Gardaí in Mayo have indicated that they believe an elderly woman, whose severely decomposed body was found in her home near Ballyhaunis Co Mayo earlier this month, may have been dead for up to 12 months.
A post mortem has also shown that Ms Agnes Lyons, who lived with her brother, Sonny, and sister, Mary Ellen, in a bungalow at Carrownedan, Aughamore, Ballyhaunis, died from natural causes.
The woman's body was found on August 5th after a doctor was called by the her brother to attend to his other sister, who had hurt her leg in a fall.
While on at the house, the doctor found Ms Lyon's body, which had gone well past the decomposition stage.
It is understood that there may have been what are described as "communications problems" between members of the family for some time and that the woman who died may have isolated herself in her room.
In latter years she is thought to have made contact with family members with notes passed underneath her bedroom door.
