Murder probe launched in Derry

A murder inquiry was under way in Northern Ireland today after a sheep farmer was found dead at his isolated farm.

A post-mortem was due to be carried out to establish the cause of death but police sources said it appeared he had been shot in the head.

Police were called to the house on Mullintill Road, a remote part of Claudy, Co Derry, last night when a neighbour spotted the body inside.

The dead man was named locally as Patrick Devine, a sheep farmer and part-time psychiatric nurse in his 40s.

There were no immediate signs of a break-in, but officers discovered holes in a nearby window, possibly caused by gunshots.

With nothing to indicate paramilitary involvement, detectives were trying to find a possible motive for the killing in a strongly nationalist area.

It is understood the victim lived alone, and may have been dead for some time before his body was found.

“This really is out in the wilds and we just don’t know how long he was there,” one source said.

Staff from the Forensic Science Laboratory travelled from Belfast to begin searching the property and surrounding area for clues.