THE trial of Stephen McKinney has heard him repeatedly deny any role in her death during police interviews and when asked directly if he plan, replied: “I didn’t kill my wife. I did not put Lu Na in the water.”
He also rejected taking a last photograph of her asleep on the boat for his memories, instead assisting it was because: “She is beautiful.”
Aged 44 and from Castletown Square, Fintona but previously of Convoy, Donegal McKinney is accused of murdering his wife on 13 April 2017, during a family trip on a hired cruiser on Lough Erne.
Now in its tenth week, in recent days the court was shown CCTV footage from a camera positioned outside the relative’s room of the South West Acute Hospital, where the couple’s children were waiting with police officers.
McKinney had just been told his wife had passed away and was offered time with her. The footage showed him in the corridor leaning toward the wall, with his head buried in his arms. He is seen in the footage to remove his glasses, wipe his eyes and move toward the relative’s room.
A series of internet communications between the couple were read out in court, some of which was sexually graphic. They discussed their marriage and possible divorce while McKinney spoke of a sexual encounter with another woman.
Evidence then moved to McKinney’s first interview after his arrest on suspicion of Lu Na’s murder, in which he talked about preparations for their trip and how they had been instructed in how to use the boat and wear lifejackets.
In his second interview, McKinney enquired: “Why am I being charged with murder? This is my wife.”
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