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Teen's chilling final message to mum before he was dismembered in Drogheda gangland murder

WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT Keane Mulready-Woods was just 17 when he was kidnapped and subjected to a horrific dismemberment in a Drogheda gangland killing that sent shockwaves across Ireland

[Keane Mulready-Woods]

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Keane Mulready-Woods was just 17 when he was killed

A 17-year-old who was abducted and subjected to a harrowing dismemberment sent a chilling final text message to his mother before his brutal gangland murder.

The devastating murder of Keane Mulready-Woods in 2020 sent shockwaves through Ireland, leaving the entire nation reeling. The teenager, who had become entangled in a drugs turf war in Drogheda, was lured to a property on January 12 where he suffered horrific torture before being decapitated.

His severed limbs were thrown from a moving vehicle in a sports bag onto a pavement in Moatview. Several days later, his head, hands and feet were found in a burnt-out car in Dublin.

Keane's murder sparked a wave of retaliatory attacks, which ultimately resulted in the death of prime suspect Robbie Lawlor, who was shot dead while pursuing a drugs debt.

Before his disappearance, Keane had been in touch with his mother, letting her know he would be home late and asking her to leave taxi fare out for him.

[Keane Mulready-Woods]

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Keane Mulready-Woods has sent one last message to his mum

Keane, who had become involved in ferrying drugs for a local criminal gang, was under strict instructions to return before dark and had been complying with these rules, according to the Irish Independent.

At the time of his death, he was out on licence following a conviction for intimidating a local mother over her child's drugs debts owed to the gang.

It is believed that Lawlor murdered Keane because he suspected the teenager had played a part in the fatal shooting of his brother-in-law Richie Carberry at his home in November 2019. Garda believe Lawlor escalated to torturing the teenager, despite initially claiming he would simply carry out a "punishment beating" over a minor drugs debt.

A source said: "Lawlor was obsessed with Mulready-Woods and was determined to take his life because he was convinced he played a major role in Carberry's death.

[Keane Mulready-Woods]

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Keane's murder sent shockwaves through Ireland(Image: PA)

"He took his propensity for violence to another level when he dismembered the teenager's remains and then taunted his enemies about it."

The merciless 36-year-old had been linked to multiple killings and accumulated hundreds of criminal convictions before his fatal shooting.

Last December, he left court a free man after being acquitted of attempting to murder the mother of his former partner's new boyfriend.

Just weeks following his acquittal on the attempted murder charge, he was assaulted outside a gym by an associate of one of his alleged murder victims.

Lawlor's gym possessions were confiscated and his adversaries posted photographs of themselves wearing his flip-flops.

[Robbie Lawlor]

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Robbie Lawlor(Image: Handout)

It is widely understood that Keane was present during the attack and an incensed Lawlor allegedly vowed retribution.

Amongst the images circulated following Keane's murder was one bearing the chilling caption: "Won't be robbing a man's flip-flops again."

In February 2023, local criminal Paul Crosby was handed a 10-year prison sentence for his role in Keane's murder, while his associate Gerard "Rocky" Cruise received seven years behind bars. A third man, Gerard 'Ged' McKenna, confessed to clearing up and destroying evidence at the scene.

In a deeply distressing victim impact statement delivered on behalf of Keane's heartbroken mother Elizabeth, she said: "No one could imagine the darkness and sadistic evil in our country I can hear him calling 'Mam, Mam' - and the haunting nightmares live forever with us. To lose my child, my son, my baby in a most inhumane, barbaric death is shocking," adding that a piece of her died as well. "I couldn't protect him."

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