Cause of death not determined

MYSTERY surrounds the death of a 57-year-old woman whose badly decomposed body lay in her home for around seven days, an inquest heard last night.

Dr Richard Shepherd, a forensic pathologist with Britain’s Home Office, was unable to determine the cause of Mary Guy’s death at her home at Bunratty Road, Coolock, Dublin.

Her brother, Patsy Guy, told the court how he broke in through the window of Ms Guy’s apartment, where she lived alone, to discover her badly decomposed remains on August 6, 2004.

He said: “I saw her on the bed, I knew it was Mary, I noticed her face was badly decomposed.”

Mr Guy made the discovery after he called in to collect Ms Guy to bring her to meet their other sister who was home from abroad.

The remains were identified as Ms Guy by a forensic dentist, w ho examined dental charts. A report from Dr Shepherd said due to severe decomposition he had been unable to determine.