The inquest into the deaths of Hillary and Nicholas Smith, the elderly couple found deceased in their Tipperary home, in Cloneen last year has concluded at Clonmel Garda Station.
The inquest found no evidence of trauma or outside involvement in their deaths. Open verdicts were recorded by the coroner, Joseph Kelly, at the end of the inquest. The inquest established that the couple had been dead at least a year when their remains were found in June 2022.
Mrs Smith’s body was found in a chair in a sitting room and Mr Smith was found in a bed. Both bodies were significantly decomposed. The couple had lived in the area for at least 10 years but had taken several actions consistent with plans to leave Tipperary in late 2020. The inquest established that Hillary is survived by a son from a previous relationship and that Nicholas is survived by his brother. Both men provided DNA to assist with the investigation.
