'Five years on, still no justice': Family of Liam Farrell calls for exhumation and new investigation

The family of Liam Farrell, the 87-year-old Leitrim man found dead outside his home in Rooskey in January 2020, is calling for a full exhumation of his body and a fresh investigation led from Dublin. They believe their father was violently attacked and say critical evidence has been overlooked or mishandled for years.

Following a recent Garda review, Peter Farrell met with detectives last Friday to discuss the case. While he welcomed the re-interviewing of witnesses and the involvement of foreign forensic experts, he expressed frustration at the pace and direction of the inquiry.

“We’re going to re-interview the guard that allegedly made the footprints in the front lawn,” Peter said. “And I might remind you that those footprints are going in one direction only… there are no return footprints.”

Despite Garda statements claiming no forensic evidence was found behind Liam’s house, Peter described a troubling list of items discovered on the scene.

“There was a blood-soaked timber. A blood-soaked hanky. A blood-soaked tissue. A small bathroom towel. And a hat. These were all found at the back of my father’s house. And yet, we’re told there were ‘no forensics’ back there? That’s startling.”

The family has long suspected that key evidence—like a rope found in the shed—was downplayed or dismissed. Peter said an independent expert they hired found signs of blood, though Gardaí later dismissed it as a false positive due to the small quantity.

“There’s a clear discoloration—about six inches long—on the rope. It wasn’t mentioned in the original forensic report. We found it. Why didn’t they?”

“We’ve worked with the Gardaí for over five years. But we have no faith left in their forensic team,” he added. “We believe an exhumation is the most logical step. It’s horrible to talk about—but it’s the only way to get answers now.”

Peter also revealed disturbing claims about confidentiality breaches. He said a businessman in Rooskey told him he had seen their Garda statements—allegedly shown to him by his son, a serving Garda—before the case was submitted to the DPP.

“We were told, ‘You’ll lose everything you have in America if you don’t stop pursuing this.’ That’s intimidation. And GSOC is now investigating it.”

The Farrells remain incredulous that certain leads have still not been pursued, including the identity of a mysterious man reportedly seen speaking to Liam the night before he died.

“Five years later, they still haven’t interviewed the man with the hat—the man who was seen in the pub speaking to my father that night. You wouldn’t see that in a movie.”

Instead, Peter said, one of the Garda recommendations included hiring a canine expert to determine if the family dog had removed Liam’s socks, shoes, and outerwear.

“You could hear a pin drop when they said that. It’s absurd. Instead of interviewing that man, they’re blaming the dog.”

The family also believes Liam sustained significant injuries inconsistent with the Garda's initial findings.

“We believe there's a high chance our father had a base of skull fracture. The forensic pathologist noted matted blood at the back of his head and bilateral injuries to the eyes—indicative of a blunt force trauma,” Peter said.
“My son’s a doctor in Houston. He looked at the photo and said immediately: ‘That collarbone is broken or dislocated.’ How could my father remove his own clothes in that condition?”

Though the family appreciates the efforts of some officers—particularly the detective inspector behind the second review—they are demanding the investigation be removed from the Sligo-Leitrim division and handled centrally.

“We don’t want this handled in Sligo-Leitrim anymore. It needs to go to Dublin—or to a cold case team. This has gone on far too long.”

Peter also confirmed he has raised the case with Taoiseach Micheál Martin during a meeting in Texas earlier this year, and that the family is now seeking a direct meeting with Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan.

“There is just no accountability here. No transparency. My father needs justice. The whole community here needs justice.”

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