Couple arrested over murder of beloved Nenagh grandmother insists - 'we are innocent'

The daughter of a Tipperary grandmother found dead in her home in Nenagh has insisted that she and her partner are innocent.

Gardai believe 89 year-old Josephine Ray was murdered in her own bed at her home in St Joseph’s Park in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, in the early hours of Sunday, August 4.

Mary Ray, the daughter of the late Josephine Ray, and her partner lived with Josephine in Nenagh.

Mary and partner Hasan Ali Gori acknowledge that they were arrested after the body was found, but were since released without charge.

In a recent interview with the Irish Mirror, the pair said: "We are not murderers. We know nothing about it. It’s a false accusation".

The pair acknowledged that gardai were called to the house the night before the murder, and claimed they were having a "conversation" with one another that Josephine didn't like.

Mary told the Mirror that she "couldn't do a thing like that", adding: "Why would I do that to my own mother?"

Mary revealed that she found her mother dead in her bed on the morning of the incident after going to check on her, and was left in shock.

"The blanket was over her mouth and I thought she was sleeping. The next time I checked on her after a while and I said Jesus. I pulled the blanket back from her mouth and she was just not moving. I was nervous. I had said that’s unusual she’s usually up and all that in the mornings. I asked her Josie do you want a tea and she wasn’t answering me."

An ambulance was then called, and Mary was later stunned to learn that Gardaí were investigating her mother’s death as murder.

Both Mary and Hasan were arrested on suspicion of murder shortly after.

"We didn’t do this," Hasan said. "I am not a murderer. We are not murderers."

"I did not do that. I swear to God I did not," Mary added. Hasan insisted to the Irish Mirror that he had gone to bed that night and never entered Josephine’s room.

Asked if she had any thoughts on who might be responsible Mary responded: “Responsible? Hasan then told Mary: "Say you don’t know." Mary then responded: “I don’t know. If I knew, sure I’d love to know. She loved me. It’s not nice what happened her. I’d like the person who done it to get caught.”

The couple also said it was "upsetting" to be arrested. Hasan revealed that the couple have been left homeless since the incident, and said they were "both innocent".

Mary said she cannot return to the home as "it's too sad for me."

"There's too many memories of my mother in that house," Mary said, "Sometimes we get accommodation, sometimes in hostels. It's very hard to live, it's not easy on us."

Hasan added: "Just like that we're homeless. We have nowhere to go. We are on the street because of what happened. We have to keep away for the moment."

"So let them (Gardaí) trace everything. They will verify whatever happened to the lady. They have to verify. I didn't go in that room, you understand? I don't want someone to place a false accusation on me. How many years did I live with Josephine Ray?," Hasan said,

Hasan said Gardaí interviewed him three times about the events of that night, and he claims he told them he didn't know what happened.

Mary added that she has no reason to lie and insisted she had nothing to do with her mother's death - and said she wanted the person responsible to get caught.

Mary said her relationship living with her mother was "very good."

"We lived together. She was mad about me. We used to go off down town and all that. I made her a cup of tea with biscuits that night. (The night she died). I said Josie I'll see you in the morning so."

"Then I saw her that morning and I got an awful fright. I got a terrible fright. I'm still shocked over that. I'm crying over it too. It was terrible," she said.

The couple told The Irish Mirror that Gardaí have also seized some "items" from them, including a phone. "They accuse us. I have to defend myself. You understand I can't let that be. How can someone accuse me of something I did not do," Hasan added.

Gardaí continue to appeal for witnesses to come forward, particularly those who were in the St Joseph's Park area of Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, between 8pm on Saturday 3rd August 2024, and mid-day on Sunday 4th August 2024.

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