Mustering all her courage to leave her terrifying husband, Dolores McCrea’s life with her 4 daughters turned to a much brighter new chapter. But that joy did not last long before a horrific tragedy struck. The truth, once uncovered, left Ireland in shock.
The Terrifying Husband
Dolores McCrea was a devoted mother who loved and cared for her children wholeheartedly. She worked in a bar in County Donegal, Ireland. In 1984, she met Gary McCrea at a dance. They were both attracted to each other and quickly started dating. Soon after, they moved in together and had 4 children in succession, though they did not officially get married until 1989.
However, it was not a happy marriage. Gary McCrea was a controlling husband who made life miserable for Dolores and the children.
Gary was extremely jealous, interrogating Dolores whenever she returned from being out. He constantly monitored her every move, always assuming she had been with other men. Their children said they often heard their father call their mother derogatory names.
In addition to mental torture, Gary also physically abused Dolores. Her body was almost always covered in bruises inflicted by her violent husband. The daughters also suffered the same fate, frequently beaten by their father. “We were always afraid of making mistakes because of Dad’s severe punishments. He would hit, slap, and abuse us,” recalled Sharon, their eldest daughter.
The living hell endured by Dolores and her five daughters seemed inescapable, with the woman helpless but suffering year after year.
The Mysterious Disappearance
But finally, in August 2003, Dolores found the courage to leave her terrifying husband. She took her 4 daughters to their new home, an apartment in the town of Ballintra. From then on, life for the five of them turned into a much brighter chapter.
On the cold evening of January 20, 2004, Dolores McCrea bid farewell to her daughters before leaving the house. That day, she told them she was going to practice throwing darts to prepare for a local women’s tournament. But from that moment on, this mother of four was never seen again.
When Dolores did not return the next day, her daughters became extremely worried. Sharon called and texted her mother repeatedly with no response. After searching everywhere for their mother to no avail, Dolores’ children sensed something was very wrong.
The eldest daughter eventually went to ask their father about their mother’s whereabouts. There, she saw her mother’s car. Gary then told her that Dolores had run off with another man.
The police quickly launched an investigation. When interrogated, Gary McCrea claimed that on the night she disappeared, Dolores had sold him her car. He further stated that after handing over the vehicle, Dolores had driven off in some kind of silver or white car that he could not see clearly.
Over the next few days, the police searched around Gary McCrea’s house and nearby roads. Here, they uncovered crucial evidence.
The Bone Fragments in the Ashes
According to the investigation, although Dolores took her 4 daughters away from her violent husband, she continued to be harassed and threatened by him. Gary called his wife every day, accusing her of being with another man despite having no evidence. Those familiar with Gary also revealed that this man seemed obsessed with his wife. He did not call her by her name, instead using derogatory terms.
Over the next few days, the police searched around Gary McCrea’s house and nearby roads. Here, they discovered the remains of a fire behind Gary’s home. In the ashes, the police initially found a 15cm long bone fragment and a piece that looked like part of a spine. Upon further searching, they also uncovered Dolores’ ring and other bone fragments.
One of the broken bone pieces showed direct force had been applied to the victim’s neck area. Experts believed the victim had been strangled to death. Dental records confirmed the remaining teeth from the fire belonged to Dolores.
Reviewing security camera footage, the police discovered Gary had purchased two cans of diesel fuel. This man was immediately arrested.
The Horrific Crime
Investigators believe Gary was enraged that Dolores took the children and left after years of abuse. He spent the next 9 months plotting to murder his wife, even researching methods by watching crime shows on TV.
On the day of the murder, Dolores bid farewell to her children to go practice darts for a local women’s tournament. But before going there, Dolores called her husband.
The next day, she was going to buy a new car and Gary said he would buy back her old 1997 red Peugeot 306 for £1,000. So Dolores drove back to the house they used to share together, unaware it was a trap set by Gary.
Here, Gary strangled his wife to death and then doused and burned her body in a 1.8m high pyre he had built in the backyard. Gary’s aim was to destroy all evidence of his crime. He thought by doing so, investigators would not be able to retrieve even a trace of Dolores’ DNA.
In November 2005, it took the jury only 4 hours and 37 minutes to find Gary McCrea guilty of intentional murder. He was described as a “cold, calculating killer” and ultimately sentenced to life in prison for his horrific crime.
Having lost both parents, 17-year-old Sharon had to singlehandedly care for and raise her 3 younger sisters Laura (14), Tanya (7), and Leona (5). “Not a day goes by that I don’t think about my mother and the horrific things that happened to her,” said the now 36-year-old Sharon. For a time, Sharon even suffered a breakdown and required psychological treatment. Speaking about her father, she said she has no feelings towards him at all. “Biologically, he’s my father but I’ve never seen him as one. He never gave a thought to his 4 children,” Sharon stated.
