Case of six-year-old murdered in her bed revived

MURDER VICTIM: Police are re-eamining the murder of six-year-old Alicia O???Reilly in 1980.

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Who killed Alicia O’Reilly? Police are looking at new information and hope it might lead them to the killer of the Avondale six-year-old.

Alicia was raped and murdered in her bed while her older sister Juliet slept nearby in 1980.

Her case featured on the Sensing Murder TV programme earlier this week and detective inspector Stuart Allsopp-Smith says police received a number of phone calls as a result.

"We are assessing those bits of information," he says.

Mr Allsopp-Smith won’t comment on the TV show and its use of psychics but says it has helped put the case back in the public eye.

Alicia’s mother Nancye, who now lives in Ohope, hopes the programme may help police solve the crime.

But she was disappointed to hear officers saying they didn’t have the resources to pursue some of the points raised by the psychics.

"I’m extremely disappointed," she says.

"If the murder case is not closed then surely police have the duty to look into it.

She also hopes the programme will jog a few memories and prompt anyone with fresh leads to contact police.

Ms O’Reilly’s life has been marred by further tragedy since Alicia’s death

Her other daughter, Juliet, was later killed in a car crash and a third child died shortly after birth.

Ms O’Reilly now has two sons and says she’s found peace in the beachside community where she lives.

But she would still like closure and wants to see Alicia’s killer behind bars.

"Before I die it would be nice to have a name and a face to just finish things off, to bring a resolution of sorts.

"If I ever met the man there is only one question I would ask him and that would be why did you pick my house?"

Ms O’Reilly has no thoughts of retribution or revenge.

"I’m sure that the man responsible has had to live with this for most of his life."

The 55-year-old says she’s worked hard to get to where she is today.

"It’s been a lifetime quest to come terms with and accept what’s happened.

"I live as normal a life as I can."

- © Fairfax NZ News