“Widower wonders if request for upgrade played a role in wife’s murder on honeymoon”

It has been over a decade since the tragic murder of Michaela Harte McAreavey, but her husband John McAreavey has recently opened up about new heartbreaking revelations. The couple had only been married for a few days when Michaela was found strangled in their hotel room in Mauritius. Her death shook the nation and countless headlines have been written about the case. However, John McAreavey’s latest statements have brought to light new details that have left the public stunned once again. Read on to discover what John McAreavey has revealed about his beloved wife’s murder.


John McAreavey’s request for a free upgrade at the Hotel Lux in Mauritius taints his mind to this day, as he wonders if his decision could have played a role in his wife Michaela’s murder on January 10, 2011, during their honeymoon. In a new three-part BBC documentary, journalists Darragh MacIntyre and Allison Morris travel to Mauritius to investigate the unsolved case of the much-loved teacher’s death.
 
Reliving the horror moments before and after her death, John recalls how popular the hotel was with Irish honeymooners, adding that there was a degree of security in that. He always asked for an upgrade and wonders whether he could have been spared that horrific fate had he not requested one. Michaela’s brother Mark tells the documentary how loyal his sister was to her family and how John was the best thing that happened to her. Michaela’s father is GAA legend Mickey Harte.
 
Michaela was killed in the couple’s room, number 1,025 at the Hotel Lux, Grande Gaube, which was formerly called the Legends Hotel. Two men, Avinash Treebhoowon and Sandeep Moonea, were charged for the crime in 2012 but were later acquitted by a court in Mauritius after the jury unanimously acquitted both men of murder after deliberating for just over two hours. 
 
In April 2022, Moneea was taken into custody again, along with an ex-security guard, after the unsolved case was relaunched. The former hotel worker pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit larceny in relation to the McAreaveys’ hotel room, and the case against him was eventually struck out.
 
Journalist Allison Morris recalls the aftermath of the tragedy and how there was no indication at the hotel that Michaela had been killed when she checked in three days later. She says that being a crime reporter for over 20 years, she expected to find a crime scene, but there was no indication of such a thing. 
 
Murder in Paradise, which starts on BBC One NI on April 10 at 10.40 pm, is an eight-part podcast that accompanies Assume Nothing: Murder In Paradise. The series will be available on BBC iPlayer.