Solved – Identification of Unidentified Body, Rusheen Bay Woods, Barna, Co. Galway

Gardaí at Salthill Garda Station investigated the circumstances surrounding the discovery of a man’s body at Rusheen Bay Woods, Barna, Co. Galway on 27th September 2014. 

Gardaí were satisfied the man died some four to six weeks prior to when his body was discovered and decomposition had set in adding to the difficulty in identifying him as there was no identification found.

Gardaí launched an extensive investigation in the hope of identifying the remains. The assistance of Forensic Science Ireland and The University of Dundee, Scotland was required to assist with the investigation, a number of forensic & DNA testing was conducted on the remains as well as dental examinations. Doctor Christopher Rynn, Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification at the University of Dundee carried out a forensic analysis on the remains and was provided with a 3D scan of the man’s skull to reconstruct the man’s face based on those findings.

The man was described as aged between forty-three and forty-eight years old, of large build. He was wearing a leather jacket, Athletech fleece with runners. He was wearing a gold bracelet watch not currently sold in Europe. The watch brand - Caravelle by Bulova is commonly available in retail outlets in Canada / America. A representative from Bulova Watches has confirmed that this particular watch was only sold in the USA and Canada. He had a distinctive gap in his top front teeth. A single key was found along with a small sum of money in sterling and euro notes.

Following several media appeals for information, the unidentified remains were identified as forty six year old Polish national, Teodore Bruzgo who had lived in Florida for over twenty three years but travelled to Ireland and Galway just a short time before his death.

His family in Poland provided a DNA sample confirming the remains where Teodore’s.