A brutal serial killer, John Shaw, 77, originally from the Greater Manchester area, has become increasingly anxious in prison over fears that a murder case could be reopened against him. Together with his now-deceased accomplice, Geoffrey Evans, Shaw carried out horrific crimes across the Irish Sea and is currently serving a life sentence in Ireland for the murder of Mary Duffy.

Shaw confessed to also murdering Elizabeth Plunkett in August 1976 alongside Evans. However, her family claims that no one has ever been convicted for her murder. Shaw is concerned that if the Garda Commissioner decides to revisit the case, his chances for temporary release could be jeopardized.

Elizabeth Plunkett, a resident of Ringsend, Dublin, was tragically raped, strangled, and her body was tied to a lawnmower before being disposed of at sea in Brittas Bay, County Wicklow. Her remains were discovered four weeks later on Duncormick beach in County Wexford. Following a recent inquest that ruled her death as unlawful killing, her family called on Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to reopen the case and submit new findings to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Reports indicate that due to the heightened media coverage surrounding Plunkett's murder, Shaw has become 'a nervous wreck.' Currently, he is allowed temporary release for three to four days a year, spending these hours under supervision while he wanders about the city center. Yet, since the inquest, he has withdrawn from interacting with fellow inmates.

A source stated, "He knows he is unlikely to be fully released, but he cherishes these days outside. Given the renewed focus on his past crimes, Shaw is anxious that the reopening of Plunkett's case could lead to the revocation of his temporary release privileges." It has been noted that he has become increasingly reclusive since the case resurfaced in the news.

On January 23, 2025, a jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing concerning Elizabeth Plunkett at an inquest held at Gorey Courthouse, County Wexford. Following the verdict, her family expressed gratitude to the jury for restoring dignity to Elizabeth's name.

In 2023, Elizabeth's family was shocked to learn that neither Shaw nor Evans had been convicted of her murder. Following the recent inquest, family solicitor James MacGuill publicly urged the DPP to prosecute Shaw for his involvement in Plunkett's death.

Mr. MacGuill highlighted, "Elizabeth was hunted down and savagely killed by two men who, less than a month later, murdered Mary Duffy. Despite their confessions to both crimes, they were only ever convicted of Duffy's murder." The family has called for the case against Shaw to be revisited, stressing that although one accomplice has died, the other remains incarcerated in Ireland.

The inquest revealed that Shaw and Evans, recognized as the state's first serial killers, both confessed to their involvement in Elizabeth's abduction, rape, and murder. Shaw has been imprisoned since September 1976 and is likely to remain behind bars due to the severity of his crimes.