, more than 630 people have been arrested as part of this operation. Over half of these have been charged with gangland offences as well as money laundering. These arrests were made all over Ireland and conducted by local Gardaí from almost every Garda district. Sign up to the Irish Mirror's Courts and Crime newsletter here and get breaking crime updates and news from the courts direct to your inbox.
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Fresh Sophie Toscan murder breakthrough hopes as US experts ‘praying' DNA tests on bloodstains will solve killer mystery
FORENSIC experts are 'praying' new DNA tests will help solve the 29-year murder mystery of Sophie Toscan du Plantier. A specialist team from the Advertisement 5 Sophie was battered and left to die at the gateway to her holiday home Credit: AFP - Getty 5 The murder took place on December 23, 1996, at this house near Schull in Cork Credit: AFP - Getty 5 Self-proclaimed suspect Ian Bailey died last year Credit: AFP or licensors The mum-of-one was battered and left to die at the gateway to her holiday home on December 23, 1996, near Schull in Co Although self-proclaimed suspect Ian Bailey was arrested, he was never charged and always denied any involvement. Bailey died last year. The Advertisement READ MORE IN IRISH NEWS 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 Advertisement MOST READ IN THE IRISH SUN '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 Advertisement Both local gardai and the cold case unit have been working on the case since 2022. Head of the Serious Crime Review Team DS Des McTiernan explained in a recent interview how detectives were trying to develop the forensic aspect further. Speaking to The Irish Sun earlier this year, Sophie's uncle Jean Pierre Gazeau told how they still have faith in the gardai. But Jean Pierre explained that for him and his relatives, Bailey is the killer after he was convicted in absentia in Advertisement ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS Jean Pierre told The Irish Sun: 'The investigation team is, I would say, extremely motivated and committed to the investigation. 'There are six people, there are two big rooms and so on. 'And of course, they are in constant contact with the team, the cold case team in Dublin. 'And one of the most important aspects of the investigation is the Advertisement He added: 'We are satisfied by the fact that Ireland, the Irish 'So the only thing which would be really satisfying for us would be Ireland solving the problem, the case. On our side, to some extent, the case was solved.' Professor of forensic science at the She said: 'Based on the articles I have read and seen and the assumption that swabbing [was tried] on the flat rock and the concrete block used to murder Sophie, it is difficult to say any other collection method would be appropriate.' Advertisement REFUSAL TO EXTRADITE Bailey was arrested twice over the murder but never charged due to what the DPP ruled was a lack of evidence. A French But the Irish courts refused to extradite him because most of the evidence produced at the French trial was based on hearsay and would never have been admissible in an Irish court of law. After decades relying on circumstantial evidence, the cold case unit said that it hoped sophisticated new equipment will help them extract the real killer's profile from items. Advertisement This includes the concrete block used to brutally kill her, as well as clothing. At the annual gathering of ASSOPH — The Association for the Truth of the Murder of Sophie — last year, it was revealed that the Garda cold case was now focusing on extracting DNA from the concrete block and the blood covered rock that was used to kill her. It is widely believed that the killer had to leave his own blood on these. ASSOPH hoped that the latest technology will help to provide DNA that may finally see her killer brought to justice. Advertisement Last December, Georges Bouniol, the elderly father of Sophie, passed away in This followed nearly three decades of seeking justice. 5 The murder scene of Sophie, outside her holiday home 5 Jared Bradley, chief executive of M-Vac Systems Credit: Journalist Collect Advertisement
