Police are treating as suspicious the death of a young man whose body was found lying by the roadside three miles outside Larne, Co Antrim, yesterday. The body of Stewart Hunter (24) was found 300 yards from his home on the Ballymullock Road by a milkman shortly before 7 a.m. According to the RUC, Mr Hunter, a construction worker, had spent Thursday evening socialising with friends in Larne town centre.
RUC Chief Insp Mr John Jenkins said: "We know that he left a friend on the Linn Road in Larne and we assume he was walking up Linn Road past the Craigy Hill estate on to the Killyglen Road and then on to the Ballymullock Road. We know he left his friend about 1 a.m. or 1:30 a.m.
A local man who had seen Mr Hunter's body said he did not believe his death was an accident. "I knew he did not get hit by a car or anything. I thought somebody had given him a hammering. When I saw him lying there I knew it wasn't just natural causes. There were a lot of marks on his head."
The man, who knew Mr Hunter, said: "He was a great young fellow. He never got into any bother that I knew of." Neighbours yesterday described Mr Hunter as a bright and sociable young man. Yesterday afternoon there was a post-mortem on Mr Hunter's body as an intensive search of the area was under way. The RUC has appealed to anyone with information to contact detectives at Larne.
The Mayor of Larne, Mrs Joan Drummond, described the incident as "shocking" and expressed her sympathy to the family.
"This is a very quiet, mostly farming community. It is a very closeknit community. It's an area with great scenery and is very tranquil. It's just so sad."