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LAST UPDATE | 19 Jul 2021
A FRESH INVESTIGATION in the IRA abduction and murder of farmer Tom Oliver has uncovered new DNA evidence, which investigators hope will lead to a prosecution.
Oliver, an innocent farmer from the Cooley Peninsula in Co Louth, was abducted and shot by the IRA in July 1991.
The body of the father of seven was dumped across the border in Co Armagh.
His son Eugene, at the age of 13, went looking for his father after he failed to return from calving a cow and discovered his car in a field with the keys in the ignition.
Jon Boutcher, the former chief constable of Bedfordshire who heads Operation Kenova, is investigating a number of unsolved murders in Northern Ireland.
Speaking at the spot where Oliver’s car was found, the former police chief said they have recovered new DNA evidence that he hopes will “significantly assist” their investigation.
The team has been investigating the murder of Oliver since April 2019.
“In that time, working with the Gardaí, we’ve taken a significant number of new statements, and I’m pleased to say, using the techniques available to us today, we’ve recovered new DNA evidence that I am hoping will significantly assist us and this incredibly brave family in understanding what happened to Thomas that day,” Boucher said.
He appealed for information about a grey Ford car that was seen at around about 7.40 that evening near Belleeks. Detectives believe the car was used to transport Oliver’s body to where it was discovered in Armagh.
Boucher also appealed to a woman who called the Garda information line that night and explained what she saw.
“We desperately want that lady to contact us,” he added.
Boucher said that people in the community “know what happened to Thomas that day”, and urged them to come forward and assist the investigation.
“At the time, and I understand this, and the family understand this, they would have felt that they weren’t able to come forward, that it wasn’t safe to come forward.
“I want to reassure them that they can now come forward. It is certainly safe to come forward and it would be right to come forward.”
Boucher also appealed for information about the whereabouts of Oliver’s car, a blue Mark 4 Cortina that was recovered by Gardaí, but later went missing.
“If you are local, are a garage, you would have known almost certainly because of this community spirit, Tom Oliver’s car, and if you know what happened to that Cortina please also let me know,” he added.
Their investigation crosses both sides of the border and leads have taken them as far as Australia.
Boucher said his team has pursued every line of inquiry, including the names of every individual associated with Oliver’s murder.
“We have an understanding of the people who were involved in what happened to Tom, and at the conclusion of this investigation, I look forward to sitting down with the family and explaining what we understand happened,” he added.
“Let’s not be in any doubt, this is a criminal investigation and when you conduct a criminal investigation, you throw the kitchen sink at it to seek evidence, to prosecute those responsible for murder, which is the most serious crime that anybody can commit.”
He said he hopes the new DNA evidence will help them either prosecute somebody or help understand what happened to the farmer.
Family solicitor Darragh Mackin said the 30th anniversary of Oliver’s murder brings mixed emotions for his relatives, who have grieved “in silence without any meaningful investigation”.
“There has been a catalogue of failed investigations which have been ineffective from their inception.
“After 30 years of a dignified silence, the family now have hope that the net is closing on those responsible for Tom’s murder,” Mackin said.
“After 30 years, there’s now light at the end of a very dark tunnel.
“The family today I seek to call upon those with information to come forward and assist John Boucher with his inquiries.
“Tom’s case is the prime example on why there can be no limitation in time for investigating a murder. The family’s grief has no limitation, and neither can truth, justice, or accountability.”
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Let’s hope the new DNA evidence gets justice at last for Tom Oliver’s family.
@Fionn Darland: The family deserves closure, as do all the families of those lost to the conflict. One thing that instantly springs to mind when reading the above article. Where was Jon Bouthcher and his cold case team for all the other unprosecuted murders. the ones where there was loads of willing witnesses?
for example, there were many hundreds of eye witnesses to the Ballymurphy and Bloody Sunday broad daylight murders of unarmed civilians, they are still campaigning for justice alone. And on this side of the border, how many survivors of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings were interviewed in the years following those events or after the other occasions when Dublin was bombed by agents of the British state?
As I said, I hope the Oliver family gets justice and peace, but Justice shouldn’t discriminate nor be selective!
@Angela McCarthy: you’re some woman Angela, I will give you that!! You are always the first to shout “DEFLECTION” if SF’s name is used anywhere. Now the military arm of SF in the cross hairs you immediately deflect to “but what about this and that and the other”. Quick, look over there! Amazing levels of hypocrisy. I wonder is the deflection to do with the RAs very close ties to SF and your staunch support of SF? Could that be it?
Anyway, deflection and hypocrisy aside, i do agree with the general sentiments of your post. It is just this article has nothing to do with these events although i do agree with the sentiments.
@Angela McCarthy: Thank God for the Good Friday Agreement and the peace we have had the last 30 years. I grew up during the troubles and could never foresee an end to the large scale violence, there are still extremists on both sides of the divide but on the whole the Island we share has become a much safer place. War is just wrong on every level, nothing can justify the killing of human beings whether its state sponsored or not. All victims deserve justice in order for society to move on. I feel for the Oliver family big time, I cannot imagine the hearbreak they have endured. I think Boris has overstepped the mark by suggesting a blanket amnesty to all those who took part in bloodshed, its a bit like shrugging your shoulders and coldly stating that collateral damage happens and so be it.
@Eoin Jackson: No deflection from you Eoin, just a bit of contradiction maybe. perhaps the reason we are discussing this at all has to do with events at Westminster last week and Im fairly sure the Oliver family (as will many other families) were prompted to highlight their case, in the hope that Boris Johnson and the Tories will call a halt to their plans around legacy issues.
If you truly do agree with the sentiments of my above post, then you surely agree that continued discussion around these matters has little to do with deflection or cover for one side or other to the past conflict, but rather to look at possible solutions that would be fair to all?
What the London Tories managed to pull off last week was to unite all on this island in their to opposition to it – surely a first.
If you care to scan through my posts over the last week Eoin, regarding Boris’s legacy plans, you will clearly see that I have always been of the view that a real genuine Truth Commission along the lines of the previous South African model would be the way to go. Hardly a case of deflection or providing cover to others.
Finally Eoin, it was you who brought Sinn Fein into this and not me. If I happened to be say, a FF supporter and had written the same posts, how then would you have described them – deflection?
@Angela McCarthy: Dont forget the Dundalk bombing it never gets a mention. I was working there at the time itwas dreadful. The Oliver family have been fighting for decades. They deserve to get justice and see the bas-t-ards who murdered him in cold blood pay.
@Eoin Jackson: Angela didn’t once mention or try to put SF up on a pedestal, read her comment again without your blinkers on. I understand FF are almost irrelevant these days and SF have benefitted as a result, yet bitterness from them is not the way forward and carrying on like they have no skeletons in their cupboard is doing them no favours whatsoever. Remember FF once appointed Liam Lalor as chair to an oireachtas committee on ethics, they appear to think the public have forgotten about the sins of Haughey, Burke, Ahern, Lalor, Flynn, Callely etc all.
@Frank Cauldhame: FF are illrevelant as they and nobody associated with them took part in this murder. The crimes of Haughy Aherne Burke etc don’t compare to taking a man murdering him and dumping his body.
SF supporters excuse their associates horrific deeds with a simple look somebody else done something bad too.
Brushing aside barbarity is a SF standard
@Chris Mc: Or maybe Chris, what they are saying is not look away at someone else, but are asking you to ALSO look at others if you are genuine about conflict resolution.
what I find amazing about this particular regurgitation debate, in the wake of the Downing street move of last week, all the squabbling on here is by Irish people here arguing about who is holier and who are the greater sinners. God you got to hand it to the Brits – they still got it!
Surely Boris Johnson’s plans to prevent the prosecution of atrocities that occurred during the “troubles” will prevent a prosecution in this case.
@Mairtin Antaine O Conaill: But it happened in the Republic. Body dumped across the border. So prosecution would be here?
@Mairtin Antaine O Conaill: jurisdiction is important. Was the crime committed in Louth or Armagh? The Garda investigation will continue irrespective of what bojo does.
@Fr. Fintan Stack: how do you know the murder happened in the Republic?
@Karl Harty: If it gets as far as a court case I’m guessing they will know where it happened.
@Karl Harty: I don’t. The article isn’t clear. hence the question mark after my comment. Unless to are trying to insinuate something else?
@Fr. Fintan Stack: tbh i think they would probably need evidence of the murder happening in the ROI which at this point you would imagine is hard to obtain? I would imagine they could only be tried for abduction in Ireland but i am no lawyer that is only my guess. If there is any lawyers see this thread be interesting to hear their take on it.
The missing Schull gate, Tom Oliver’s blue cortina & mobile phones from FF are all ‘resting’ in a cavern somewhere!
@Emer Caffrey: Schull gate eas fisposed of by Forensic Science Ireland. Thatvwas reported widely in the news
@joebloggs: your truth is getting in the way of conspiracy theory
Well done Darragh and all the team. Hopefully BJ in London will be forced to stop the statue of limitations.
@Maurice Frazer: —–Just hope that the evil brutal murderers are caught.
—–Indeed there’s a strong possibility that if the murders are caught and convicted they will get a standing ovation at the Ard Fheis of a certain political party
All the sinn fein voters put their heads in bog(where they put many bodies)
@Dan Duggan: watch them go silent for a while on the SCC and then get vocal about good republicans and all that lark.
@Tom Ripley: same old story, Tom..the Spud Murphy defence
Wasn’t steak knife involved in setting Tom Oliver up so he’s own cover Wasn’t blown? cowards the lot of them.
And. The car went missing from a garda station excuse me for being cynical but I won’t hold my breath for a result
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