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Gardaí will exhume the remains of an unidentified man who turned up on a Leitrim beach in the 1980s in an attempt to solve a 34-year-old mystery, the Irish Independent learned.
The body, which was later interred at Manorhamilton, was discovered in the rocks of the Tullaghan Strand in northern Leitrim in May 1986.
The exhumation of the remains will take place later this month. under the supervision of detectives from the Garda Missing Persons Office. A source involved in the case said advances in forensic science, particularly DNA identification, are expected to help investigators finally identify the man. The man is believed to have drowned and no dirty act is suspected.
The body, which was discovered shortly after 10 a.m. on May 1, 1986, is believed to have been in the water for some time.
Despite being badly decomposed, several distinctive tattoos, located on both arms, could provide vital clues to the man’s identity. A tattoo of the word Éire was found on the upper left arm, while the right arm featured a green clover alongside a dagger and sheath.
One theory, given the time period, is that the man may be from the North. At the time, however, the RUC nominated a missing man as a possible party who was later discarded.
The man was found without clothing on his upper body, but was wearing Wrangler-brand jeans with a belt that had a silver buckle with a dog.
An autopsy was performed prior to burial at Manorhamilton, but no DNA profile was obtained.
Now an exhumation is expected to allow experts in the field of forensic science to gather more clues as to who the man is.
In a statement to the Irish independent, the Justice Department confirmed that Justice Minister Helen McEntee had issued a ministerial order for the exhumation under section 47 of the forensic laws. This followed a request from the Co Leitrim coroner for exhumation, in order to recover the DNA.
A spokesperson added: “Ireland’s DNA database, managed by Forensic Science Ireland (FSI), has made a significant contribution to missing persons cases since its inception five years ago. The DNA database contains valuable samples from close relatives along with profiles of people whose identity is not yet known. “
FSI CEO Chris Enright recently said at a National Missing Persons Day event that several missing persons cases had been solved in 2020 using DNA technology.
Exhumation of bodies involves a complex application process and is only allowed in the rarest of circumstances. The law requires that the exhumation be carried out “with due care and decency, and in such a way as not to endanger public health.”
A forensic anthropologist, the state pathologist, a gardaí from the technical office and a forensic scientist from the FSI are expected to attend the exhumation at Manorhamilton. The exhumed body must be reburied or cremated within 48 hours.
There are believed to be as many as 18 cases of unidentified remains in Ireland, according to figures compiled by RTÉ. The oldest case is that of a male found in the sea near Tuskar Rock off the coast of Co Wexford in 1968.
Investigators have speculated whether the body may be that of a person from Aer Lingus Flight 712 that crashed off the coast of Co Wexford in March of that year and killed all 61 people on board. The unidentified body was exhumed in recent years so that a DNA sample could be taken. Despite comparing the sample with several families whose loved ones were never found, the body remains unidentified.
Irish independent
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