Someone was seen leaving a country cottage in Mullaghoran, County Cavan, lock the front door and throw something into a nearby field. When, a few days later, it was noticed that the owner, Myles Daly, wasnt taking in his daily milk delivery, the door was forced and Mr. Daly, 87, was found dead in his kitchen with extensive head and chest injuries.
He had been killed probably with a slash hook, used with incredible and repetitive vigour. He had been a hard man to kill 27 blows were rained on him by his murderer
Police decided that the likely day of death was Saturday, July 27th, 1968. Mr. Daly, who lived alone, had spent part of his life in America and had returned to Ireland to spend his last days there in peace and tranquillity.
As was suspected, the object thrown into the field by the person who left the house was the front door key, recovered during a police search. But there were no other clues of any value.
A man was charged with the murder but at the end of a five-day trial the judge instructed the jury to find the accused not guilty, saying that too much of the evidence was neutral.