Murray family offer to meet killer in prison for information

THE family of Omagh woman, Charlotte Murray, who was murdered more than a decade ago, has said they will do whatever it takes to see the return of her remains for a proper burial.

It is now over a decade since she went missing and Christmas Day marks what would have been her 45th birthday. She shares that birthday with her twin sister, Denise.

Now, her family have renewed their call for Charlotte’s killer, John Patrick Miller, to reveal where her body is and would be willing to meet Miller in prison if necessary.

“We would be willing to face Miller in prison if given the opportunity. But I don’t think he would ever agree to it. I believe that even if he did agree to it, he would still protest his innocence,” said Charlotte’s sister, Sinead.

“I have no apprehension whatsoever. We as a family would do anything that it takes in order to find Charlotte and lay her to rest. We won’t ever give up.”

Sinead believes that the recovery of her sister’s body would also reveal more information about how she died.

“I think he has never revealed (where she is buried) as it would prove his guilt in murdering her. Even after all this time, it would reveal a lot as to how he murdered her and how he disposed of her body,” she added.

“It would mean everything to us to lay Charlotte to rest with a proper burial. Whilst it wouldn’t take away the pain of losing her in such horrific circumstances, it would bring some closure to us.”

REJECTED

Their renewed call follows the rejection of an appeal by Miller against his conviction. Lady Chief Justice, Siobhan Keegan, rejected all arguments put forward by Miller’s defence at the hearing in the Court of Appeal.

She said the Judge in the 2019 trial of Miller had dealt fairly with all the complicated evidence in the case, and in a manner which left the fact-finding function to the jury, which was as it should be.

Speaking to the UlsterHerald, the family said that Miller’s attempts to appeal to the murder conviction were ‘just further proof’ of his denial of what he has done.

“It caused further pain for us to sit through the entire trial, and the appeal hearing and we were fairly certain his appeal would be dismissed as the evidence against him was so strong,” Sinead added.

“But there was always a possibility that he could have won the appeal on a legal technicality so that did make us anxious.”