Gary Anderson, 29, jailed for life in 2023 for the murder of Karol Kelly, has been arrested in Buncrana, County Donegal, after failing to return from temporary release for his father's funeral on 14 September. An Garda Síochána made the arrest as part of a planned operation and he is being detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. The PSNI thanked the public and Garda officers for their assistance and is working with Irish authorities to return Anderson to custody. The victim's family say they feel "let down" and Justice Minister Naomi Long will meet them this week.
Convicted Killer Arrested in Donegal After Absconding From Father's Funeral
Gary Anderson is serving a 15-year sentence for the murder of Karol Kelly [PSNI Handout]
A man convicted of murder who had been unlawfully at large for more than a week has been arrested in the Republic of Ireland.
Gary Anderson, 29, who was jailed for life in 2023 alongside his brother for the murder of Karol Kelly in Londonderry, was on temporary release from prison to attend his father's funeral when he failed to return to custody on 14 September.
Anderson was last seen in the Eastway area of Derry before disappearing. On Wednesday, An Garda Síochána arrested him at a property in the town of Buncrana, County Donegal.
Arrest and Detention
An Garda Síochána said the arrest was made as "part of a planned operation" and that the man, described as being in his 20s, is being detained under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a station in the Garda North Western Region.
Buncrana lies roughly a 30-minute drive from the border with Northern Ireland and is a town frequently visited by people from the north-west of Northern Ireland.
Police Response and Next Steps
Detective Inspector Gareth Lavery of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) thanked the public for their assistance following a public appeal and said officers "conducted extensive enquiries during this investigation to locate Gary Anderson." He also expressed gratitude to An Garda Síochána for their role in securing the arrest.
PSNI said it is working with the relevant authorities in the Republic of Ireland to return Anderson to custody and that further updates will be provided in due course.
Family Reaction and Political Response
Karol Kelly's sister said the family felt "let down" by the justice system following Anderson's disappearance.
Justice Minister Naomi Long is due to meet members of the family later this week.
The arrest ends a period of more than a week in which a convicted killer was at large after temporarily leaving prison for a funeral. Authorities from both jurisdictions remain in contact to finalise the transfer back to custody and to complete outstanding enquiries.
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