Malcolm Daniel Edward Macarthur, now 57, has served 20 years of a life sentence for the murder of nurse Bridie Gargan. He bludgeoned her to death while she was sunbathing in Phoenix Park during a work break, apparently as part of an attempted robbery.
Three days later, he is believed to have shot Westmeath farmer Donal Dunne with his own gun, and then stole his car.
He was arrested at the home of the then Attorney General, Patrick Connolly, in Dalkey, Co Dublin, on August 4th 1982. Connolly, who was acquainted with Macarthur, was abroad at the time, and had offered him his apartment. The Attorney General resigned in the ensuing controversy. The then Taoiseach, Charles Haughey, also came under pressure.
Macarthur was charged with the murder of Bridie Gargan, but not that of Donal Dunne. At the time, the DPP issued a statement outlining why he could not explain his decisions in individual cases.
Malcolm Macarthur was born into a landed family based near Trim, Co Meath, and his parents separated when he was quite young.
He went to live with an uncle in California when he was 17, returning some years later.
He was living on the family farm when his father died in 1974, and he inherited the then considerable sum of £70,000 (€88,800), which he squandered on high living, both in Ireland and Tenerife.
During 1982 he was seen to become more erratic, and seemed to see robbery as a way of maintaining his lifestyle.