There will be widespread scepticism over the IRA's denial of involvement in the abduction and presumed murder of Gareth O'Connor.
The circumstances surrounding what appears to have been a carefully planned kidnap, and the fact that a direct IRA threat had previously been relayed to Mr O'Connor, point strongly in the direction of mainstream republicanism.
It will also be remembered that previous IRA denials of responsibility for a string of other similar murders linked to the group known as The Disappeared proved to be false.
Mr O'Connor (24) vanished last May while driving from his Armagh home to Dundalk Garda station, where he had to report as part of his bail conditions after being charged with membership of an illegal republican dissident group.
Both his family and Monsignor Denis Faul are convinced that the missing man was indeed killed by the IRA.
If the IRA is serious about maintaining its innocence on this occasion, it should be prepared to provide much more information about those among The Disappeared which it has already admitted murdering and secretly burying.
There have been conflicting reports about how what are believed to be the remains of Jean McConville came to be discovered on a Co Louth beach last week more than 30 years after she was seized by the IRA from her west Belfast home.
However, what cannot be disputed is that the details offered by the IRA about at least eight other abductions were not sufficient to allow the bodies of the victims to be recovered.
The final chapter in this shameful story can only be written when all of The Disappeared are allowed to have a Christian burial.
