A tragic house fire in rural County Galway has claimed the lives of Sonia ‘Sunny’ Jacobs, a former death row inmate, and Kevin Kelly. The deadly blaze occurred early Tuesday morning at a residence in Gleann Mhic Mhuireann, near the village of Casla. Jacobs, in her 70s, was previously wrongfully convicted of murdering two police officers in Florida in 1976 and spent 17 years in prison, including five on death row. She was exonerated largely due to the recantation of a key witness, Walter Rhodes, who had implicated her and her partner, Jesse Tafero. Despite the harrowing experience, Jacobs became an advocate against the death penalty after her release and married Peter Pringle, another victim of wrongful conviction, who had been sentenced to death in Ireland.
Local authorities were alerted to the fire at around 06:20 AM, and upon arrival, they found the bodies of Jacobs and Kelly. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, with early reports suggesting that foul play is not suspected.
Jacobs and Pringle, who actively worked to support others wrongfully convicted, featured in a BBC Radio Ulster documentary titled “Exonerated” in 2017. Their work brought attention to issues surrounding wrongful convictions and capital punishment, offering hope and support to others in similar situations.
This heartbreaking incident underscores both the fragility of life and the resilience of those who have endured profound injustice. While the circumstances of the fire are still unclear, the legacy of Jacobs’ advocacy against the death penalty and her work alongside her husband continues to inspire efforts for justice and reform in the legal system.