Accused Irish killer Gary McGurk claims innocence

Lee, who shared an apartment with another girl, was, according to McGurk, annoyed that her roommate was on a dating Web site.

“It annoyed Michelle. You see the Craigslist killer and you don’t want to meet people on the Internet,” he said.

McGurk said the last time he was at Lee’s apartment was Wednesday, April 22 at 2 a.m.

“She gave me more of my money back. She gave me a grand. When she died she owed me $500,” he said.

McGurk said the weekend that Lee was murdered he spent a lot of time with his girlfriend, Catherine Wells, but left her in the city about 8:45 p.m. on Saturday, April 25.

McGurk said he got home about 10 p.m., did some homework, watched soccer on ESPN, spoke to his girlfriend twice on the phone and was talking to Lee online. McGurk then left his house at 2 a.m.

“I went to Starbucks in Sunnyside. It was closed. I walked to 32nd Street and Queens Boulevard. And back to 58th Street and to Maurice Park and then along the LIE all the way to Juniper Park,” said McGurk, retracing his steps of that Saturday night.

He said police officers asked him to leave the park and he got home about 4:45 a.m.

When police asked McGurk if he went to Lee’s apartment the same night he replied, “I walked to her block and on it but I did not go in to her apartment.”

McGurk later added that he met Michelle after 2 a.m. on Saturday, April 25, “around the corner from CVS” because she was supposed to give him the remaining $500 she owed him. Lee, according to McGurk, was unable to come up with the money because she had rent and bills to pay.

McGurk said he understood. “I got to her apartment door and she said she had company and said goodnight and walked off,” he said.

Lee then apparently called McGurk on his cell at 3:56 a.m.

McGurk, who said he was inside Lee’s apartment approximately 10 times since she moved in March, said on Sunday he helped “set up radio for my father’s Gaelic soccer” and then spent the rest of he evening with his father at his uncle’s bar.

McGurk told police in April, “If I were to have done this to Michelle I would not only embarrass myself but I would also embarrass my family.

“Whatever happened to Michelle, whether it was an accident or on purpose does not matter. There is no explanation. If I did it I would deserve to be put away.”

McGurk was arrested and charged with Lee’s murder on Thursday, May 21. He was charged with one count of second-degree murder, three counts of tampering with physical evidence and two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

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Nster.com