Latest: Third set of remains found in Wicklow Mountains

Latest: Gardai have confirmed that a third set of remains, believed to be human, have been found in the Wicklow Mountains and that a murder investigation is now underway.

Latest: Third set of remains found in Wicklow Mountains

Update 9.04pm: Gardai have confirmed that a third set of remains, believed to be human, have been found in the Wicklow Mountains and that a murder investigation is now underway.

The latest discovery was made at Glenmacnass Waterfall, close to where a male torso was found on Saturday night.

The Garda Water unit was called in to search the Glenmacnass waterfall area of the Sally gap. Picture: Garry O’Neill
The Garda Water unit was called in to search the Glenmacnass waterfall area of the Sally gap. Picture: Garry O’Neill

Earlier, Gardaí said the first two sets of remains belonged to the same person.

They believe he was a man in his 20s who was killed violently within the past ten days.

Detectives won’t say at this stage if his death is connected to the Kinahan-Hutch feud.

Superintendent Pat Ward is leading the investigation.

"We cant take any particular line of enquiry until we know what we are dealing with. We are not ruling anything or anything out.

"It could involve any person or any suspects but hopefully we will get to the bottom of that in the near future."

Investigating Gardaí are continuing to appeal to members of the public who were in the general area of Military Road / Laragh Co. Wicklow in the recent days and who may have seen anything suspicious or unusual to contact the incident room at Bray Garda Station on 01-666 5300, the Garda Confidential Line 1-800-666-111 or any Garda Station. 

Update 6pm: Gardaí have said it is too early to say if human remains found in Wicklow are connected to the Kinahan-Hutch feud.

Earlier it was confirmed the second set of human remains found near Glenmacnass Waterfall belonged to the same person.

Detectives believe they belong to a man in his 20s who was killed violently within the past ten days.

Superintendent Pat Ward is leading the investigation and said they would be keeping an open mind.

“It is a natural assumption for people to make but it is far too early for us to narrow our focus to any particular avenue of inquiry. This could be the result of anything.

“It could have been an argument, it could be a domestic situation, it could be anything.”

Update 3.45pm: Gardai have confirmed the second set of human remains found in the Wicklow Mountains belonged to the same person.

The remains were discovered near Glenmacnass Waterfall - about 20km from where a torso was found over the weekend.

Detectives believe the remains belonged to a man in his 20s who was killed violently in the past ten days.

Update 1.50pm: Tests have confirmed that further remains, found in the Wicklow Mountains, are human.

They were discovered near Glenmacnass Waterfall close to where a male torso was found on Saturday night.

60 members of the Defence Forces are helping gardai search a 30km stretch of the area to see if more remains can be found.

Parish Priest, Fr Larry Behan, said locals are shaken by what has happened.

“People were shocked at the circumstances in which the remains had been found. My heart would go out to the victim and the victim’s family as well as the community where the body was found.

Update 11.45am: More body parts have been found in the Wicklow mountains following the discovery of a torso believed to be that of a man.

Gardai said further skeletal remains were found after officers spread searches from the site of the initial find off Military Road at Glencree, near Enniskerry.

Two walkers made the first grim find in undergrowth on Saturday night.

The latest discovery was made near Glenmacnass waterfall further south into the Wicklow mountains.

Gardai do not know the identity of the person but initial forensic pathology examinations suggest the torso is from a man.

The further pieces of skeletal remains will by examined by the state pathologist’s office to determine whether they are from a human and whether they are connected to the first find.

It is understood detectives are trawling missing persons reports, while other tests are being carried out in an effort to determine how long ago the person died.

The search areas have been extended to cover about 30km sq of the national park and mountains, with gardai being supported by members of the Defence Forces.

Superintendent Pat Ward described the death as "sinister" and urged anyone who noticed anything suspicious in the area over recent months to come forward.

The scenic area is close to the Peace and Reconciliation Centre at Glencree and while it is isolated it is also popular with hill walkers.

Gardai are keen to talk to anyone who used the road, including workers for Coillte, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, or ESB Networks, and might have seen suspicious activity in recent weeks.

Update 8am: The human torso found in County Wicklow over the weekend is that of a man in his 20s, or older.

Gardaí say a post-mortem was concluded yesterday and they think the man only died a week ago.

His remains were discovered by a group late Saturday, returning from a picnic in the mountains.

"The cause of death hasn’t been determined just yet," said Superintendent Pat Ward is from Bray Garda Station. "Further examinations and inquiries are being carried out.

"We aren’t focusing our inquiries and our investigation in any particular direction but obviously one of them that we will be looking at is the fact that it may be gangland related."

Earlier: Human remains found in Co Wicklow at the weekend will be tested today to discover their identity.

It is not yet clear if they are male or female.

Gardaí say post-mortem results will determine the course of their investigation.

The human torso was found off Military Road in Enniskerry late Saturday by a group of people returning from a picnic in the mountains.

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