Murdered man found in reservoir identified by dental records

The pathologist who conducted the postmortem on murdered Damien Heagney’s remains has said a definitive cause of death could not be ascertained ‘due to decomposition and dismemberment.

Stephen Eugene McCourt, 41, previously of Gartland Terrace, Dromore then Riverview, Augher, denies murdering Mr Heagney between December 31, 2021 and January 6, 2022.

On August 10, 2022 his dismembered remains were recovered in two packages from Cappagh Reservoir near Pomeroy.

Dr James Lynas told Dungannon Crown Court he was unable to ascertain the cause of Mr Heagney’s death  and identification was confirmed through dental and medical records.

“As part of any postmortem examination the police would brief the pathologist on the circumstances as they believe the case to be prior to autopsy, which was done in this case.”

Dr Lynas carried out CT scanned the two packages in which the remains were found, the first of which contained a human skull and three uppermost bones in the neck, along with two arms.

A metal fragment was lodged within the skull.

The second package held lower limbs, but the tops of the thigh bones were missing, where they would joint with the pelvis, having been ‘cut below the ball-and-socket joints’.

On direct examination of the remains, Dr Lynas said: “It was extremely difficult to assess for injuries due to decomposition however some were seen. Three wounds to the head and neck were consistent with from a typical household knife.

“There were areas of possible bruising to the scalp and a number of lacerations. A defect in the skull contained a triangular material, possibly metal.

“There were also areas of triangular-shaped injuries to the left temple.”

Wounds on the arms were consistent with being caused by a blade.

However, it was not possible to say if some other marks were caused by injury or decomposition.

Dr Lynas said the legs had ‘clean, straight cuts across the upper parts’.

There were multiple incisions on the inner left upper leg, extending from a deeper incision.

The right leg showed a defect on the upper front and there were multiple irregular superficial defects just below the knee.

He said some of these injuries were possibly caused by ‘prolonged or tightened’ contact with the wire fencing in which the packages had been wrapped.

Delivering his overall findings, Dr Lynas said: “There was no bruising surrounding any defects to confirm they occurred during life.

“Other injuries were consistent with being caused by a relatively pointed object such as a knife, with one containing metal consistent with the fractured tip of a knife.

“The injuries would have required at least moderate force and had they been inflicted during life would have bled briskly but not expected to prove life-threatening.”

Despite specialist examination, he said: “It was not possible to confirm or exclude brain injury due to severe decomposition.”

Concluding, Dr Lynas said: “All remains were in a similar state of decomposition and could have been in the water since Mr Heagney’s disappearance, however this cannot be stated with absolute certainty.”

The trial continues.