Galway man’s family convinced he didn’t kill himself despite German inquest verdict

Date Published: 27-Apr-2011

The family of a Portumna man, found hanging in his German apartment just two weeks before Christmas, are demanding that the investigation into his death be reopened. They are convinced that he did not take his own life.

Tragic Matthew Fitzpatrick (34) was due to arrive home in Ireland two days after his body was discovered in the apartment in Mannheim. He worked there as an interface engineer for a Cork based company.

A post mortem was carried out in Germany after which the local police concluded his death was suicide but his family ordered a second autopsy to be carried out on his repatriation to Ireland – it revealed a number of discrepancies.

The Deputy State Pathologist identified numerous injuries to Matthew’s body including a blunt force injury to the back of his head and a deep injury to his lower back – injuries which were not revealed in the original post mortem.

It is because of this and the fact that there were numerous contusions and abrasions to Matthew’s face and body that the Fitzpatrick family are demanding that the investigation into his death be reopened.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.