Read more: Tragic honeymoon death of Mickey Harte's daughter
Police have confirmed that Michaela Harte, the daughter of Tyrone football manager Mickey Harte, was strangled to death on her honeymoon in Mauritius.
The Mauritian police have a list of between six and ten suspects and they are confident an arrest will be made today.
Superintendent Yoosoof Soopun said the postmortem on the newlywed found evidence of strangulations and neck compression.
A senior Mauritian police officer told BBC Radio Ulster today: “The victim fought for her life. There was a struggle in the room.”
Michaela’s husband, Down footballer John McAreavey, was in the restaurant of their hotel when the murder took place, according to Superintendent Soopun. The police believe that Michaela was the victim of a burglary attempt gone wrong.
The investigation team has established that a swipe card was used to gain access to the couple's hotel room, on the afternoon of her death.
A reporter from Mauritius told Newstalk radio in Ireland that the resorts computerized key card system recorded that Michaela’s card was used to enter her Room 1025, at 3.44pm yesterday. However the system also recorded that another swipe card had been used to access the room, just two minutes earlier, at 3.42pm.
Speaking to the Irish Times, Superintendent Soopun said: “She had gone back to the room to get some biscuits to put in her tea and, when she failed to return, her husband went to look for her…When he found her in the room, she had been killed. He tried to help her but she was already dead.
“A postmortem has showed she was strangled, she died from neck compression.”
The police confirmed that the killer had an electronic key-card to enter the room. He continued “There was no forced entry into the room…Whoever killed her definitely used an electronic card…This is being viewed with much concern by the police and government of Mauritius. We are doing everything we can to find whoever was responsible.”
Michaela was found dead in her hotel room at the Legends Hotel, Grand Gaube at 3pm (11am Irish time) on Monday. The alarm was raised by her husband, who reportedly found her lying on her back, still wearing her swimsuit.
A local news source in the Island reports that valuables had been left untouched in the couple’s hotel room.
Superintendent Soopun told TheJournal.ie that nothing had been stolen from the room: “Everything is still there – money, jewels, laptop. Nothing is missing. The murderer may have been surprised before he could take anything – we just don’t know yet.”
A spokesperson from the hotel said that staff immediately called the police, they then attempted to revive Michaela and later consoled her husband.
The newlyweds have checked into the hotel on January 8 and were not due to leave until January 16.
The spokesperson said “John is far from home, far from his family and in a country where he does not know anybody. I am just here to provide as much help as I can. This is a terrible situation. He needs support.”
Michaela’s brother Mark and a member of John’s family are expect to fly to the Indian Ocean Island today.
A flood of tributes to Michaela and family have already been made public in Ireland. A Facebook page “R.I.P. Michaela Harte” has been set up. The page features messages, photos and a like to video on RTE Sport which shows the former Rose of Tralee contestant speaking to Pat Kenny about Tyrone football and the county’s third All-Ireland win.
Michaela is survived by her husband, John, her parents Mickey and Marian and her brothers Mark, Michael and Matthew.
Read more: Tragic honeymoon death of Mickey Harte's daughter
17 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.RobbCobb | Jan 15, 2011, 02:59 PM EST
This is one of those nightmares come true. So wrong. Condolences to the families.
HoundofUlster | Jan 13, 2011, 08:36 AM EST
Tragic. Condolences to the families.
antoman | Jan 12, 2011, 11:02 AM EST
@sirpeter LOL!
sirpeter | Jan 12, 2011, 10:28 AM EST
seamusmoore..calm the passion..I'm only having a bit of fun..This place needs it..Don't worry about wounded kneecaps..last time he had ammo and loaded a gun..He shot his own knee off.
sirpeter | Jan 12, 2011, 10:18 AM EST
Woundedknee..I have a long way to go before i reach your level. They arrested three guys..no charge yet against them as far as i know..She struggled back..hmmmmm 3 guys maybe..One women..WHAM!! BAMB!! THANK YOU MAM!!.Found in the bathtub..Hmmmm..He goes mad.She finds this one is really serious,she runs to the bathroom to get away,he goes after her and pushes her into the bath where she is confined and strangles her.Place had high security as well.It's elementary my dear Watson.
seamusmoore | Jan 12, 2011, 09:58 AM EST
@sirpeter read today's INDO and you will feel quite foolish. Let me give you some unsolicited good advice from the 16th President of the USA: "Better to be quiet and thought a fool, than open your mouth and remove all doubt". My experience with GAA players is that the rougher they are on the field, the more gentleman-like they are off it. In the US, professional athletes are coddled from an early age and have a distorted sense of entitlement; that GAA players have to go back to real jobs on Monday morning might explain their humility. Sadly, you have given wounded kneecaps ammo in your little war; don't worry though, he'd paint a moustache on the Mona Lisa.
WoundedKnee | Jan 12, 2011, 05:30 AM EST
sirpeter's postings on this topic represent a new low.
sirpeter | Jan 12, 2011, 12:02 AM EST
Hmmmmm..Question is...Did they both have swipe cards? Husband and Wife enter restaurant...They order tea..Honeymoon heightens tension between couple..She says something and storms off back to the room...He gets up and slowly follows her..She swipes her card...3.42pm ..He swipes his card 3.44pm..Strangles her and goes back down to the restaurant and makes sure people see him..Everything is still there – money, jewels, laptop. Nothing is missing..Now what thief murders someone and not compleats their main mission...To steal..A thiefs mission is to steal not murder..Unlikely a thief will murder unless his life is in danger..It has to be a man..A woman is incapable of strangling unless she is Big Berta.Hmmm Sports guys are known to be highly aggressive..O.J *cough*...I'm not saying anything...Everyone is innocent,especially if the glove doesn't fit.
sirpeter | Jan 11, 2011, 10:23 PM EST
murphy66..You are right..But i hope it's wrong.Time will tell
Dublinjas | Jan 11, 2011, 09:00 PM EST
Horrendous, incredibly sad, May God help this family and comfort them during this time of terrible loss and grief for this beautiful girl. What a senseless crime.
ciarrai | Jan 11, 2011, 05:22 PM EST
To murphy66: You sound like a really nice funny guy. I hope nothing ever happens to someone you love. In the meantime, put yourself on the list for a heart because it seems you could use one where the original was supposed to be.
EileenL | Jan 11, 2011, 03:32 PM EST
Beautiful Bride and Groom ,Daddys little Girl please Sweet Jesus help the Families of both to cope with this tragedy , terrible loss indeed am shocked at this senseless killing of a loving Daughter and Wife,RIP Michaela
jacersagain | Jan 11, 2011, 03:17 PM EST
As a former GAA player and a great admirer of what Mickey Harte achieved for Tyrone, I too offer my sympathies and condolences to him and his family. This is an unspeakable tragedy for Michaela’s husband and Mickey & his family. Latest reports suggest that it was a hotel staff member who Michaela found rifling their room that killed her. May he or she meet their justice and God rest the soul of Micheala and comfort her husband and family.
CanadianPat | Jan 11, 2011, 01:41 PM EST
A nightmare, God comfort her family and all who loved her!
Sparklet | Jan 11, 2011, 01:40 PM EST
murphy66 Don't add to a man's grief by implying that the husband is guilty. Until it's proved to the contrary, this is a man who must be totally devastated. Michaela was a beautiful, bubbly girl. This is just so sad and tragic.
like2tweet | Jan 11, 2011, 12:08 PM EST
This is so sad, my heart goes out to her family and friends.
antoman | Jan 11, 2011, 09:51 AM EST
Shocking news.