“A police spokeswoman declined to say if foul play was suspected..”

The Irish News today identifies the man whose body was found on the Creagh Road, Toomebridge near Lough Neagh on the 9 January as 53-year-old Gerard Hampson from Northland Road in Londonderry. According to the BBC report he’s been missing since the 7 December and the Irish News reports that he was wanted for questioning about the abduction of a couple from Mullingar, County Westmeath, and the shooting of the man who was found on the edge of the Creggan estate in Londonderry in April last year. At which point it’s worth noting that there are two men being held separately in connection to that adbuction and shooting – 29 year-old Sean Walsh, who was charged on 20 December, and 45-year-old Marvin Canning, brother-in-law of Northern Ireland’s deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, MP, MLA. Walsh’s application for bail was opposed at the time of his appearance in court because “witnesses in this prosecution feared for their personal safety and there were concerns about the possibility of intimidation.” Canning, who has been charged with causing grievous bodily harm, false imprisonment and possessing a gun with intent, continues to be held on remand on the grounds that the court was “satisfied there are substantial grounds for believing there is a risk of interference with witnesses”. And from the Irish News report today Adds More below the fold

A postmortem examination was carried out and police said they were making further inquiries to determine the cause of death.
A police spokeswoman declined to say if foul play was suspected and would only describe the death as “unexplained”.
Police have refused to say what they wished to question Mr Hampson about, although sources have confirmed it was in connection with the Mullingar abduction and shooting.

More from the Irish News report

Following his disappearance last month, Mr Hampson’s family appealed for people to report his whereabouts to police even if this meant their father would be arrested.

The family issued an appeal for information about his whereabouts through Comm-unity Restorative Justice, stating that they were more concerned about his disappearance than his possible arrest by police.

His family was particularly concerned because he had undergone surgery recently and had gone missing without his medication.

Mr Hampson, who was known as Shorty, was last seen on November 30.

Following the appeal for information by his family, sightings of Mr Hampsonwere reported in the Dungiven and Maghera areas.Mr Hampson’s body was discovered by a passer-by on the shores of Lough Neagh at Creagh Road, Toomebridge on Wednesday afternoon.

A postmortem examination was carried out and police said they were making further inquiries to determine the cause of death.

A police spokeswoman de-clined to say if foul play was suspected and would only describe the death as “unexplained”.

Police have refused to say what they wished to question Mr Hampson about, although sources have confirmed it was in connection with the Mullingar abduction and shooting.

Adds From the Belfast Telegraph

A PSNI spokesman said today: “At this time, police are treating his death as unexplained.

“Police are trying to trace Mr Hampson’s movements since December 7.

“They are particularly interested in talking to anyone who saw suspicious activity around the loughshore in the last week- and saw any clothing, cars or people, at any time of the day.”

The discovery comes just comes just days after Mr Hampson’s family issued an appeal for him to contact them.

Anyone with information about suspicious activity at Lough Neagh is asked to contact police at Magherafelt on 0845 600 8000