Michaela McAreavey was a 27-year-old Irish teacher and the daughter of Tyrone Gaelic football team manager Mickey Harte.
She had been the Ulster Rose at the 2004 Rose of Tralee and was known for her religious faith and abstinence from alcohol.
She married John McAreavey, a Down Gaelic footballer, on 30 December 2010 and went to Mauritius for their honeymoon.
The Murder
On 10 January 2011, Michaela and John had lunch at their hotel in Grand Gaube, the luxury Legends resort (later renamed LUX Grand Gaube).
After lunch, Michaela went to their room to get some biscuits.
Investigators believe she was attacked by intruders who were stealing from the room.
She was strangled and put into the bath with the water running.
Her body was discovered by John soon after, who tried to revive her but failed.
The Investigation
Three employees of the hotel were arrested for the murder: Avinash Treebhoowoon, Sandeep Mooneea, and Raj Theekoy.
They appeared in court on 12 January 2011.
Treebhoowoon and Mooneea were charged with murder and Theekoy with conspiracy to murder.
DNA tests were taken on the suspects.
Two other hotel workers, Dassen Narayen, and Seenarain Mungoo, were arrested later and charged with aiding and abetting a crime.
Treebhoowoon confessed to the murder while in custody but later retracted his statement, claiming he was tortured by the police.
The police denied using any brutality or coercion.
Theekoy also gave a statement implicating Treebhoowoon and Mooneea but later changed his version of events.
The Trial
The trial of Treebhoowoon and Mooneea began on 22 May 2012 at the Supreme Court of Mauritius.
Theekoy was granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for his testimony against them.
Narayen and Mungoo were not tried.
The prosecution presented evidence from witnesses, CCTV footage, phone records, fingerprints, and DNA samples to link the accused to the crime scene.
The defense challenged the credibility and reliability of the evidence, pointing out inconsistencies, contradictions, and gaps in the investigation.
They also accused the police of tampering with evidence, planting clues, and pressuring witnesses.
The trial lasted for seven weeks and attracted widespread media attention in Ireland and Mauritius.
John McAreavey testified as a key witness for the prosecution, describing his ordeal of finding his wife’s body and his grief.
He also faced cross-examination from the defense lawyers, who questioned his movements and actions on the day of the murder.
On 12 July 2012, after two hours of deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty for both defendants.
They were acquitted and released from custody amid cheers from their supporters.
The verdict was met with shock and disbelief by Michaela’s family and friends, who expressed their disappointment and anger at the justice system.
The Aftermath
The acquittal of Treebhoowoon and Mooneea left many questions unanswered about who killed Michaela McAreavey and why.
The Mauritian authorities vowed to continue their investigation and find new evidence to bring the culprits to justice.
However, no new arrests or charges have been made since then.
Michaela’s family launched a campaign to seek justice for her murder and to raise awareness about her life and legacy.
They set up a charity foundation in her name to support education projects in developing countries.
They also appealed to anyone who might have information about the case to come forward.
In 2021, a three-part documentary series titled Murder in Paradise aired on BBC Northern Ireland, revisiting the case and examining new developments.
It featured interviews with John McAreavey, Mickey Harte, Mark Harte (Michaela’s brother), former prime minister Navin Ramgoolam, attorney general Maneesh Gobin, former deputy commissioner of police Heman Jangi, Sandeep Mooneea and Avinash Treebhoowoon.
The documentary revealed that some hotel guests might hold key information about the case but have not been contacted by the police or the prosecution.
It also suggested that there might have been more than two intruders involved in the murder and that there might have been a cover-up by some hotel staff or management.
The documentary sparked renewed interest in the case and prompted calls for a fresh inquiry.
John McAreavey said he was hopeful that new evidence would emerge and that justice would be done.
He also said he had forgiven his wife’s killers and had moved on with his life.
The case of Michaela McAreavey remains unsolved and controversial, a decade after her tragic death.
It has exposed the flaws and challenges of the Mauritian legal system and the impact of tourism on the island’s society.
It has also touched the hearts and minds of many people in Ireland and beyond, who remember Michaela as a beautiful, vibrant, and inspiring woman who deserved better.
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