Skeletal remains found in Ennis 16 months after man vanished from England

As part of the  investigation into the discovery of the body, leading forensic anthropologist Laureen Buckley was drafted in to assist gardaí.

The skeletal remains of a 39-year old man were discovered at a derelict house in Ennis 16 months after the man disappeared from his home in England, an inquest has heard.

At the Co Clare coroner’s court in Kilrush today, Garda Michael O’Neill stated that the skeletal remains of Ilie Stangaciu were found by Clare County Council workmen at a derelict Council house near the Claureen roundabout in Ennis in September last year.

A Romanian national, Mr Stangaciu was last seen by his wife 16 months previously at their home in southeast England.

Mr Stangaciu’s remains were found in the house on Ennis’s Lahinch Rd at 12.30pm on September 21, 2020.

Forensic investigation

As part of the Garda investigation into the find, leading forensic anthropologist Laureen Buckley was drafted in to assist.

In her findings, Ms Buckley described the remains as skeletal and confirmed male teeth and the remains were that of a man aged between 26 to 40.

Ms Buckley found that there was no evidence of perimortem injuries.

A post mortem of Mr Stangaciu’s remains found that the cause of death was asphyxiation due to hanging.

An electrician, Mr Stangaciu was last seen in May 2019 in his home in England.

Travelled from England

In a deposition, Mr Stangaciu’s wife said that she never saw Mr Stangaciu again after he left for night shift work on May 28, 2019.

Mr Stangaciu got a ferry across to Ireland but mystery surrounds his final movements and no evidence was heard how he came to be at the house at Claureen in Ennis.

A wallet was recovered from the scene that contained evidence of Mr Stangaciu’s identity.

Insp Paul Slattery said that Gardai were able to formally identify Mr Stangaciu by building a DNA profile from the remains and this matched with a DNA sample from the man’s mother.

No family members of Mr Stangaciu were present at the inquest and Clare County Coroner Isobel O’Dea stated that it would be insufficient to bring in anything other than “an open verdict” in the case.

Ms O’Dea stated that there was no evidence that there was anything suspicious or the involvement of a third party.

Ms O’Dea stated that it was “a sad case” and “a difficult case”.

Ms O’Dea asked Garda O’Neill to convey her sympathy to Mr Stangaciu’s wife and to inquire if she wishes her late’s husband’s remains to be repatriated or cremated locally.

Ms O’Dea stated: “I am conscious that the remains have been in University Hospital Limerick for eight months now.” 

Ms O’Dea stated that the issuing of the death certificate for Mr Stangaciu will be delayed due to the HSE cyber attack.