The unsolved mystery of the 2007 murder of a Cork pensioner, the anonymous phone call and the blue tie

The revelation came as gardaí insisted the file remained open into the brutal murder of the vulnerable pensioner that shocked Cork.

Gus was found dead in his home on November 6, 2007 – and detectives believe he was likely attacked the day before.

Detectives warned that an anonymous caller who called in with information about Gus’ murder still holds the key to solving the disturbing crime.

Gurranabraher gardaí are calling on the anonymous caller, believed to be a young man in his 20s or 30s, or anyone with information about the call to contact them.

The man called gardaí in the weeks after the murder and had information that detectives believe is crucial to their investigation.

The young man ended the call abruptly – and all attempts to trace him since have failed.

He called gardaí on an unregistered mobile phone which proved impossible to trace.

John Hornibrook, the murdered man’s cousin, has called for public support for the ongoing Garda investigation numerous times over the years.

“If anyone knows anything, please come forward. It could happen again and I wouldn’t want anyone else to have to go through what we went through,” he said.

Mr Hornibrook was found dead at his home on Templeacre Avenue in Gurranabraher, Cork, on November 6, 2007.

His body was discovered by his older brother, Robert, who became concerned for Gus’ well-being after not being seen the night before.

Gus traditionally kept his door open – and was regularly seen in the Gurranabraher area, walking to the shop and chipper every day, often stopping to feed the pigeons.

The murder of the pensioner, who lived alone and was one of Gurranabraher’s most colorful characters, shocked the entire town.

He was brutally beaten in his own home before a pillow was held over his mouth.

He was then tied up, abandoned and essentially left to die.

However, one person – a young man – who gardaí had hoped could have provided information about the murder has now died.

A coroner’s inquest found that Mr Hornibrook died as a result of being punched to the chest and neck and then restrained.

Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster said the cause of death was a combination of blunt force trauma to the chest and neck with asphyxiation, associated with severe heart disease.

Material from a pillow was found in the deceased’s mouth.

It is believed the intruder placed a pillow over the pensioner’s mouth to restrict his breathing.

A verdict of unlawful killing was handed down after gardaí said that although the case remains open, they could not establish who entered the house and attacked him.

Gardaí are also baffled as to the precise motive.

Det Sgt John Bryant of the Garda Technical Bureau said the pensioner’s body was found in a downstairs room.

There were small amounts of money in the house.

But there was no sign of a robbery or burglary.

His hands were tied with two ties.

Gus had cuts on both sides of his face, there was blood on his hands and he had suffered several fractures.

Gardaí also found a Profumo branded tie which was blue in colour. It wasn’t Gus’s and officers believe it’s connected to the killer.

In 2011 the murder was investigated by the Garda Cold Case Unit. However, it failed to identify any new leads related to the investigation or the potential identity of the killer.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Gurranabraher gardaí on (021) 4946200 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666111.