The bodies of an elderly couple discovered in their home in Cloneen, County Tipperary, may have lain undiscovered for up to 18 months, police believe. Nicholas and Hilary Smith, aged 81 and 79 respectively, were found on Monday, June 20, after neighbours alerted authorities to overgrown grass and a lack of activity at the property.
The couple, originally from the UK, lived in a white pebble-dashed detached bungalow on a rural road. Gardaí from Clonmel attended the scene and made the grim discovery. Early indications suggest no foul play, with no sign of forced entry.
Neighbours had assumed the couple had moved away, as they were last seen in November 2020 and had mentioned plans to travel to France. Their cars were spotted parked at the back of the property, but locals believed someone had been asked to cut the grass during their absence.
Post-mortem examinations on Tuesday were inconclusive due to the condition of the bodies. Gardaí are now relying on laboratory and toxicology tests to determine the cause of death. Dental records and DNA have been used for identification.
Investigators are searching the house for bills, bank statements, and food with best-before dates to narrow down when the couple were last alive. They are also attempting to trace relatives in the UK and conducting door-to-door enquiries in the tight-knit community of Cloneen, which has a population of just 60 residents.
Local councillor Mark Fitzgerald described the incident as 'tragic' and said the community is in shock. 'You see these things on the news and you never expect it to be coming live from our village,' he remarked.
