DNA tests identify remains of Pole

A MAN picking mushrooms found the skeletal remains of a 46-year-old Polish man who had been reported missing from his address in Killarney for more than two months, an inquest was told.

The man was walking through a wooded area close to Ross Castle, on October 30, 2006, when he noticed a rope hanging from a tree. Attached to the rope were some bones and rotten clothes and there was a heap of bones on the ground.

DNA tests helped identify the deceased who had been living at Fairhill, Killarney.

He had been reported missing on August 20, 2006, and gardaí conducted extensive searches and inquiries.

Garda Paudie Twohig, in a deposition read at the inquest in Killarney, said a report about the finding of the badly decomposed remains was received at Killarney Garda Station at 3.30pm, on October 30.

Coroner Terence Casey said it took considerable time to get proper identity for the deceased. From the evidence, Mr Casey suggested that he died between August 1 and October 30, 2006.

A verdict that death was due to suicide by hanging was returned by a jury.

Another inquest heard how a 46-year-old Lithuanian man had been dead for a month before his body was found in his rented apartment in Killarney.

The decomposing remains of Arunas Zakasaukas were discovered by his landlord, James O’Sullivan, in the apartment at New Road, Killarney, on April 19 last.

Samples taken at a postmortem showed deceased had a blood/alcohol concentration of 408mg. A jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence that the deceased died by misadventure from acute alcoholic intoxication.