Disturbing new allegations about what illegal immigrant member of 'Irish traveler conman gang' did to recently widowed Vietnam vet, 75, who is accused of shooting him dead

By JOE HUTCHISON, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 22:51, 15 July 2026 | Updated: 22:52, 15 July 2026 A recently widowed Vietnam veteran accused of murdering an illegal immigrant working on his home was told to pay up a vast sum of cash and endured mysterious damage to his property before the killing, it is claimed.  Retired firefighter George Barr, 75, was charged with the murder of Salis Hanrahan, an Englishman of Irish traveler descent, at his Philadelphia property last Wednesday. Neighbors of Barr, whose 62-year-old wife Angela died last year, told the Daily Mail he had been charged a $5,000 down payment by Hanrahan, 20, and other members of a construction team to install new vinyl siding panels on his home.  The Department of Homeland Security said Hanrahan was a member of a 'traveling conman fraud group' recognized as a criminal organization by the FBI.  Hanrahan is then said to have continually demanded further sums of cash from Barr, with the roof of the elderly grandfather's property suffering unexplained damage as tensions escalated. A neighbor explained: 'My mom was his friend and we are watching [Barr's] dog. Days before [the shooting] he was complaining that he paid $5,000 as a down payment and every day after that they were asking for more money. Salis Hanrahan, above with his wife Roseann, was shot dead in Philadelphia last Wednesday. The 20-year-old member of the Irish traveling community, who hailed from Essex, was in the US illegally and was accused by government officials of being a conman. Roseann was at home in England and is in no way linked to the allegations made against her late husband  Police say George Barr, 75, allegedly shot Hanrahan dead at his home after being asked to pay $70,000 for new vinyl siding around the outside of the property, which had also suffered mysterious damage to its roof   'He called his brother a couple days ago saying [the workers] put a hole in his roof, his brother told him to get them off the property and I guess that is when the dispute happened. 'He has lived here for 45 years, no issues with anybody. He is a great guy. He lost his wife about a year ago. He's nice.' Police sources told local outlet KYW that Hanrahan, who was from Essex in England, had demanded $70,000 for the work he and his team had done on Barr's $258,000 property. That is considerably more than the approximate $16,000 cost of covering a 1,200sq ft home like Barr's in vinyl siding, according to data from Modernize. A Justice Department press release warned Americans that the 'Traveling Conman Fraud Gang' offers a low initial estimate for building work, then begins to demand more cash once an unsuspecting homeowner has agreed to hire them.  Gang members, usually of English and Irish descent, will often perform unnecessary work or work that is of poor quality, according to the DoJ. After spotting the hole in his roof, Barr is said to have asked a relative for advice, with that family member telling him to order Hanrahan and his fellow construction workers off his property. A final, fatal confrontation between the two men then allegedly ensued. Barr's home on Wednesday, its vinyl siding still unfinished after the shooting a week earlier Barr, who lost his wife Angela last year, is said to have been a deeply private man who did not like letting strangers into his home  Barr gunned down the father-of-one with a rifle that had a bayonet attached to the end of it inside his home, police sources told KYW. Hanrahan stumbled out onto the street and bled to death on the sidewalk as paramedics tried unsuccessfully to revive him.  One neighbor told the Daily Mail he initially thought that Hanrahan had suffered a nail gun accident and that he was bleeding from his mouth. He also expressed shock at Barr's alleged involvement, calling him 'a great guy who never did anyone any harm.'  Multiple other locals said they were standing by Barr in the wake of his arrest.   Neighbors told the Daily Mail that Barr took his dog for a walk after allegedly shooting Hanrahan and that he was arrested by police as he returned to his home.  One local who did not want to be named said they were perturbed to hear that Barr had let Hanrahan and other construction workers into his home, as he was known to be extremely private.  A white Chevrolet Silverado truck said to have belonged to Hanrahan remains parked on the street where he was killed one week on Hanrahan with Roseann on their wedding day. She has been left distraught by her husband's sudden killing   They said: 'I know he keeps to himself and doesn't really let anybody inside his house, so it was weird to hear a man entered his home. A dispute happened, I arrived minutes after and paramedics were on the scene already. 'He left the scene and took his dog for a walk, and I think that's what made him a felon. He left the scene to take his dog for a walk. He came back, they took his dog off him and put him in the back of a squad car.' The neighbor also alleged that Hanrahan's co-workers, who have not been identified, continued to work at the site as he lay dying in a pool of blood.   'When I pulled up, there were guys still doing work. Like his employees. I am like, 'Why are they not worried about their boss?' It all didn't add up and it looked shady from the jump.' On Wednesday, a white Chevrolet Silverado truck that locals said belonged to Hanrahan remained parked outside Barr's home. Hanrahan was in the United States illegally, having been denied a visa over his links to an organized crime gang. Above, with his young daughter The vehicle was unlocked, with a key in its ignition. Its continued presence has unsettled neighbors by serving as a reminder of the violent outburst that rocked their normally quiet street last week.   A stack of papers left on the dashboard of the battered pickup included a flier for a construction company. Its website features at least one spelling mistake. When the Daily Mail called a phone number listed on the flier, it went straight to voicemail.  At Barr's house on Wednesday, half-finished siding offered an unpleasant reminder of the recent killing at the property. Workers at the nearby Barry's Steaks & Hoagies said Barr would regularly walk his dog past the store and that he was an occasional customer.  Barr was arraigned on charges of murder, possession of an instrument of crime and recklessly endangering another person last Friday. It is unclear if he entered a plea.  Across the Atlantic Ocean in England, Hanrahan's loved ones are mourning his sudden and shocking death. His wife Roseann, with whom Hanrahan had a one-year-old daughter, shared a tribute photo online and wrote: 'My beautiful husband, I love you so much.'  There is no suggestion that Roseann is in any way connected to her husband's alleged criminal behavior.  Government officials confirmed to the Daily Mail that Hanrahan was in the United States illegally and entered after being denied a visa.  Barr's house sits empty on Wednesday afternoon. He is being held in custody after being arraigned on charges including murder last Friday  Hanrahan was denied after officials determined he was affiliated with what they described as 'The Traveling Conman Fraud Group', a statement said. It is unclear where and when Hanrahan entered the United States. Members of the 'Traveling Conman Fraud Group,' which has been designated as an organized crime gang by the FBI, are comprised of British and Irish scammers who overcharge victims for building work, which they then fail to complete. A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security said: 'Salis Hanrahan was an illegal alien from the United Kingdom. 'He entered the country illegally on an unknown date and location and was denied Electronic System for Travel Authorization as he was determined to have affiliation with 'The Traveling Conman Fraud Group,' a transnational criminal organization. ICE and CBP have never encountered this individual.' A spokesman for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office told the Daily Mail: 'We are supporting the family of a British man who died in the United States and are in contact with the local authorities.'