Margot's family still seek answers despite new death inquest

The mum-of-one was found dead in her Rathmines apartment in 1994, and an inquest later ruled out foul play.

However, 20 years later, Howard Kelly walked into Rathmines Garda Station and confessed to killing her in her home. Last November, he was sentenced to life in prison.

Killed

An exhumation of her body in 2014 found that some of Margot's organs were missing.

Her skull was also intact, which led the family to question whether her brain had been examined fully. A new inquest found yesterday that Ms Seery was 'unlawfully killed and met her death by murder', however her family were left with unanswered questions.

Speaking on behalf of Margot's daughter Niamh Holliday, who is now married and living in Australia, Margot's brother Pa Guinane asked a number of questions at Dublin Coroners' Court yesterday.

Mr Guinane asked for an explanation for his sister's missing organs but was told that this was undetermined following a garda investigation.

He also questioned why Kelly was not quizzed in the first investigation having been the last person to see her alive, but was told that this fact was not known at the time. Questions over Margot's skull and the first autopsy were also left unanswered despite a garda probe.

"It's disappointing that we haven't got too many answers to the questions that we have and we are wondering if we ever will. There are a lot of questions to be asked [about the original investigation into Margot's death]," Mr Guinane said afterwards, adding that there were avenues which weren't explored during the first investigation.

John Seery, Margot's husband, from whom she was separated at the time, also expressed disappointment after the hearing.

"We don't really know why leads weren't followed up," he said. "We have no answers about what happened them [the organs] and we're very disappointed about that."

Mr Guinane said that the family had not yet decided whether to follow up the case with the garda Ombudsman.

Inspector George McGeary, of Terenure Garda Station, said in a statement read out in court that Kelly informed gardai that having joined Margot in her flat after meeting while socialising, he began to feel 'uncomfortable' and strangled her with the intention of killing her.