DETAILS of the mysterious deaths of serial con-woman Julia Holmes and her Limerick partner Thomas Ruttle are expected to emerge at an inquest in Newcastle West this Monday.
Julia Holmes, who adopted a number of aliases in the course of her life, died alongside Limerick bee-keeper Thomas Ruttle at his family home at Boolaglass outside Askeaton on May 18, 2015.
Their badly decomposed bodies were found by burglars who had broken in to the house which they believed was abandoned.
Thomas Ruttle (56) and Julia Holmes or Julia McKitterick, (63) had not been seen for a number of weeks prior to the grim discovery. Pressure had been mounting on Ms Holmes who was being sought by police after a number of her cons were exposed.
The PSNI from Northern Ireland were looking to arrest her after she failed to turn up at a court hearing over an £18,000 theft allegation.
A native of Tyrone, Ms Holmes abandoned her young son when she emigrated to Canada and the US where she was jailed over $500,000 fraud. She had been married to a Texan business man despite being still married to her first husband in Northern Ireland.
She was also accused of fraudulent activity in Australia before she linked up with Thomas Ruttle, a well respected and unsuspecting farmer from County Limerick
When they moved into the roadside farm property at Boolaglass, Ms Holmes failed to pay a local builder €50,000 for extensive renovations on the two storey house.
Thomas Ruttle was buried at the family plot in Askeaton but his partner’s body was cremated in Cork after it remained unclaimed for a number of weeks.
Next Monday afternoon, the final chapter in Julia Holmes’ remarkable life will be heard at the inquest into the couple’s deaths.
Statements had been taken from the men convicted of the burglary at Boolaglass but it is unlikely that they will be called to give evidence of their shocking discovery.
The burglars contacted Gardaí after they found the bodies so as to distance themselves from the deaths.
Deputy Coroner for West Limerick Antoinette Simon BL, will preside over the inquest which is to be held at Newcastle West courthouse.
State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy is expected to give evidence as well as a number of Gardaí who were dispatched to the scene.
