RTE viewers shared their horror last night as a documentary aired about the murder of mother-of-two Rachel Callaly - 17 years after she was brutally bludgeoned to death by her husband.
The Case I Can’t Forget aired on RTE One on Monday night at 9.30pm and is now available to watch on the RTE Player.
Joe O’Reilly battered his wife, 30, to death at their home, Lambay View, in the Naul in north Co Dublin in October 2004 and staged it as a burglary.
He then famously appeared on The Late Late Show along with Rachel’s mother, Rose Callaly, to appeal for witnesses.
Monday night's episode follows retired detective Pat Marry’s account of his three-year investigation into the traumatizing case.
He recalled finding Rachel’s body at the scene of the crime, saying: “It’s a sight I will never forget, My God, she was pulverised. Her hair was matted in blood, over her right ear there was, you could see down to her skull, it was about 5in long.
“You could see there was severe force used to inflict that, so the poor woman had no chance whatsoever, absolutely none. It was savage, cold, just unbelievable.”
After Rachel’s murder, cold-hearted O’Reilly rang his mother-in-law Rose to tell her that Rachel hadn't collected their youngest boy from the creche, leaving her to call to the house and discover her daughter's badly-beaten body in the bedroom.
The documentary also recounts how Rose had to sit next to her daughter’s killer during their Late Late Show appearance, all the while suspecting O’Reilly had killed Rachel.
Twisted killer O’Reilly however, courted the media. Viewers heard how he ‘scoffed’ down a plate of sandwiches, crisps and tea in the green room before his Late Late appearance, and then spent the night with his lover, Nikki Pelley, after the show.
Some viewers took to social media last night to share their thoughts as many praised Rachel’s parents, Rose and Jim Callaly for their 'immense courage' as they fought for justice for their daughter.
One viewer, Niamh Fitzpatrick, said: 'What a poignant documentary #TheCaseICantForget. Immense courage & dignity from Rachel Callally’s parents Rose and Jim in the face of unimaginable pain. What beautiful people they are. May Rachel rest in peace and may her family live in peace.'
Twitter user Paul Smith wrote: 'What absolute salt of the earth wonderful people Rose and Jim Callaly come across as.'
Others were horrified by the twisted and calculated actions of killer O’Reilly, calling him a ‘monster’ and a ‘psychopath’.
Andy Haran wrote on Twitter: 'That Rachel Callaly case never fails to trigger the emotions. An absolute monster of a man should never get out of jail.'
Another Twitter user wrote: 'The definition of a psychopath. Rose is a friend of the family and him leaving Rose to find her daughter's body is a special kind of evil. Hope he rots in prison.'
Joe O’Reilly was eventually convicted of his wife’s murder in July 2007, after a jury unanimously found him guilty and was handed a life sentence.
