A FORENSIC anthropologist has told the jury in the Melissa Mahon murder trial about the complex identification of the remains found at Lough Gill in Sligo in early 2008 which were of a female aged between 14 and 16 years. A naval officer also testified about the recovery of the body from the water.
Lieut Cdr Brian Hevers of the Irish Naval Service told Isobel Kennedy SC, prosecuting, that in his opinion Melissa’s body was in the water between the river Bonnet and Lough Gill for a maximum of three weeks.
The forensic anthropologist, Laureen Buckley, told the Central Criminal Court that she examined bones found at the lough which made up 65 per cent of a full skeleton.
Ronald McManus (44), also known as Ronnie Dunbar, of Rathbraughan Park, Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to murdering the schoolgirl in September 2006. He also denies threatening to kill one of his daughters, Samantha Conroy.
Melissa Mahon went missing from the care of the Health Service Executive in Sligo on September 14th, 2006. Human remains were discovered along the shore of Lough Gill in February 2008.
Ms Buckley said that she found the remains torn apart by animals. She said the skeletal remains were in a very advanced state of decay which could be explained by buffeting against rocks.
Lieut Cdr Hevers described the area along the river where the body was allegedly placed into the water as “very secluded and isolated”. There was a smooth and steady flow of water from the river Bonnet into Lough Gill, the speed of which depended on the time of year. Lieut Cdr Hevers said the river was sheltered in all weather conditions and opened into the lake in a northwesterly direction parallel to the shoreline. Anything coming out of the river would collect along that shoreline.
He said the fact that bones were found above the shoreline “suggests to me that remains were moved out of the water by animals and suggests that there was tissue on the remains so would be attractive to animals”.
Lieut Cdr Hevers agreed under cross-examination by Brendan Grehan SC, defending, that he did not consult meteorological reports for the 18 months that Melissa was missing. He did not believe the flow of water from the river to the lake would have been strong enough to wash an object out into the middle of the lake.
A number of male witnesses gave evidence that they played football with the accused in the Teeling Centre in Collooney every Thursday between 7pm and 8pm in 2006. One of them, Francis Lyons, said the accused always brought his daughters to football and once witnessed a fight involving hair pulling between Melissa Mahon and Mr Dunbar’s youngest daughter outside football practice. The trial continues.