'Someone knows something': Family of Liam Farrell still seek answers six years after his death
The late Liam Farrell.
The family of Liam Farrell, the 87-year-old farmer found dead hours after walking home from an evening of socialising in the village of Roosky, is still seeking answers six years after his death.
On RTÉ Prime Time on Thursday, Fran McNulty presented a special report on his death.
On January 11th, 2020, Liam Farrell walked home along the N4 road in the village of Rooskey after an evening socialising locally.
15 hours later, his body was found outside his back door. He was badly bruised, partially undressed, and lying on his back.
A post-mortem examination concluded Liam died from a heart attack, but Liam’s family remain convinced that there is more to their father’s death, citing injuries to various parts of his body, bloodied items in the house, and his missing wallet.
Speaking about seeing the circumstances of his father’s death, Liam’s son Brendan said: “I could understand, yes, a heart attack…but what about the injuries? And what caused the heart attack? What led to that?
"I mean, it was carnage… you didn’t have to be an expert to know that poor Daddy was attacked.”
At a subsequent inquest, the hospital pathologist, Professor Paul Hartel, carried out a post-mortem examination of Mr Farrell’s body, he revealed he had not been informed that Liam’s body had been removed from a potential crime scene.
Professor Hartel testified that had he been aware of the circumstances, he would have refused to carry out the autopsy and insisted a forensic pathologist be assigned.
Frank Buttimer, solicitor for the Farrell family, said: “Things went wrong from the moment when there was, for some unknown reason, a lack of communication between the scenes-of-crime guards or the senior guards who attended the scene.
"It was literally an opportunity that was missed to carry out a more comprehensive post-mortem assessment of the remains, one that would have established the presence of injuries and a likely causal connection between those injuries and a likely assault.” Liam's brother Mel said he wants to learn the truth before he dies.
"I’m 90 and I want to see him get the truth before I die. It would mean a lot to me to know before I die," he said.
"Someone is holding back something, I think. I do. I think someone knows something and they won’t say it. They know, but they’re frightened of saying it."
The former Garda Commissioner Drew Harris ordered a peer review of the original garda investigation into the case late last year.
A statement from the Garda press office confirmed that the review had been carried out and an update provided to the family. The recommendations have been “supplied to the investigation team who are actioning them”.
However, An Garda Síochána has repeatedly stated that a peer review is not a re-opening or a re-start of any criminal investigation.
The Prime Time report can be accessed on the RTÉ Player.
