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Michaela McAreavey murder: Man re-arrested in Mauritius

The 27-year-old was killed while on her honeymoon in 2011
Jack Quann
Jack Quann

11.01 30 Mar 2022


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Michaela McAreavey murder: Man...

Michaela McAreavey murder: Man re-arrested in Mauritius

Jack Quann
Jack Quann

11.01 30 Mar 2022


Share this article


Detectives investigating the murder of Michaela McAreavey in Mauritius have re-arrested and questioned a former security guard, who was working in the hotel where she was staying.

The newlywed, who was on in her honeymoon in the since-renamed Legends Hotel, was found strangled in the bath of her hotel room in January 2011.

Detectives believe she was attacked as she returned to her room and disturbed a burglary.

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No-one has been convicted of her murder.

David Young, Ireland editor at PA Media, told The Pat Kenny Show the arrest relates to larceny charges.

"This is a gentleman called Dassen Narayen - and he was a security guard at Legends... around the time of the murder.

"After Michaela was killed he was initially arrested and he was charged with conspiracy to murder.

"That charge was later reduced to conspiracy to commit larceny.

"Those proceedings happened separately then - they pursued a different course from the trial of the two men who were accused of Michaela's murder.

"A year after those men were acquitted, the larceny charge against Dassen Narayen was actually struck out and dropped."

A door to the room Michaela McAreavey was murdered in is seen in February 2013. A door to the room where Michaela McAreavey was murdered is seen in February 2013. Picture by: Paul Briden / Alamy Stock Photo

'No breakthrough in the case'

David says Mr Narayen was re-arrested on Tuesday.

"What happened yesterday was he was arrested again, certainly according to his lawyer anyway - who I've spoken to last night.

"He was detained by Mauritian police through the day yesterday and questioned again in relation to these larceny issues."

David says at the time of her death, it was she believed she disturbed a burglary in her room.

"The theory is that she disturbed them, and this was at the time portrayed as sort of a widespread racket among some of the hotel staff.

"At the time, Narayen was charged in relation to that overall larceny/conspiracy/theft racket that was going on".

And Mr Narayen's lawyer is denying this is a breakthrough in the case.

As David explains: "He's saying the police over there are trying to claim that there has been a major breakthrough in the Michaela case.

"He is suggesting that is not true, and he's certainly saying that in terms of the questions that were asked of his client - and the interview he sat in on yesterday - that from his point of view, what he said was there was nothing new.

"The same claims, the same evidence, that was put to his client back in 2011... essentially the same claims were put to him yesterday".

Mr Narayen has since been hospitalised, owing to long-standing health issues.

Main image: Michaela McAreavey. Picture by: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo

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Dassen Narayen David Young Larceny Legends Hotel Mauritian Police Mauritius Michaela McAreavey Murder The Pat Kenny Show

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