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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Abigail O'Leary

Evil triple killer watched Die Hard movie as he murdered his three-week-old daughter

A killer confessed to police he had been watching Die Hard as he murdered his three-week-old daughter while she slept in her Moses basket.

Jordan Monaghan brazenly told cops he watched the Bruce Willis classic while Ruby slept next to him on New Year's Day before smothering her.

His chilling confession came upon his arrest six years after Ruby's death.

In footage to be aired in a documentary, Monaghan can also be seen protesting as officers put him in a police van to take him to the station.

The triple killer went on to be convicted of murdering Ruby's 21-month-old brother Logan months later, as well as poisoning his partner Evie Adams in 2019.

He is currently serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 48 years, as well as the attempted murder of a third child who can't be identified for legal reasons.

Monaghan had first been questioned by police in relation to the death of his children in August 2013 - but was released.

Jordan Monaghan brazenly told cops he watched the Bruce Willis classic while Ruby slept next to him on New Year's Day before smothering her (PA)
Monaghan went on to also smother Ruby's brother Logan (PA)

In January 2019 he was rearrested on suspicion of their murders but placed on bail which allowed him to kill his girlfriend in November that year - he was not officially charged with any of the killings until January 2021.

Monaghan, a manipulative and controlling gambling addict, was not present as the guilty verdicts were delivered by the jury foreman on Friday morning, following six days of deliberations after a 10-week trial at Preston Crown Court.

After being brought from prison on the judge's orders, he sat in the dock expressionless and showing no emotion.

The 'cruel and selfish' 30-year-old, had lapped up sympathy and media attention after their sudden deaths - but he had secretly obstructed the airways of both his helpless children in separate murders in January and August, 2013, in Blackburn.

After further information came to light, police reviewed the deaths of Ruby, aged 24 days at the family home in Blackburn, and Logan, aged 21 months, at Waves waterpark in Blackburn, and Monaghan was arrested in 2018.

Sentencing Monaghan in 2021, Mr Justice Goose, said: "It is difficult to imagine why you carried out these offences but having listened to the evidence in this trial I am sure you are an extremely controlling, selfish and cruel man.

Monaghan also went on to fatally poison Evie Adam (PA)
During the 10-week trial the court heard that Monaghan killed because he couldn't bear rejection from his partners (PA)

"A striking feature in these offences is that you carried them out covertly and secretively in the home you lived in with the mother of those children and with Evie Adams."

The judge added: "The trigger to these offences were your volatile relationships.

"The consequences were the snuffing out of the lives of two very young children and a young woman."

Speaking of Ruby, the judge added: "Her life had barely started and you extinguished it."

During the 10-week trial the court heard that Monaghan killed because he couldn't bear rejection from his partners.

In the weeks before Miss Adams' death, messages heard in court revealed that Monaghan had warned her he wouldn't "put up" with her dumping him.

She was found dead in the home they shared with other members of her family, with an intoxicating mix of diazepam and tramadol in her system.

Further messages showed Monaghan had purchased the prescription drugs illegally from the black market, but had initially lied to officers about this and denied any involvement with his girlfriend's death.

The Killer In My Home: A Deadliest Mums & Dads Special is available to stream from Saturday 1st April exclusively on discovery+

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