The Irishwoman extradited from South Africa on suspicion of the murder of two friends in County Cavan is to stand trial next year.
Ruth Lawrence who is originally from Clontarf, is accused of the murder of Anthony Keegan and Eoin O'Connor, who were found in plastic sheeting on Inchicup Island on Lough Sheelin, County Cavan on May 26, 2014. Mr O'Connor, who was 32 and 33-year-old Mr Keegan went missing after Eoin O'Connor borrowed his mother's car to travel to Ballyjamesduff in Co Cavan.
When he failed to return home from the trip, his family raised the alarm, leading to appeals for information and searches of areas in Co Cavan by the families and friends of both men. Their bodies were found after a fisherman on the lake identified a smell coming from the tiny island. They had both been shot and their bodies wrapped in tarpaulin.
In May this year 42-year-old Ruth Lawrence was arrested at Dublin Airport following her extradition from South Africa.
Today, a judge at the Central Criminal Court, scheduled a trial date of October 7th 2024 after hearing the matter is expected to last three weeks. At their June 2014 funeral, mourners were told that the two men had been "inseparable" friends.
The alleged former partner of Ms Lawrence, South African national Neville van der Westhuizen (41), is also facing extradition to Ireland over the murders. However, he is currently serving a 15-year sentence in South Africa for a separate offence. Last month, van der Westhuizen told his extradition hearing in Durban that he feared he would be executed if he were to be surrendered and imprisoned in Ireland.
