Lu Na McKinney murder trial hears divorce advice found in car
The trial of a man accused of murdering his wife during a boating trip on Lough Erne has heard the new owners of the victim's car found divorce advice papers in the glove compartment.
Lu Na McKinney, a mother of two, was found in the water off Devenish Island in the early hours of 13 April 2017. Her husband, Stephen McKinney, 44, of Castletown Square, Fintona, County Tyrone, denies her murder. Her death was originally treated as an accident. On Wednesday, Dungannon Crown Court heard from a man who answered an advertisement for a car for sale, which had been placed by Mr McKinney the month after Lu Na's death. The court heard that the man met Mr McKinney in a petrol station forecourt where he said he was "selling the vehicle for his wife". A price of €3500 was agreed and the man drove the vehicle home. Later that day he discovered a bundle of papers in the car's glove compartment which he handed over to Gardaí (Irish police) who later passed them to PSNI. The documents were described as "an internet computer print-out with information on getting a divorce in the Republic of Ireland". A detective constable told the court that he liaised with Gardaí who obtained various items of evidence at the request of PSNI, following a search of the McKinney's original family home in Convoy, County Donegal. Strips of a sleeping medication were located in various places in the house including a drawer in the living room and in a bedside cabinet of the master bedroom. Lu Na had taken the medication the night before her death and Mr McKinney accepts they were purchased online and not prescribed. Gardaí also seized "a sheaf of documents" on information around getting a divorce. 'Not friendly' The court also heard from a former employer and friend of Lu Na who recalled her discussing arguments she had with Mr McKinney. She said some of these arguments took place over social media and were described as "not friendly". She told the court: "They barely talked person-to-person, only text. There was no physical violence, but I think there was mental violence." Lu Na told the woman when the couple lived in China, Mr McKinney had been "disloyal". A friend of the family told the court that when Lu Na's body was returned home to Convoy, she called with Mr McKinney to express her condolences and found him "upset and tearful". She recalled him saying that the boat company were at fault as there were not enough life-jackets onboard. She said Mr McKinney mentioned compensation for the children but he wanted no part of this referring to it as "blood money". On speaking to him a few days later, the friend said she found him less upset, which she put down to shock. The trial continues.