A post-mortem examination on body parts found at a recycling plant in Dublin has established the man's body was dismembered.
Gardaí confirmed that further body parts have been found but said "we will not be disclosing these in detail".
The search of the site at Thornton's recycling plant on Killeen Road in Ballyfermot has concluded.
Detectives said they have yet to establish the cause of death, but further forensic testing and DNA analysis is being carried out.
Officers are following 300 lines of inquiry and have taken 250 statements.
They believe the man may have died four or five days before a leg and foot were discovered at the facility on 31 July.
Gardaí are making a renewed appeal for information as part of the investigation.
They believe the dead man was between 25 and 45 and was between 1.72cm (5'8") and 1.82cm (6') tall.
There is evidence that he underwent neurosurgical treatment in the past and he had neurosurgical screws on each side of his skull.
They have appealed to consultants or doctors who may have cared for or treated the man to come forward.
Gardaí said: "There is evidence that this male underwent bilateral craniotomies (surgery arising from serious head trauma, such as a car accident or a serious assault).
"It is possible that the patient may have suffered neurological problems in the aftermath of these surgeries, such as seizure or epilepsy."
Anyone with information can contact Ballyfermot Garda Station on 01-6667200 or their local garda station.
At approximately 11.30pm on 31st July 2014, Gardai at Ballyfermot Garda Station received a telephone call from an employee of Thornton’s Recycling plant at Killeen Road, Dublin 10 reporting the finding of what he suspected to be a human lower leg and attached foot.
*Information Appeal - Discovery of body parts at a recycling plant off Killeen Road, Ballyfermot on the 31/7/14
Gardai, along with a registered medical practitioner, went to the plant that night. The registered medical practitioner determined that the body part was human. The area was immediately sealed off and declared a crime scene. On the morning of 1st August 2014 a second body part, the upper part of a left leg, was discovered on the site.
Dr. Michael Curtis, Deputy State Pathologist attended at the site on August 1st. The body parts were removed by Undertakers to Tallaght Hospital. An extensive systematic search of up to 1,000 tonnes of domestic and industrial waste on the site was carried out by the Divisional Search Team. The scene was examined by the Divisional Scenes of Crime Unit. Dr. Curtis carried out a post mortem on the victim, assisted by Dr. Laureen Buckley, Anthropologist.
The post mortem has established that the victim has been dismembered. Through DNA the victim has been identified as being male. Further DNA analysis is being undertaken by the Forensics Laboratory, Garda Headquarters to determine race. The cause of death is undetermined at this time. However, it is believed that the victim may have died 4 or 5 days prior to the discovery of the remains on July 31st 2014.
A number of other body parts have been recovered as part of the search. In order to protect the integrity of the investigation, we will not be disclosing these in detail.
We have determined that this male was aged between 25 and 45 yrs. He was between 5’8” and 6’ in height. There is evidence that this man had undergone neurosurgical treatment in the past. Neurosurgical screws were present on either side of the skull. There is evidence that this male underwent bilateral craniotomies (surgery arising from serious head trauma, such as a car accident or a serious assault). It is possible that the patient may have suffered neurological problems in the aftermath of these surgeries, such as seizure or epilepsy.
To date, we have not identified this male.
The Garda appeal is:
• To persons who are concerned about a male relative or male friend whom they have not heard from or whom they have been unable to contact since the end of June 2014 to contact Ballyfermot Garda Station or their local Garda station;
• To anyone that has any information that may assist in identifying the victim, in particular, to Neurological Consultants, Doctors, and Carers who may have treated and cared for this man
• To anyone that has any information that may assist the investigation team to contact Ballyfermot Garda station at 01 666 7200 or the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111.
An extensive investigation into this matter is ongoing.
This has involved:
- Over 250 statements have been taken
- More than 300 lines of enquiry are being followed
- An extensive systematic search of up to 1,000 tonnes of domestic and industrial waste on the site
- Liaison with Interpol, the Garda Missing Person Bureau, and the Forensic Laboratory at Garda Headquarters
- Consultation with forensic and medical consultants such as neurosurgeons and neurologists
- The assistance of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation
An Garda Síochána would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the invaluable assistance provided to the investigation team by Thornton’s and their staff, the numerous persons interviewed in this investigation to date, and the professional assistance being afforded to the Gardai by forensic and medical professionals.
(See Garda Press Release and appeal at: www.garda.ie ).
*UPDATED INFO: The detective who solved the infamous Scissor Sisters murder is now heading up the search to identify the body parts found in a Dublin recycling plant.
DETECTIVE SUPERINTENDENT CHRISTY MANGAN LED THE INQUIRY INTO THE MURDER OF FARAH NOOR, WHOSE HEADLESS BODY WAS FOUND IN MARCH 2005 AND WHOSE
IDENTITY TOOK MONTHS TO UNRAVEL.
Now he is faced with an even tougher task to identify the man, parts of whose body have been found at the Thornton's recycling plant in Dublin.
In the Farah Noor case all of the dismembered body, apart from his head which was never found, had been placed in black bin bags. In the current case only a complete leg and some bone and skull fragments have been found so far.
post mortem:
No vital organs, hands or teeth have been discovered, which would help to make a positive identification.
An initial post mortem has been unable to determine the cause of death but gardai believe the person was murdered.
Officers are now immersed in a grisly search through 500,000 tonnes of rubbish at the recycling plant for more body parts.
Every tiny piece of possible evidence they do find has to be photographed and bagged before being transferred to Beaumont Hospital, where the parts are being pieced together in a mortuary.
Gardai may have to rely on a detailed scientific analysis of the bone to discover more about the victim.
This kind of analysis, known as Stable Isotope Profiling or Carbon Isotope Testing, can tell where a victim has come from through information about the person's diet, which lodges in their skeleton.
Farah Noor had to be identified through this process.
It revealed that Noor had come from the Horn of Africa and had come to Ireland about six years before his death.
Water molecules in his system also indicated that he was likely to live in Dublin's north inner city.
This focused the inquiry on Dublin's African community. An identity was suggested which was later confirmed by DNA testing with family members.
Girlfriend:
Once identified, gardai were able to trace Noor's last movements to a house in Richmond Cottages in Dublin, where he had been with his then-
girlfriend Kathleen Mulhall.
Her daughters were later convicted of beating Noor to death and cutting up his body with a kitchen knife.
Charlotte Mulhall was jailed for life for his murder, while Linda was convicted of manslaughter.
The leg found at the recycling plant was not in the latter stages of decomposition, indicating that the death is likely to have occurred in recent weeks.
Scientists will try to generate a DNA profile which can be checked against Garda Forensic records and also be checked worldwide through Interpol.
While gardai are not clear how the man was killed, they believe he was dumped at the recycling plant as the best way to hamper any murder investigation.
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