The family of former Limerick councillor Michael Kelly have exhumed his body to disprove a newspaper story that claimed his death was a suicide and the pistol he used was buried with him.
Gardaí had to intervene in at Mount St Oliver Cemetery earlier today when several of Mr Kelly's brothers tried to dig up the coffin using a mechanical digger and shovels. They managed to dig a hole about four feet deep before being stopped by gardaí.
The family subsequently obtained an exhumation order from Limerick City Council and dug up the criminal-turned-politician.
It was then confirmed by a detective from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation that no gun was present in the coffin.
Mr Kelly's brother, Anthony, said the family hoped he could now rest in peace. "We hope that this puts to bed the rumours that were said. We're happy with the outcome because we know ourselves that none of the family put a gun in the coffin. We had to leave Michael rest in peace there - not with rumours or gossip around him and it's one episode of this scenario that's finished with," he said.
"We didn't want to be listening to this for years and we felt this was the only way of getting rid of it."
The former city councillor (48) died in hospital last month four weeks after he suffered a single gunshot wound to the head at his mother's house in Southill.
The family claim he was shot by an unknown party who entered the house. However, no weapon was recovered and gardaí have been examining the possibility that the fatal wound may have been self-inflicted.
Mr Kelly's family said they were prompted by a front-page article in a Sunday newspaper.
The family claim the newspaper story was leaked by gardaí and they called for a full public inquiry into the events surrounding Mr Kelly's shooting and the subsequent Garda investigation.
Three men were arrested in connection with his death last week, but were released without charge. A file has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.