An inquest has been unable to establish how a south Roscommon man died - because his body was only found six days after he died.
The coroner returned a verdict of misadventure.
Kevin Brooks lived at Gortnabla, Ballygill, Ballinasloe, Co Roscommon, and died in June of last year.
The 73-year-old's inquest took place in Roscommon Coroner's Court in Ballaghaderreen.
His niece, Orla Brooks, from Taughmaconnell, said she walked to her uncle's house on June 20th, as she hadn't seen him in a couple of days.
She said, as she approached the house, she got a strong smell of decomposition, then saw his body in bed, and knew he was dead.
She notified gardai and his death was later confirmed.
She said her uncle had suffered mini-strokes and had refused medical help from a public-health nurse.
Dr Daniela Catargiu, a pathologist in Galway University Hospital, carried out his postmortem examination, but said it was significantly inhibited by his body being in an advanced state of decomposition.
She said his cause of death is uncertain, but he was predisposed to a sudden cardiac death.
She estimated he died on June 14th, six days before his body was found and a week since he was last seen alive.
Coroner Brian O'Connor returned a verdict of misadventure.
