A coroner has said he is "incredulous" after casings from bullets used to kill a Catholic man were lost.
Senior Coroner John Leckey also found that the killing of Daniel McColgan (20) as he arrived for work at a postal depot in the Rathcoole estate, in January 2002 was a "brutal sectarian murder."
The killing was later claimed by the Ulster Freedom Fighters and no-one has ever been convicted in relation to it.
Mr Leckey referred to the loss of the casings after they were sent to England for testing during a short hearing in Belfast yesterday.
"It must be a matter of great concern that exhibits in an unsolved murder should have disappeared," he said.
"I am incredulous that that should have happened."
It emerged that the father of one was struck by at least 11 rounds after being ambushed by two masked gunmen as he arrived for work in the staunchly loyalist estate on the outskirts of north Belfast.
Post-mortem reports showed that one of the bullets was fired as he lay face down on the ground.
The coroner said "Daniel’s religion was sufficient motive for his murder.
"I am satisfied that this was a totally sectarian act and that Daniel had been deliberately targeted solely because of his religion.
"He was a Roman Catholic in a predominately Protestant workforce based in a predominantly loyalist area and accordingly was an easy target."
Mr Leckey referred to a CCTV camera at the postal depot which was turned off prior to the murder and said "there had been a gross failure to ensure that it functioned as intended."
Mr Leckey said he was "unable to reach any conclusions, on the balance of probabilities, as to whether those who planned the murder and the gunmen were aware that the camera was inoperative."
He also said he was not able to establish if any of Mr McColgan’s co-workers helped set him up.
"Also, I am unable to reach any conclusion, again on the balance of probabilities, as to whether any member or members of the workforce at the sorting office provided any information or assistance to those involved in the murder."
He added that he hoped "Daniel's murderers will be held to account."
There were a series of other disturbing revelations during the inquest.
They included claims that one of the guns used to kill Mr McColgan was "most likely" stolen from a member of the RIR and bullets fired from the 9mm Beretta were issued to the RUC.
The second weapon used, a 9mm Browning style handgun, may also have come from a shipment brought into the north by UDA agent Brian Nelson.
Claims were made that searches connected to the murder were of little concern to loyalists as they had "someone inside Newtownabbey police station."
During the hearing it emerged that UDA member Stephen McCullough, who offered to provide information about the murder, was released from police custody without being questioned.
He was found dead at the foot of Cavehill in north Belfast in unexplained circumstances hours later.
It was also revealed that a retired Special Branch officer, Douglas Buchanan, who was linked to the McColgan investigation could face prosecution for conspiracy to murder as part of a probe into the police handling of UVF agent Gary Haggarty.
The McColgan family solicitor Fearghal Shiels, of Madden & Finucane Solicitors, said they are weighing up their options.
"These revelations have profoundly shocked the McColgan family, who will now study the evidence given throughout the inquest with their legal representatives before considering their next step," he said.
Meanwhile, tributes were paid to Mr Leckey by senior legal figures as he sat in the Coroner’s Court for the final time yesterday.
He is due to retire later this month after 31 years as a coroner.
