There are a couple of things about this case that don't seem consistent with the suicide theory, imo.
Firstly, the man specifically asked the pub landlord for the top of the mountain, but he was found some way short of that. I know it would have been dark by the time he got to the place he was found, but the track is very clear- he could presumably have continued to the top had he really wanted to.
Secondly, the place where he was found seems an odd location to commit suicide, unless there was a significance attached to that precise spot (which would I think rule out a connection to all the events known to be associated with the general area, thus suggesting a more private association). Everything else about the case suggests a desire for anonymity, so why commit suicide right next to a well-used path, when you could easily find a more private spot away from it?
Finally, there's the position the body was found in. As described in the BBC article, it doesn't sound very consistent with death by strychnine poisoning. What would be very interesting to know is for how long after death the muscle spasms that are produced by strychnine poisoning are preserved, and how they interact with rigor mortis. Another interesting point to consider is that the onset of rigor would have been significantly retarded due to the cold conditions. Is it possible that the body was re-positioned some time after death?
Firstly, the man specifically asked the pub landlord for the top of the mountain, but he was found some way short of that. I know it would have been dark by the time he got to the place he was found, but the track is very clear- he could presumably have continued to the top had he really wanted to.
Secondly, the place where he was found seems an odd location to commit suicide, unless there was a significance attached to that precise spot (which would I think rule out a connection to all the events known to be associated with the general area, thus suggesting a more private association). Everything else about the case suggests a desire for anonymity, so why commit suicide right next to a well-used path, when you could easily find a more private spot away from it?
Finally, there's the position the body was found in. As described in the BBC article, it doesn't sound very consistent with death by strychnine poisoning. What would be very interesting to know is for how long after death the muscle spasms that are produced by strychnine poisoning are preserved, and how they interact with rigor mortis. Another interesting point to consider is that the onset of rigor would have been significantly retarded due to the cold conditions. Is it possible that the body was re-positioned some time after death?