Accrington murder victim to be laid to rest at last (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Accrington murder victim to be laid to rest at last

8:30pm Thursday 24th January 2013 in Hyndburn By Vanessa Cornall, Crime reporter

THE funeral of a murdered Accrington businessman found in a shallow grave in the Ribble Valley will take place on Friday.

David Guilfoyle, 37, was killed by Shane Fitzpatrick in a fit of rage after he discovered he was dating his ex-wife in May 2005.

Despite an extensive police investigation, his body was not found until December last year when Fitzpatrick asked for police to visit him in prison so he could lead them to the body.

More than 50 officers, army and forensic archaeologists searched for Mr Guilfoyle’s body for a week in wood-land in Bolton-by-Bowland.

His family will now lay him to rest at Accrington Cemetery following a service at the chapel at 1.40pm.

His daughter, Samantha Feeley, 22, paid tribute to ‘a great man and loving father’.

She said: “After a number of hard years, it is with some relief that I can finally lay my dad to rest knowing he will be at peace.

“For all of his family, friends, and acquaintances, I hope that anyone impacted by his loss can take comfort with the knowledge that the uncertainty is over and we can look forward to remembering a great man and loving father.

“I would like to thank Lancashire Police for all their dedicated work and support throughout.”

Fitzpatrick, a 42-year-old former Burnley printer from Hapton, was jailed for at least 20 years in 2006.

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