Michaela McAreavey (née Harte) born 31 December 1983 was murdered on 10 January 2011, while she was on honeymoon in Mauritius. She was found strangled to death in her hotel room.[1] Her death prompted international media coverage and a personal apology from Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam to her family.[2]
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Michaela McAreavey, née Michaela Harte (born 31 December 1983), was a 27-year-old Irish language teacher from Glencull (Ballygawley, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland) and the daughter of Tyrone gaelic football manager Mickey Harte.[3]
At around 15:40, on 10 January 2011, Michaela left her husband, John McAreavey, to return to her hotel room at the Legends Hotel in Grand Gaube. The weather outside in the hospitality area was hot and humid. She had left a box of chocolate covered biscuits in the refrigerator and had returned to the room to retrieve it for tea. Investigators believe she was wrestled to the ground on entering her room, and strangled. She was put into the bath tub and the water was turned on. This may have been an attempt to obfuscate the true cause of death.[4] Her body was discovered by her husband soon after.[5]
Three male Mauritian employees of the hotel were arrested for the murder: Avinash Treebhoowoon, Sandip Moneea and Raj Theekoy.[6] They appeared in court in Mauritius on 12 January 2011.[7] Treebhoowoon and Mooneea were charged with McAreavey's murder and Theeko with conspiracy to murder.[8] DNA tests were taken on the suspects.[9] Dassen Narraien,[10] and Seenarain Mungoo were arrested the following week and charged with charge of aiding and abetting a crime.[11] Narraien and Mungoo were both security officers at the hotel.[11] Mungoo was released and had all charges against him dropped on 12 February 2011.[12]
McAreavey's funeral, which took place on 17 January 2011 at the same church where she was married (St Malachy's, Ballymacilroy), less than one month before, was attended by thousands of mourners, including the President of Ireland Mary McAleese, First Minister of Northern Ireland Peter Robinson and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.[13] Mourners from both nationalist and loyalist communities paid their respects and offered condolences.[14]
The death of Michaela McAreavey attracted much media attention both in Ireland and in Britain.[15]