David Lawler, a notorious sex killer and first cousin of Larry Murphy, is now experiencing unsupervised day releases from Arbour Hill prison, taking his first steps towards freedom. Lawler brutally raped and murdered civil servant Marilyn Rynn in 1995 as she made her way home from a Christmas party.

Lawler, now 60 years old, was confronted by a reporter outside a convenience store in Dublin city center after being released for a course in the capital. Refusing to comment on his first taste of freedom or apologize to Marilyn Rynn's family, Lawler also remained silent on his connection with Larry Murphy, another notorious figure.

Marilyn Rynn was raped and strangled while taking a shortcut home from a work Christmas party in 1995. She was reported missing on St Stephen's Day and her body was found in Tolka Valley Park in January 1996. Lawler, originally from Baltinglass in Co. Wicklow, was identified as the killer through DNA evidence.

Despite Lawler's attempts to evade capture by researching DNA survival in the elements, forensic evidence linked him to the crime scene. He confessed to the murder after being presented with the evidence by gardaí, stating that he killed Marilyn because she recognized him from living near her home.

Lawler pleaded guilty at his 1998 trial and was sentenced to life imprisonment. His unsupervised day releases mark a step towards potential freedom for this heinous criminal.