A JURY has found that two of the so-called “Disappeared”, Charles Armstrong and Gerard Evans, both had unnatural and violent deaths at the hands of a paramilitary organisation.
The jury at the Dublin Coroner’s Court returned verdicts of death by unlawful killing by a person or persons unknown at separate inquests heard yesterday into the men’s deaths.
The remains of nine of the disappeared have been recovered in searches by the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims Remains, but the remains of a further seven victims have not been found, head of the investigation team with the commission, Geoffrey Knupfer, said.
Coroner Dr Brian Farrell appealed to members of the public who might have information to come forward and assist the commission.
“Both families agree this inquest is bringing to a conclusion a long nightmare of uncertainty for both families,” he said. “The grief remains with you all. I want you to know how much we empathise with you in your grief,” he said.
Charles Armstrong (54) from Rathview Park, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, a father of five, was abducted on his way to collect an elderly neighbour to bring her to Mass on August 16th, 1981. “My husband never came home again,” said his widow Kathleen in a statement read into evidence.
His car was found in Dundalk, Co Louth, the following day and firearms residue was detected on the front passenger seat and in the boot of the vehicle, which indicated a recently fired firearm had been in the vehicle. No weapon was ever found. Mr Armstrong’s partially-clothed remains were discovered almost 30 years later in a bog at Colgagh, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, weighed down with large stones.
The remains were found on July 29th, 2010, following an extensive search of five acres by the commission.
A piece of knotted twine was also recovered, but it was separate from the remains. Items and clothing were found with the remains and identified by his family as belonging to him. He had no known connection with a paramilitary organisation, the inquest heard yesterday.
In March, 1999, the Provisional IRA had issued a statement listing the names of nine missing people and admitted involvement in their deaths. The names of Mr Armstrong and Mr Evans were not included. But searches began after the commission received information about both men.
State Pathologist Prof Marie Cassidy, who carried out a postmortem on the remains of Mr Armstrong, was unable to establish a cause of death due to the length of interval between the death and the autopsy. She told the Dublin Coroner’s Court that the skull was very badly damaged, which could suggest some injuries.
“There was very extensive trauma to the head in comparison to the rest of the body, but unfortunately . . . I can’t state that with any certainty,” she said.
Mr Knupfer said it appeared to be an abduction. “I think it’s reasonable to conclude that on the balance of probability this is an abduction culminating in an unnatural death carried out by a paramilitary organisation,” he said.
The coroner said the circumstances of Mr Armstrong’s death would be “abhorrent to all members of a civil society”.
A second inquest heard that the remains of Gerard Evans were discovered in a flooded bog in a dig at Carrickrobin, Co Louth, on October 15th, 2010, close to a number of other burials and just over 9km from the grave of Mr Armstrong.
The remains appeared to be weighed down with stones. Weighing down the bodies was undertaken to prevent the bodies from rising to the surface and from being found, Mr Knupfer said. The victim’s hands were behind his back, as was a binding.
Mr Evans (24), also from Rathview Park, was last seen by his aunt Bernie McGeown in a pub in Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, on March 25th, 1979. In a statement, she said he was “in great form”.
Mr Evans, a father of two, who had no known links to paramilitaries, never returned home. A postmortem by Prof Cassidy was unable to determine a cause of death. “I was hampered by the condition of the body,” she said.
Giving evidence at both inquests, Det Insp Joseph Crowe of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and senior investigating officer Jonathan Hill said they were satisfied both men met their deaths by unnatural and violent means.