Lake skeleton may be that of missing teenager
Senior Garda sources said they believed the remains to be those of Richard “Happy” Kelly who was abducted from Southill on April 23, 2006.
Richard was 17 at the time.
He may have fallen foul of a violent drugs gang after taking a car not knowing it had been used to stash drugs.
The remains were found after a fisherman’s nets got snagged when he was on Lough Bridget. The lake is located between Tulla and Bodyke, Co Clare.
Assistant state pathologist Dr Michael Curtis, extracted DNA samples from the remains, which were brought to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital.
DNA samples taken from a relative of Mr Kelly have been taken to the state forensic laboratory in Dublin to see if they are compatible with samples taken from the lake skeleton.
More detailed DNA work was carried out on the remains after they were brought to a state morgue in Dublin.
A Garda source said: “Indications are that the remains are those of Mr Kelly and we expect to get confirmation of that today or tomorrow. A profile we have received from the pathologist’s examination of the remains would indicate they may be that of Mr Kelly.”
A rope and cement block were found in the bed of the lake near to where the remains were discovered.
English psychic Denis McKenzie, who offered to help find Mr Kelly, visited Limerick recently and told his family the search should be concentrated in a lake in Clare. He visited a number of locations carrying personal belongings of the missing man.
Mary Kelly, mother of Richard, said Mr McKenzie became “tormented” when he travelled to the Killaloe area, which is about 16km s from Lough Bridget.
Mr McKenzie was due to travel to Limerick at the weekend to resume his assistance, but this may not be necessary if it is confirmed that the lake skeleton is that of Mr Kelly.
Mr McKenzie came up with vital clues in the Soham investigation into the murders of two English schoolgirls, Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.
