Eleven months after going missing, a 39-year-old man was discovered dead in a Stoke-on-Trent cemetery

A 39-year-old man, Malachy Doherty, who had been missing for 11 months and was the subject of police appeals, was discovered deceased in a cemetery. Doherty had last been seen leaving his Tunstall residence on May 7, 2022, heading towards the cemetery with his Alsatian puppy and without wearing shoes.

His disappearance coincided with the anniversary of his sister’s death, and a relative had prevented him from taking his own life at that time. Despite a police search of Tunstall Cemetery, Malachy could not be located.

On March 30, a cemetery worker found his body just meters away from his cousin’s grave. An inquest has concluded with an unascertained verdict, citing asphyxiation by hanging as the cause of death, told Stoke on Trent Live.

Staffordshire Police revealed that Malachy did not have a bank account or a mobile phone with him, making his location challenging. The body, concealed by well-established evergreen foliage that remained unchanged throughout the year, was not visible to regular cemetery visitors.

Nicholas Walker, the North Staffordshire assistant coroner, stated, “He was reported missing on May 7, 2022. He had attempted to hang himself and left without shoes on, heading for the cemetery. He was found 11 months later, screened by the shrubs. I am satisfied that he intended to take his own life, as he had not been in the community at large and had not accessed his prescribed medication during this time.”