Former state pathologist, Marie Cassidy, believes it's very unlikely the new post-mortem examination of Leitrim man Liam Farrell will be successful. The Scottish woman was asked about the case in north Longford last night. 87-year-old Liam Farrell was found dead in suspicious circumstances outside in house in Rooskey in January 2020. No forensic post-mortem was carried out at the time.
Ten days ago, his body was exhumed from Cloonmorris Cemetery in Bornacoola, as part of the gardai's cold case investigation. Chief State Pathologist Linda Mulligan is carrying out a new post mortem examination, to try to advance the case forensically. Her processor, Marie Cassidy, was asked at Granard Booktown Festival last night if she thought there was a possibility Ms Mulligan will find any evidence. Ms Cassidy says she's carried out many exhumations and sometimes they are very difficult, particularly if there has already been a post-mortem carried out.
She says the chances of finding anything useful, from a pathology side of things, become slimmer over time. Particularly after six years, she says, you are on a 'hiding to nothing'. Unless there are broken bones, she said, it's going to be quite difficult. But, she concluded, if you don't look, you never know.
