Ireland Seeks Identity of Deceased Man
- Authorities in Ireland have uploaded the details of a man who died in a hospital to the national human remains database in a renewed effort to establish his...
- The man, identified as Piotr Torng, died in November 2024 at St James’s Hospital.
- According to reporting from the Irish Examiner, the man was believed to be a Lithuanian national in his early 40s.
Authorities in Ireland have uploaded the details of a man who died in a hospital to the national human remains database in a renewed effort to establish his true identity.
The man, identified as Piotr Torng, died in November 2024 at St James’s Hospital. He passed away nearly two weeks after suffering a cardiac arrest.
According to reporting from the Irish Examiner, the man was believed to be a Lithuanian national in his early 40s. He had resided in Ireland for more than a decade and was known to several homeless services in Dublin, including the Peter McVerry Trust hostel located in Stephen’s Green.
Identification Efforts and Database Integration
The case has been added to the unidentified human remains database, which was established by the Department of Justice three years ago. The database currently contains information on approximately 50 full or partial remains discovered across Ireland since 1968.
The entry for the man includes a photograph and a DNA profile, although officials stated that no match has been made to date.
Prior to the use of the database, the Dublin District Coroner and gardaí conducted extensive inquiries to determine the man’s identity. These efforts included:
- Contacting the embassies of Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
- Performing checks with the Department of Social Protection.
- Attempting to identify the man through Interpol and official documentation.
Despite these measures, no next of kin has been identified.
Burial and Legal Proceedings
An inquest into the man’s death was held in October 2025. During those proceedings, the court heard that formal identification efforts had failed. The inquest was adjourned for one week at that time to allow for intensified identification attempts.
The man’s remains were held at the Dublin city mortuary for six months before he was buried in a plot belonging to the Alice Leahy Trust in Glasnevin Cemetery. The burial took place approximately one year prior to April 10, 2026, in a small ceremony attended by a limited group of people.