A brutal gangland murder in Ireland has left the nation in shock following the tragic death of 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods. Kidnapped and dismembered on January 12, 2020, Keane’s final message to his mother revealed the chilling circumstances leading to his death. Caught in a violent drug feud in Drogheda, the teenager was lured to a house where he was subjected to horrific torture and ultimately killed.
Keane’s body was discovered in pieces, with his limbs found discarded in a sports bag on a footpath, while his head, hands, and feet were later located in a burnt-out car in Dublin. This heinous crime has led to a series of retaliatory attacks within the local gang landscape, including the assassination of prime suspect Robbie Lawlor, who was shot dead while attempting to collect a drug debt.
In a heartbreaking call just before his disappearance, Keane told his mother to leave out taxi money and informed her he would be home late. Reports indicate that he was working as a drug runner for a local gang and was under strict instructions to return home before dark, a rule he had been following diligently, according to the Irish Independent. At the time of his murder, Keane was on license after previously being convicted for intimidating a local mother concerning her child’s drug debts.
Lawlor’s motive for the murder appears to be linked to suspicions that Keane played a role in the death of Lawlor’s brother-in-law, Richie Carberry, in November 2019. Initially, Lawlor reportedly claimed he would only administer a “punishment beating” over a minor drug debt. However, Gardaí believe he escalated to torture, indicating a deep-rooted obsession with Keane.
A source disclosed to the Irish Sun that Lawlor was “obsessed” with Keane, convinced that he had a significant part in Carberry’s demise. This obsession manifested in extreme violence, culminating in the dismemberment of the teenager’s body and taunting of rivals about the gruesome act. Lawlor, aged 36 at the time of his death, had a long history of violence, with numerous murders attributed to him and hundreds of criminal convictions.
Just before being killed, Lawlor had been acquitted of an attempted murder charge related to a previous incident involving the mother of his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend. Following his release, he faced further violence outside a gym, allegedly linked to one of his many victims.
In the aftermath of Keane’s murder, several individuals were implicated. In February 2023, local criminal Paul Crosby was sentenced to ten years for his involvement, while his accomplice, Gerard “Rocky” Cruise, received a seven-year sentence. Additionally, Gerard ‘Ged’ McKenna confessed to disposing of evidence from the crime scene.
Keane’s mother, Elizabeth Mulready-Woods, expressed her profound grief in a victim impact statement, describing the unimaginable horror of losing her son in such a brutal manner. She stated, “No one could imagine the darkness and sadistic evil in our country. I can hear him calling ‘Mam, Mam’ – and the haunting nightmares live forever with us. To lose my child, my son, my baby in a most inhumane, barbaric death is shocking,” adding that a part of her died with him.
The murder of Keane Mulready-Woods serves as a grim reminder of the pervasive violence associated with drug-related crime in Ireland, raising concerns about the safety and welfare of youth caught in a cycle of gang activity.
