Gardai exhume Galway student’s body for advanced forensic testing
The tragic scene yesterday morning when the remains of Galway student Emer O’Loughlin were exhumed.
By Martina Nee
Members of Gort gardai and the Garda Cold Case Unit investigating an unsolved case have exhumed the remains of the young victim found in a burnt out caravan five years ago because of scientific advances in forensic testing.
The body of 23-year-old GMIT art student Emer O’Loughlin was found after the caravan she had been staying in with her boyfriend was burnt down near Ballybornagh, near Kinvara, on April 8, 2005. A postmortem failed to establish an exact cause of death but the circumstances surrounding the Ennistymon native’s death is continuing to be treated as suspicious by gardai.
The exumation, which has been authorised under Section 47 of the Coroner’s Act 1960, took place yesterday morning and the body was tranferred to University Hospital Galway. Gardai say that experts are to carry out further DNA tests in light of developments in forensic medicine. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis along with forensic anthropologist Dr Lorraine Buckley will carry out the examination and tests.
The investigation is being led by Superintendent Sean Healy of Gort Garda station and Detective Superintendent Christy Mangan of the Serious Crime Review Team. Gardai believe that there are people who may have information which could assist the investigators in establishing the cause of death. Anyone with information is asked to contact gardai at Gort Garda station on 091 636 400 or the Garda Confidential Number 1800 666 111.
