A former pen pal of sadistic killer Graham Dwyer says she is hoping to reconnect with him if he’s released from prison following his upcoming appeal.
The European Courts of Justice is due to make a landmark decision next month on a long running appeal by the former architect.
Dwyer is currently serving a life sentence for the brutal murder of Elaine O’Hara in August 2012.
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In what is widely regarded as the most shocking trials in the history of the state, the court heard how Dwyer had an S&M relationship with Ms O’Hara and murdered her for his own sexual gratification.
There was no murder weapon, no cause of death and no witnesses, however the prosecution presented a case based on thousands of messages between their phones.
Dwyer told his former pen pal Melissa, 25, who was studying in Dublin at the time, that he spends his days behind bars in the Midlands working on his forthcoming appeal and making music.
The killer could possibly be freed, if the ECH rules that phone evidence used in his high-profile murder trial was unconstitutional, with a ruling due on April 5.
Melissa, who became pen pals with the killer shortly after his conviction, said she still believes he is innocent and she wants to “reconnect with him if he is freed”.
Brazilian native Melissa (who did not give her surname) told the Irish Sunday Mirror: “Me and Graham were in constant contact when he was put in jail.
“He rang me nearly all the time, he was ringing and ringing. We spoke a lot. He is nice, a nice guy. We had many mutual likings and tastes.
“I was communicating to his mother too, she was very nice, a nice woman. You can understand the hurt, it was very hard for the family.
“He was nice on the phone, we talked a lot. The first few times I was nervous, he has a big profile, so he is ringing, and you feel strange, but he has a kind voice.
“I don’t believe it [that he is guilty]. The woman’s death I don’t think about it. I just don’t believe.
“He was very nice, a nice person you just know, you know when somebody is nice. Then you hear he killed someone. No, I don’t believe it.
“He wrote many times. But then we stopped. There is no reason, we maybe drifted, or time was going on ice. I know that if he comes out, we would connect again.
“We had a connection. I am not in Dublin any more. But I will watch, and I will wait and see. I will try again as I believe he will be out.
“He’s a nice person…so what if he has a sexual desire for something else, many people have this it don’t make you a bad person.”
Melissa began writing to twisted bondage killer Dwyer following his high-profile murder conviction which made headlines around the world.
She said she was surprised he wrote back because “he probably gets many letters”.
In one letter, he bragged about having “extreme sex” and joked it was like “50 Shades of Graham”.
She claims he said, “There won’t be any evidence of any crimes as I didn’t commit any. There is no evidence any crime was committed.
“Just extreme sex stuff that shocked the journalists and jury.”
Dwyer’s trial lasted two months and resulted in him being handed down a life sentence in March 2016.
The core of the prosecution case relied on data evidence between two phones, one called “The Master” and the other “Slave” which were found in a Wicklow reservoir
Dwyer’s case was one of the most gruesome trials in the history of the state with evidence that he had a sick fetish for the use of knives in bed.
Videos of him using knives in bed with a number of women, and cutting them, was shown to the jury during the trial.
The State’s appeal to the Supreme Court against a High Court decision relating to the data retention used in Dwyer’s trial was referred to the ECJ.
The case has major potential implications for the State and crime in Ireland as well as all EU member states.
The High Court had upheld Dwyer’s claim that the Irish law under which the data was held, breached EU law.
The case was appealed to the Supreme Court which has sent it to the European courts, meaning Dwyer could be set free, or face a retrial.
Meanwhile, criminal psychologist John O’Keeffe, right, has warned that Dwyer will kill again if he is freed from prison.
In a disturbing assessment of Dwyer’s state of mind he said the former architect ticked all the boxes for psychopathy and warned he would pose a danger to society. He added: “Narcissism and superficial charm? Tick Box. Grandiose sense of self-worth? Tick box. Lack of remorse or guilt? Most certainly, tick box. Manipulation? Tick box.
“Coupled with his impulsive manner, his obvious lack of responsibility and adult anti-social behaviours, Dwyer will be a clear and present social danger to those who he could meet whenever his sentence is served.” He added: “It is almost certain that Dwyer does not fight his urges in any way. If he did, he would not be in prison today.
“Dwyer will never be ‘changed’. He doesn’t just like publicity – he craves it.
“He will have a type of malignant narcissism that can only really be satisfied when he is getting attention – and lots of it.
“Dwyer has no remorse, no culpability, no care for the lives he has destroyed. At one point Dwyer told his pen pal he owed former State Pathologist Marie Cassidy “a pint” for her comments about his
trial.
Dr Cassidy came under fire after she told medical students she was not expecting the jury’s guilty verdict given there was no cause of death for Ms O’Hara.
Dwyer wrote “I will buy Dr Cassidy a pint and take you out to celebrate! He he”.
Dwyer also wrote to Melissa: “Things are moving behind the scenes here, my appeal submission is complete and coming here next week for my comments, and my High Court action is finalised, summons issued today, so there might be a bit of fuss about it soon’.
“Can’t say much about either but I am very excited, four barristers have worked on them, and they are quite optimistic (unlike them!).”
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