The 42 females who have been killed in NI in the last eight years

They are aged between 23 months and 83 years, from every part of Northern Ireland, linked only by one deeply disturbing trend.

Every female featured on these pages died violently here since 2017 — and in all but one of the cases the perpetrator or chief suspect is male.

Northern Ireland is now one of the most lethal places in Europe for women.

And the problem of femicide is growing.

Since the start of 2017, 42 women and girls have died violently here.

Seven deaths have been recorded so far this year — in the previous seven year period, the toll was averaging at five a year.

Since we started work on our investigation in September, it has been updated twice, with more names added to the grim list.

A senior PSNI officer has described the deaths as “devastating”.

Detective Chief Superintendent Lindsay Fisher said police will be “relentless” in their pursuit of the perpetrators.

Our high rate of violence against women and girls is now making headlines outside of Northern Ireland.

Last week Irish TD Holly Cairns raised the matter in the Irish parliament.

She said: “Per capita, Northern Ireland is now one of the most dangerous places in Europe to be a woman.

“Violence against women is an epidemic and always has been. Our society, culture and institutions are steeped in violence against women and changing that is not easy. It is present on our streets, our workplaces and our homes.”

She asked would the Irish government examine all-island initiatives or approaches to tackle the problem.

Taoiseach Simon Harris said he would consider speaking with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly, about how the two jurisdictions could collaborate.

Earlier this month, DUP MP Carla Lockhart also raised the matter at Westminster.

She said society needs to do more than pay lip service to supporting women, in the home and in the workplace, to punish the perpetrators.

The Belfast Telegraph has compiled a list of females to die violently here since 2017.

Before we could finish, the number had increased to 42, with the killing of little Tavia Da Costa. Aged just 23 months, she died last Sunday in Dungannon — weeks before her second birthday.

Januaria Sarmento Ximenes (29), of Windmill Court in the town, who was the partner of Tavia’s mother, appeared in court charged with her murder.

And two weeks ago the PSNI launched a murder investigation after the death of Mary Ward. The 22-year-old was found dead in her home at Melrose Street, Belfast, on October 1 with wounds to her neck. Ahmed Abdirahman has been charged with murder.

Allison Morris explores the events leading to the murder of Mary Ward

Our list had begun with the murder of Anita Downey (51). The mother of three from Lurgan bled to death on the floor of partner David Lyness’s home in the early hours of January 20, 2017 — her throat had been cut.

In a victim impact statement at the time, Mrs Downey’s father Thomas Doran said: “Anita was a warm and generous person, and I couldn’t have wished for a better daughter. She was a wonderful mum to her three children.”

Lyness was sentenced to life with a minimum tariff of 18 years.

Lu Na McKinney (35) was murdered in April 2017. Her body was recovered from Lough Erne near a jetty at Devenish Island, where she and killer husband Stephen McKinney were moored on a hire cruiser with their two young children. McKinney was jailed for a minimum of 20 years for murder.

Music teacher Concepta Leonard (51) was killed at her home near Maguiresbridge in Co Fermanagh in May 2017. She was stabbed to death by ex-partner Peadar Phair before he took his own life. Her son Conor Gallagher, who lives with Down’s syndrome, was also injured in the attack.

Marjorie Cawdery was killed by a stranger. Mrs Cawdery was killed along with her husband Michael in a “frenzied attack” in their Portadown home in May 2017, both were 83. Their killer, Thomas Scott McEntee, was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia. He was sentenced to a minimum of 10 years for manslaughter.

In October 2017, Anne O’Neill (51) was found in the garden of her parents’ home at Ardmore Avenue in Finaghy. Her son, Declan Kevin O’Neill (29), an A&E doctor, attacked her with a chisel. He admitted murdering her in September 2019.

The murder of mental health nurse Jayne Toal Reat (43) on Christmas Day 2017 was a frenzied knife attack carried out by the son of her partner. Nathan Ward pleaded guilty to the murder and was sentenced to a minimum tariff of 17 years.

Her daughter Charlotte Reat suffered facial injuries in the attack and waived her anonymity after Ward also pleaded guilty to three counts of sexually assaulting her. Speaking after the trial, Charlotte said never seeing her beloved mum again “destroys” her.

“She was my best friend, my everything and I love her so much,” she said.

Three females were among the four members of the same family to die in an arson attack in Derrylin in February 2018.

Denise Pauline Gossett (45), her daughter Sabrina Gossett (19) and granddaughter Morgana Quinn (15 months) died along with her son Roman Gossett (16).

Daniel Sebastian Allen was sentenced earlier this year to a minimum 29 years in prison for three counts of murder and one of manslaughter.

Lyra McKee (29) died in April 2019 after being shot by dissident republicans during a riot in the Creggan area of Derry.

In November 2018, Good Samaritan Pauline Kilkenny (59) was stabbed 28 times at her Belcoo home in Fermanagh. Joseph Dolan was convicted of manslaughter for the “unprovoked attack” on an innocent, vulnerable woman who had tried to help Dolan in the past.

A victim impact statement from her niece described Ms Kilkenny as “the epitome of light”. “She would brighten up faces, rooms and lives” she said.

The Newry community was shocked by the double murder of Giselle Marimon-Herrera (37) and her 15-year-old daughter Allison in March 2019. The body of Russell Steele, originally from Scotland, was also discovered. He had strangled the two women before taking his own life.

An inquest heard the deaths of Ms Marimon-Herrera, from Colombia, and her daughter were “barbaric”.

Days later, another woman, Alice Morrow (53) was discovered dead in her home on the Braniel estate in east Belfast. Her partner William Stephen Hutchinson was jailed for murder.

One of the youngest victims was Nadia Zofia Kalinowska (5) who died in her family home in Newtownabbey in December 2019. She suffered over 70 injuries. Nadia’s stepfather Abdul Wahab was convicted of her murder.

Her family said afterwards: “Nadia was just a child. A child who had her young and innocent life cruelly taken away … our worlds have been shattered.”

Frances Murray (37) and her friend Joseph Dutton (47), were both beaten to death in Ms Murray’s flat in north Belfast in December 2019. Steven Arthur Andrew McBrine was convicted of manslaughter in 2022.

The Covid lockdown in early 2020 left many women vulnerable to attack.

Natasha Melendez died 11 days after being assaulted in a property in Lisburn in March 2020. John David Scott pleaded guilty to murder and three previous assaults on Ms Melendez and will be sentenced next month.

Later that month, 82-year-old Elizabeth Dobbin died in a “ferocious” attack in Larne. Alan Gingles was convicted of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.

Weeks later, in April 2020, Emma Jane McParland (39) was found fatally injured in her flat off the Ormeau Road. Her son Jordan Kennedy, was sentenced to life with a minimum of 14 years for murder.

Ms McParland’s mother Donna later said she was a “good mum and always looked after Jordan no matter what problems he had”.

In August 2020, Patrycja Wyrebek (20) was beaten and strangled by her partner Dawid Lukasz Mietus in Newry. Mietus initially tried to use “rough sex” as a defence for the murder.

In a victim impact statement her family said they had been overwhelmed by grief. “Life without her is clearly a trial for them and will be for many years to come,” a judge remarked.

One of the most notorious cases, which pushed the issue of violence against women into the wider spotlight, was the murder of Katie Simpson.

The 21-year-old showjumper died in hospital six days after being beaten at a house in Co Londonderry in August 2020.

Police initially treated her death as suicide. Jonathan Creswell, who was charged with murder, took his own life a day into the murder trial.

Her sister Rebecca recalled someone who was “a joy, a light, absolutely fearless”.

The PSNI investigation is the subject of a Police Ombudsman probe.

In August 2020, Susan Baird (60) was beaten to death with a hammer by her husband Gary Baird at their home in Belfast. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility, claiming voices in his head told him to do it.

Seven women and a two-year-old girl were murdered in 2021.

Karen McClean (50), and Stacey Knell (30), were murdered in March 2021. Their killer, Ken Flanagan, then took his own life.

The only victim to be murdered by a woman was Ludmila Poletelova. The Latvian national was living in Limavady when she was beaten to death with a hammer by her friend Svetlana Svedova, who was jailed for 16 years.

Katie Brankin (37) from Newtownabbey was stabbed by her partner Thomas Davidson at a north coast glamping site in July 2021. Davidson took his own life while on remand in prison.

The youngest victim that year was just two years old. Little Ali Jayden Doyle died from head injuries after being attacked by Darryn John Armstrong in August 2021, who admitted her murder.

Mother-of-six Katrina Rainey was killed while sitting in her car by her husband Thomas Rainey, who threw petrol over her and set her alight in October 2021. He was jailed for 18 years for the horrific murder.

Katrina was described as a “gentle, sincere, beautiful girl that made time for everyone”.

Caoimhe Morgan (30) was murdered by her ex-partner Taylor McIlvenna at her north Belfast home in December 2021. A mother of four, one of her children was found next to her badly beaten body.

Alyson Nelson (64) was stabbed seven times at her house in Whitehead, Co Antrim, in April 2022. Her ex-partner William Finlay was the first person convicted of the new offence of murder aggravated by domestic abuse.

In victim impact statements, Ms Nelson’s daughters described her as “constantly bubbling with life”

Pensioner Margaret Noone (77) was found in bed at her home in Cookstown, Co Tyrone in June 2022. Her son Barry Noone (47) pleaded guilty last month to manslaughter by diminished responsibility.

Her funeral heard how she was “a quiet unassuming lady who worked hard all her life”.

In September 2022 Hollie Thomson, who was 28, was found dead at her home. Her funeral heard tributes to a young woman with “a beautiful and unforgettable smile that radiated so much kindness and warmth”.

Chris Morelli was charged with murder and took his own life while on bail six months later.

Natalie McNally (32) was murdered in her Lurgan home in December 2022. She was 15 weeks pregnant at the time. Her partner Stephen McCullagh denies murder and is expected to stand trial next year.

In March 2023 Alesia Nazarova (37), who was found dead following a house fire in Portadown. Her 12-year-old daughter survived the attack. Her brother Kornelijus Bracas pleaded not guilty to murder in September.

In June last year 21-year-old Chloe Mitchell’s remains were found almost a week after she went missing in Ballymena. Brandon John Rainey is charged with her murder aggravated by domestic abuse.

There have been six women and a toddler murdered in 2024 to date.

The first was 34-year-old Kat Parton, who was found with serious head injuries at her home in east Belfast in May. Jamie Love (23) has been charged with murder.

In June retired teacher Patricia “Patsy” Aust was found dead at a house in Bangor. Her brother Jim Moore has been charged with her murder.

However, recent weeks have seen a worrying rise in femicide.

Sophie Watson (57) was found dead at a property in Magherafelt in August, Andrzej Pajaczkowski (43) has been charged with her murder.

Also in August, Spanish woman Montserrat Elias (65) was discovered dead in a house in Derry. Ciaran Murray (28), of Gortfoyle Place in the city, is charged with her murder.

Rachel Simpson (43) was discovered dead in the garage of her east Belfast home in September. Her 21-year-old son Nathan Simpson has been charged with murder.

Ms Ward and little Tavia Da Costa’s names complete the harrowing list.

“It’s incredibly frightening”: Queen’s University young women’s walking group on Mary Ward murder