The Audible podcast presentation "West Cork" covers more material. But it is also all over the place, interviewing so many witnesses at length that it can be confusing. It was good though. After listening to accounts for hours, I finally had to stop and take notes to sort out the presentation in my mind. In so doing, I was surprised to note that Ian Bailey confessed to killing Sophie about 7 different times. Screaming and crying sometimes, cold as ice at others. What a freak. For each confession, Bailey made excuses later--he was being sarcastic, he was drunk, he was joking etc. Ha-ha.
However, it was good to see this documentary film, good to see the witnesses rather than just hear the witnesses, but it does not include the evidenciary material that the podcast did.
After listening, watching, and reading articles online, esp. in the Irish Times, it's a no-brainer.
The murder is solved, the French Court, a different system than the U.K, Ireland, or the U.S., convicted Ian Bailey in a routine way. That means it's a solved murder. And, the Irish Guards gathered a mountain of evidence to make that conviction possible, which the French court used, adding some of it's own investigatory work to the mix.
But the Guards work is what solved the crime. For example, the Guards immediately started investigating 53 men, all local because the crime was in such a remote place, only the locals knew it's location. Many locals got lost traveling to the location later. They Guards immediately eliminated all women suspects because none were strong enough to do the crime. For example, a huge concrete block was hurled at Sophie's head, crushing her skull. Her face was so battered it was clear she was attacked with great force. The Guards interviewed and investigated 52 male persons of interest.
They were left with only 1 man who had means, motive, opportunity, who lived nearby, who had scratches identical to the victimes, who constinuously confessed to the murder and later retracked his confessions, who is to this day obcessed with it, and who burned a mattress, bedding, and clothing including boots later the same morning. Who burns beds and clothing on Christmas morning? Who burns large leather boots?
Murders clean up their crimes asap, or their less insane sobbered up partners do it for them. I guess we all picture in our minds that Ian came home drunk, raving mad and bloody and collasped on their bed, contaminating it with Sophie's blood. That is why the mattress was soon dragged outside and burned. That was Jules's impulse.
Both Ian and Jules lied about Ian's alibi at first and later retracted it. He was gone from their bedroom in the middle of the night. No alibi. He roamed around the windswept landscape in the middle of the night. Truely a crazy man. Ian and Jules are not forthright poeple. Seeminly, they would rather lie than tell the truth.
I read recenly online that Jules has finally asked Ian to move out. We'll see it that takes. Jules wants her children to visit her again, so she is kicking Ian out. She waited, she said, many years because she didn't want anyone to think Ian did it. Yes, true, it will be bad for Jules for Ian to be found guilty of the murder. Jules being an accessory after the murder is protecting herself now.