Paiche Onyemaechi murder unsolved as stigma remains says advocacy group
Paiche Onyemaechi's killer has never been brought to justice.
The investigation into the murder of Paiche Onyemaechi may have been impacted by her status as a sex worker, says a leading advocacy organisation.
Paiche Unyolo Onyemaechi was living in St Herblain Park, Waterford at the time of her murder in summer 2004. Her decapitated remains were discovered by two women in Piltown on July 23, 2004.
Paiche (25) was a mother of two who originally came from Malawi. In 2003 she married her husband Chika Onyemaechi in Waterford.
After her death, her husband was interviewed by Gardaí and released without charge. Paiche was laid to rest in St. Otteran's Cemetery.
An advocacy group for sex workers' rights has highlighted how Paiche's status as a sex worker contributed to the lack of justice over her killing.
Sex Workers Alliance of Ireland (SWAI) are urging the Government to update current laws around sex work in order to protect and uphold sex workers' rights.
A statement from the group read: “There has been a lot of discussion about violence against women on this island this year. We finally got confirmation that Paiche Onyemaechi, who was killed in 2004, was a sex worker. Her case shows that even when a woman is murdered there is shame about outing her sex worker status.
"New research published this year shows that any aspect of the criminalisation of sex work harms sex workers themselves. This research also highlights that sex workers in Ireland have been ignored about the harms of the law and that, among the countries participating, sex workers in Ireland felt more stigmatised than in other countries.”
The Gardaí were contacted for comment on SWAI's statement.
In July 2024, An Garda Síochána launched a fresh appeal for information into Paiche's murder.
They urged "anyone that met, saw, or has any information in relation to the murder of Paiche, who has not yet spoken to Gardaí, to please come forward."
