An inquest has heard that the body of 31-year-old Laura Marshall was discovered in an overflowing bath at her Lurgan home in April 2016. A maintenance man found her while investigating a leak in the block of flats.
The maintenance man told the court he forced open the loose lock on Marshall's front door and entered the dark flat with a torch. He found the bathroom door handle on the hall floor and, after retrieving a screwdriver, unlocked the bathroom door. He saw Marshall face down in the bath with the taps still running and bruising on her shoulder. The sink was smashed, and blood was on the floor.
A police officer, among the first on the scene, believed a violent assault had occurred. A detective sergeant also described the scene, noting a circular bruise on Marshall's forehead and bruising on her arm, and assessed the death as suspicious with the "hallmarks of a domestic violence-related murder." He believed Marshall had taken refuge in the bathroom and was drowned in the bath.
The inquest heard that Marshall had lived with Gary O'Dowd for several years, and there had been complaints of domestic violence against him. O'Dowd, 38, was arrested and charged with her murder, but the charges were withdrawn two years later by the Public Prosecution Service. A forensic scientist confirmed damage to the bathroom door and frame and stated it was possible to lock the bathroom door from the outside.