‘Ongoing grief’ as report into officer’s death released

A SISTER of an RUC constable originally from Beragh who died in an IRA mortar bomb attack nearly 30 years ago has spoken of the family’s ongoing grief after the publication of a Police Ombudsman report into the killing.

The report from the Police Ombudsman, Marie Anderson, stated that the RUC could not have prevented the attack that killed Ms McMurray.

However, it did confirm that intelligence about IRA members in the area was not given to the officers investigating the attack.

Colleen McMurray died in the attack in Newry in 1992. She was laid to rest in Sixmilecross Presbyterian Church.

Her father, Tommy and mother Sadie, died just last year, and members of the family still farm locally.

Speaking at the publication of the report, Ms McMurray’s sister, Marion Russell, said that the death had a huge impact on their parents.

“I kept in contact with mum and dad over all the years and I do believe that my father did believe that the British establishment was involved and it upset him very deeply,” she said.

“Mammy very rarely spoke about it, she kept things to herself, so did dad, underneath it they were hurting every day.

“I don’t think that anybody’s interested. We have no government, nobody here to help us, to reach out for us.”

Ms McMurray’s widower, Philip, said that the report stated that if the agent involved had been arrested and processed it was his opinion that the murder of his wife could have been stopped.

“For the last 30 years my life has been put on hold. 

“I have been living at the family home since it happened and to me your life has been put on hold,” he added.