Richard and Julia Lyn.

Daraine Luton, Sunday Gleaner Reporter

RELATIVES of Richard and Julia Lyn may have to wait a few more weeks before full closure can be brought to the disappearance of the Mandeville couple.

Despite police yesterday saying that two bodies in a state of decomposition found at the Martin Hill Dump in Manchester were believed to be those of the senior citizens, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Les Green said investigations would proceed on the basis that the bodies found were those of the Lyns.

"Both have not been identified at this stage until we have DNA results to prove identity.

"I do believe they are Mr. and Mrs. Lyn and we will be continuing the investigation on that basis," ACP Green told reporters in a smelly dump at around noon Saturday.

He added: "We will need to get DNA test results which we will be undertaking as quickly as possible. We do anticipate some delay as unfortunately, our forensic capability in processing DNA results is still behind other countries, and so we have to wait for those tests to be completed. I have been so far informed that we have got until the end of January, possibly, to wait."

Government pathologist, Dr. Kadiyala Persaud, who performed an on-the-spot post-mortem concluded that the persons - one male and one female - both died from ligature strangulation. This means they were strangled with the use of a cord-like object, but their bodies were not suspended as in hanging.

Police discovered the bodies in a section of the dump which they have being combing for some time.

The badly decomposed remains, which were found in old abandoned vehicles at the back of the dump down a steep embankment, were removed to the Delapenha's Funeral Home in Mandeville, and will remain there until there is confirmation of the identities.

To seek advice from DPP

Meanwhile, ACP Green said the police will be seeking advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) as it relates to the charges to be laid against Kevin Powell and Lennox Swaby, the men held in connection with the disappearance of the missing couple. A third suspect is also in police custody.

While the police are not yet ready to give their theory as to how the bodies got to the dump, they are mindful of the fact that Swaby is the driver of a privately-owned garbage truck which used the landfill.

Powell has already been charged with possession of ammunition along with his 50-year-old mother. He also shares unlawful position of goods charges with Swaby. Powell is already before the court for the murder of his 14-year-old girlfriend whom he is alleged to have killed and dumped in a water tank.

Among the items recovered from the scene were jewellery belonging to the Lyns, bed linen and a blanket in which the bodies were wrapped.

It is still unclear as to why the Lyns were abducted from their Battersea home on December 9, but one theory is that the elderly couple walked in on a robbery and were killed and their bodies dumped.