Man accused of murder told Gardaí: ‘I knew straight away I would get the blame’
The trial into the death of John ‘King’ O’Connor continued at Waterford Central Criminal Court.
The trial into the death of John ‘King’ O’Connor continued on Thursday, May 5, at Waterford Central Criminal Court.
Wayne Roche (35), of Dominic Place, Waterford, stands accused of murdering Mr O’Connor on a date between December 30–31, 2024, at 17 Cluain Fada, New Ross, Co. Wexford. He is pleading not guilty.
On Thursday, May 7, the jury heard evidence from a number of witnesses who observed the accused between the dates of December 31, 2024, and January 1, 2025.
In an interview with Gardaí, Roche claimed that he tried to find help for Mr O’Connor after observing him in an unresponsive state in his flat on the morning of December 31, 2024.
The jury also heard a voice memo made by Roche on the night of December 30 in which he made a violent threat towards another man.
The jury heard two voice notes made by Roche on the night of December 30. The first note was sent to a man who was understood to have lived in Mr O’Connor’s flat for a time. In the message, Roche threatens the man with violence and instructs him to return a gaming console to his ‘father-in-law’.
Roche said: “I’m going to cut you ear from ear. No one disrespects King in this town, or Chloe. If that Xbox isn’t back I’m gonna put you in a box or even worse; I’m going to put acid on you.”
In a separate voice note, Roche left a message for his mother, saying in a slurred voice that he was at John O’Connor’s home.
The data was recovered from Roche’s phone using XRY and Cellebrite software.
On Wednesday, January 1, and Thursday, January 2, 2025, Roche was interviewed at New Ross Garda Station on five separate occasions. Detective Garda Darren Lyons was present throughout the five interviews. Gardaí interviewed Roche about his relationship with the deceased man and his actions on the night of Monday, December 30. Roche told Gardaí that he was close friends with Mr O’Connor and had known him for seven years. Roche had been in a relationship with John’s daughter Chloe for five years. On the night of December 30, Roche and Mr O’Connor were celebrating the news of Chloe’s pregnancy. During the evening, Mr O’Connor gave Roche €150 ‘for the baby’, according to Roche.
The accused described waking up on Tuesday morning, December 31, at 17 Cluain Fada and seeing John O’Connor lying face down in the sitting room. Roche told Gardaí that he moved Mr O’Connor onto his back and saw blood in his mouth. He described the body as cold to the touch but thought that was due to the lack of heat in the room.
Roche said: “I was going to put him in a taxi and bring him to the hospital.”
Roche said that he intended to call an ambulance for Mr O’Connor but decided against it, saying: “I thought he (John O’Connor) wouldn’t want an ambulance.”
Roche claimed to Gardaí that he tried to get help for Mr O’Connor but didn't want to call Gardaí because of ‘anxiety’. He said: “I got a big shock. I didn’t want to be there when Chloe came.
“I thought he was cold because there was no heating. I didn’t think he was dead. I would never hurt John.”
Gardaí asked why he never told any witnesses about John O’Connor and his serious injuries while he was looking for a taxi. Roche said that he had panicked out of fear that he would be blamed: “I knew straight away I would get the blame.”
During the interview, Roche spoke highly of the deceased, calling him a "lovely man" with a "heart of gold".
He said: “He took me in when I had nowhere else to go. He was very accepting of me because I had my problems too.
“I’d rather it was one of my family that died. He was like my family.”
On the morning of Thursday, January 2, 2025, Detective Garda Conor Walsh formally arrested Roche on suspicion of murder. Upon being charged, Roche replied: “I didn’t murder anyone.”
Dr Tadgh Moriarty gave evidence earlier in the day about Roche’s admission to University Hospital Waterford (UHW). Dr Moriarty was the on-duty consultant on the day of December 31, 2024, and treated Roche in the presence of security officers and Gardaí. Dr Moriarty noted that Roche was in a "highly distressed" state, with injuries on his neck, face and leg that required medical attention.
According to the doctor, Roche pulled out sutures from his own neck, shortly after they had been sewn. Roche declined to take any antibiotics or undergo a CT scan but later received morphine intravenously and an internasal dose of fentanyl.
Medical staff were made aware that Roche had ingested benzodiazepine and alcohol the night before. Mr Moriarty stated on the stand that both substances act as a Central Nervous System (CNS) depressant and when taken together can act as a sedative.
Defence counsel John Byrne SC asked about the potency of fentanyl compared to morphine. Mr Moriarty explained that both substances were from the ‘opiate family’.
The trial continues.
