GARDAI now believe that the elderly Galway woman whose body was discovered at the back of her house last week may not have been murdered, although they are still treating her death as suspicious.
Senior officers investigating the death of Mrs Mary Morgan (81) now believe that the injuries she sustained were not sufficient to cause death. Initial post-mortem results indicate that none of the injuries to Mrs Morgan's face or legs had resulted in her death. Hypothermia is considered the most likely cause.
Chief Supt Tom Monaghan said: "We are still treating her death as suspicious as there are a number of things which remain unclear, like what caused her to go outside on such a bad night."
Gardai want to know why a gas cooker was found lying across the back door, making it difficult for anyone to enter or leave.