Gardai are investigating the possibility that a decomposed body found in Co Leitrim may be that of a man missing from Co Fermanagh whose wife has been charged with his murder.
The body was found by two people walking in Pottore Woods at Aughnasheelin, about six miles from Ballinamore, on Sunday afternoon.
A post-mortem examination was carried out on Sunday night by assistant State pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy, at Cavan General Hospital and gardai said yesterday they believed the death was suspicious. It may be some weeks before the body can be identified and gardai believe DNA testing might be required.
Last night the area where the body was found remained sealed off and door-to-door inquiries were being made.
Supt Pat Doyle, at Ballina more Garda station, said gardai were keeping an open mind and all aspects were being investigated. "We can't speculate until we make a positive identification," he said.
One theory being investigated was that it was the body of Mr Gerard McGinley (35), a Manorhamilton man living in Co Fermanagh who has been missing since August 13th last. Supt Doyle stressed, however, that the investigation was looking at all cases of men who had gone missing on both sides of the Border.
An incident room is being set up at Ballinamore Garda station and an investigation involving some 30 officers, including members of the Technical Bureau, will be overseen by Assistant Commissioner Kevin Carty and Det Supt Tadhg Foley.
The body, which the post-mortem confirmed was that of an adult male, was described as badly decomposed. Supt Foley said he could not say how long the body had been lying there.
The body was found behind an upturned tree about 300 yards from a roadway in an isolated area. No attempt had been made to bury the body and Supt Doyle said it would have been visible only from a very short distance.
After Mr McGinley's disappearance from his Fermanagh home last August, three people appeared before a special sitting of Omagh Magistrates' Court on March 23rd of this year charged with his murder. The charges were brought despite the fact that no body had been found and no murder weapon was located.
The three charged were his wife, Mrs Julie McGinley (29), of Windmill Heights, Enniskillen; and Mr Michael Monaghan (42) and Mr Patrick McPadden, both with addresses in Enniskillen. All three denied the charges.