Shooting victim’s relatives pay tribute to suspected murderer Cornelius Price

Price, who had been linked to four murders here, died in a Welsh hospital last month where he had been in a coma since 2021.

His funeral is expected to take place in Rochdale, north west England, tomorrow, Monday.

Some relatives of Whitehouse, who was shot dead in north Dublin in 2014, were among those at a tribute to Price near his compound in Co. Meath this week.

Footage appeared on a TikTok video showing people gathered by the roadsidewith flags and banners paying tribute to the gangster ahead of his funeral. They claimed his remains were back in Ireland before it was confirmed his funeral will actually take place in the UK.

One sign – reading ‘back to home turf’ – can be seen on social media surrounded by balloons and floral tributes, while a tricolour depicts the words, ‘beloved uncle rest in peace.’​

A man who is closely associated to slain Whitehouse previously lived at the compound owned by Price in Gormanstown, now believed to be derelict.

In August 2020, this man was one of three arrested by gardaí investigating the double murder of Willie Maughan and his pregnant girlfriend Ana Varslavane, for which Price’s gang have been blamed.

A source told us at the time that the arrested man “lived the life of a slave” in Price’s compound despite the fact that Price’s gang are the chief suspects for the murder of his pal Benny.

Mr Whitehouse was shot dead at Clonard Street, Balbriggan, on September 25, 2014 in front of his partner in an unsolved murder.

Meanwhile, hopes are high the death of gang boss Price will see a breakthrough in the murders of William Maughan and Ana Varslavane.

A dozen people are believed to know of the double murder of the couple who were last seen at Price’s compound in 2015.

“There are people out there who kept their mouths shut because of their fear of Cornelius Price, now he’s gone,” said a source.

“The murder of that young girl and her unborn child has to weigh on someone’s conscience. It’s matter of time.”

This week a person claiming to be his daughter told the Sunday World there was “no proof” Price was involved in the couple’s disappearance.

Despite the couple’s disappearance being classified as a double murder by gardaí, theories being forward by Price’s supporters claimed Willie and Ana may have gone to live in Spain.

The Price-Maguire gang were named in a Criminal Assets Bureau case last year as the suspects being the double killing.

In the CAB case against Price’s criminal associates, Owen and Brendan Maguire, the gang was named in an affidavit as controlling the drugs trade in the north-east of the country.

Price, also known as Naily Boy and Nellie, had been in a coma since late 2021 when he contracted limbic encephalitis, a disease which causes brain swelling.

At the time of his death Price was on bail for his part in the brutal kidnap and extortion against two men for which Limerick mobster Ger Dundon has been convicted.

Maughan’s father Joe who has campaigned for justice for his son and girlfriend told the Sunday World last week: “William wasn’t the perfect apple on the tree, but he was no murderer.”

He said people who were in Price’s compound in Gormanstown where his son lived know the truth.

“Only they know the truth. They were murdered in their yard and they witnessed it and they were involved in the cleaning up of it. It is as simple as that.”

So far five people have been arrested and questioned over the double murder although charges have yet to follow.