THE funeral was held yesterday of an American man who took his own life a day after a Belfast woman he befriended pleaded guilty to attempting to murder a PSNI officer.
Zachary Gevelinger was the second man linked to the case of 'lone wolf' dissident republican Christine Connor to die by suspected suicide.
Connor last week admitted six terrorist offences relating to a pipe bomb attack on a police vehicle in north Belfast in 2013. She will be sentenced next month.
Her co-accused, Stuart Downes (31), from Shrewsbury in England, took his own life last June before the case went to trial on charges including aiding and abetting.
Detectives said Connor (31), from north Belfast, had no formal links to any armed group and enticed her suspected accomplice through Facebook with a fake profile using pictures of a Swedish model.
Mr Gevelinger, who was found dead last Friday in a hotel room in Platteville, Wisconsin, was buried following Requiem Mass at St Joseph's Church in Dodgeville.
Mr Downes's sister Tarnya yesterday paid tribute to Mr Gevelinger online.
"My thoughts go to Zach's family...r.i.p Zach and my brother Stu...you may not have met but you're both brave men and are now at peace...love to you both for fighting what you believed in xx," she wrote on a condolence page for the American.
In 2013 the 28-year-old spent nine days being questioned by police in Belfast after visiting Connor in Hydebank prison.
Mr Gevelinger, who had no previous links to Irish republicanism, had been communicating with her on social networking sites prior to her arrest.
He was released pending a report to the Public Prosecution Service but was never charged with any offences.
He took a panic attack within hours of his release and was taken to hospital, before flying back to America the following day.
Friends say Mr Gevelinger developed an eating disorder after his arrest. He penned several articles about his time in Belfast for communist publications, describing his detention as "torture".
In an online tribute, his family said he "enjoyed travelling, quiet nights at home" and spending time with his wife Olivia Hogan and five dogs.
"Zach enjoyed being politically active and fighting for equality for all," they said.
"He wanted to see the world become a better place and enjoyed working to make it so.
"He was known for always being willing to help others and for his wonderful sense of humor. He was such a bright light in the world."
