Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 3647Death under investigation · Co. Leitrim · 13 Jan 2020

Garda to exhume body of Liam Farrell as part of review into suspicious Co. Leitrim death

The body of 87-year-old Liam Farrell, found dead outside his home in Rooskey, Co. Leitrim, in January 2020, is to be exhumed as part of a Garda Serious Crime Review Team investigation into the circumstances of his death. Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan approved the exhumation after Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly referred the case for review.

  1. Reported
  2. Arrested
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
14 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatLiam Farrell's body is to be exhumed as part of a Garda review into the circumstances of his death. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatA further postmortem is to be carried out on the remains of the 87-year-old. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHis body was bruised and bloodied and the area was designated as a crime scene. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereFarrell was found dead outside the back door of his home in Rooskey. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenFarrell was found dead on 13 January 2020. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationA postmortem at the time concluded Farrell died of a heart attack. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationA file was submitted to the DPP by gardaí but no legal proceedings followed. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe pathologist was not informed that Farrell had died in suspicious circumstances. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe pathologist would have referred the case to a forensic pathologist had they been made aware. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGarda Commissioner Justin Kelly referred the case for a review late last year. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtAn open verdict was recorded at the inquest. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe inquest was held in late 2024. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe Farrell family believe he was subjected to an assault before suffering a heart attack. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe development was first reported by RTÉ Prime Time. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 6 Mar2026
    Otheririshtimes.com, follow-up
    Garda to exhume body of Liam Farrell as part of review into ‘suspicious’ Co Leitrim death

    Reports that the body of Liam Farrell is to be exhumed as part of a Garda review, that the Serious Crime Review Team is leading the investigation, and that Minister O'Callaghan approved the formal exhumation request. Also provides background on the 2020 death, the 2024 inquest (open verdict), and the family's belief that Farrell was assaulted before his heart attack.

    victim, Liam Farrell, 87, male, irish (judged from name)Liam Farrell