Murder probe after teen’s body discovered in field
Post mortem examination found that local youth (18) had suffered serious injuries to his neck
A MURDER investigation has been launched following the discovery of a young man’s body in a field in County Louth.
The victim was named locally as Cameron Reilly (18). His body was found lying in the field just outside the town of Dunleer.
A post mortem examination carried out at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda by Dr Linda Mulligan, Deputy State Pathologist, confirmed he died “in violent circumstances,” said gardai last night.
It is believed the body had injuries to the neck.
The body of Mr Reilly, who was well known in the locality, was found on agricultural land off the Ardee Road, some distance from the main road and was discovered by a man out walking his dog.
The scene is not far from the large Glen Dimplex facility.
Gardai and emergency services attended the scene at around 8.45am, but Mr Reilly was pronounced dead a short time later.
Garda Chief Superintendent Christy Mangan said officers had awaited the findings of the post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death.
He said they are investigating all the circumstances surrounding the death, which has shocked the local community.
Mr Reilly has close family members living in the immediate area.
Gardai were yesterday trying to establish the last movements of the deceased, who is understood to have been out socialising on Friday night.
A garda forensic team began working in a cordoned-off area of the field between a number of housing estates and several factories.
Gardai have already spoken to several people from the nearby housing estates.
The field where the body was discovered is often used as a shortcut by workers to access the industrial estate.
A garda statement said: “Gardai in Dunleer are investigating all the circumstances surrounding the discovery of a body of a man in his early 20s on land off the Ardee Road, Dunleer, Co Louth this morning.
“Gardai and emergency services attended the scene at approximately 8.45am yesterday morning. The man was pronounced dead a short time later,” it added.
“The body of the man was removed later to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda.”
Gardai have set up an incident room in Drogheda garda station.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Drogheda garda station on 041 9874200 or the garda confidential line 1800 666 111.
Gardai said they are “appealing to anyone who was in the vicinity of Shamrock Hill, Dunleer, between 4pm on Friday and 8.30am on Saturday morning.
No arrests had been made by last night.
The surrounding area of Dunleer has been dogged by tragedy in recent years with the murder of two gardai in separate incidents.
In January 2013, Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was gunned down outside the Lordship Credit Union when a gang tried to stage a robbery.
He was shot dead in the car park when he went to investigate a car that had been driven across the exit.
In another incident in 2015, Gda Tony Golden was shot five times in a hail of bullets by gunman Adrian Crevan Mackin after the officer went to a house in Omeath while investigating a domestic violence case.