A parish priest in Waterford has made a heartfelt public appeal to whoever is responsible for the murders of Philip and Kim English and their two sons, urging them to step forward and face justice.
Fr Gerry Chestnutt delivered the emotional address at a community vigil held in honour of the family, telling those responsible to stand up, admit what they did, and face the consequences of their actions. His words visibly moved those gathered at the vigil, with the local community still in deep shock over the killings.
The murders have shaken Waterford to its core. Philip and Kim English, along with their two young sons, were killed in what gardaí are treating as a serious murder investigation. The case has drawn widespread attention across Ireland, with people struggling to make sense of the scale of the tragedy that wiped out an entire family.
Fr Chestnutt did not hold back during his address. Speaking directly to whoever carried out the killings, he made clear that coming forward was not just a legal obligation but a moral one. His appeal was calm but firm, cutting through the grief of the evening with a direct challenge to those who know what happened.
The vigil brought together neighbours, friends, and members of the wider Waterford community who wanted to show their support and pay their respects to the English family. Candles were lit, prayers were said, and the mood was one of both sorrow and quiet anger at what had taken place.
Gardaí have confirmed that their murder investigation is ongoing. Officers are continuing to piece together the events surrounding the deaths and are appealing to anyone with information to come forward. Investigators have been working the case intensively since the bodies were discovered, and the community has been urged to assist where possible.
The loss of an entire family in a single incident is extraordinarily rare in Ireland, and the case has prompted an outpouring of grief from people far beyond Waterford. Messages of condolence have been shared widely on social media, with many expressing disbelief that something like this could happen.
Local representatives and community leaders have also spoken out, calling for anyone with even the smallest piece of information to contact gardaí. The feeling on the ground in Waterford is one of a community that wants answers and wants justice for Philip, Kim, and their boys.
Fr Chestnutt’s appeal is likely to stay with people for some time. The image of a priest standing before a grieving crowd and speaking directly to a killer, asking them to do the right thing, captured something raw about how the community is processing what happened. It was not a message of hatred but one of accountability, delivered with the kind of quiet moral authority that only comes from genuine grief.
Gardaí are asking anyone with information about the murders to contact the incident room at Waterford Garda Station or to get in touch through the confidential Garda line.