Appeal for information on dead and missing women
The appeal by Crimestoppers, in conjunction with the gardaí, is focusing on the deaths of three women in particular, along with the sinister disappearances of five others.
Crimestoppers is offering a substantial cash reward for information which might help gardaí solve the cases.
The campaign comes on the 10th anniversary of the disappearance of Josephine ‘Jo Jo’ Dullard in Moone, Co Kildare. She was one of six women who vanished in Leinster between 1993 and 1998.
“There’s people out there who have information in these cases, that’s who we’re appealing to,” said Crimestoppers spokeswoman Yvonne Hyland. “It’s not Joe Public who might remember something, it’s the people who already have the information.”
Crimestoppers are highlighting the suspicious deaths of Antoinette Smith in 1988, Patricia Doherty in 1992 and Marie Kilmartin in 1994.
The five missing women include: Claire Boylan, last seen in 2003; Ciara Breen, who vanished in 1997; Jo Jo Dullard, who disappeared in November 1995; Imelda Keenan, missing since 1994 and Annie McCarrick, who vanished in 1993.
Ms Hyland said the campaign was the first of its size by the organisation, which runs an anonymous freephone service.
Gardaí distributed leaflets at various locations yesterday connected with the last known sighting of the eight women.
“We have done garda leaflets twice before this summer, which proved very positive,” said Ms Hyland. “We got a good few calls to Crimestoppers that were very helpful to gardaí. We’re hoping this campaign will result in the same.”
She said Crimestoppers was a confidential service, with the added incentive of a substantial cash reward.
Two of the six missing women, Fiona Pender and Fiona Sinnott, are not included - gardaí in the Sinnott case arrested the main suspect last September.
But the mother of Ms Pender yesterday expressed disappointment that her daughter’s case was omitted. Josephine Pender said gardaí might have excluded the two cases because they already had a chief suspect.
“But’s that not a reason not to include Fiona. I am definitely disappointed. I would like to see Fiona’s name up there with the rest of them and keep the pressure on.”
Ms Hyland said the list of women came from the Gardaí and she did not know why Ms Pender’s case was not included.
The Crimestoppers anonymous freephone is 1800 25 00 25.
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Aged 36 and from Terenure, Dublin, she disappeared on March 2, 2003. She is described as being 5’4” in height, of thin build with a pale complexion. She has short, curly, brown hair.
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Was aged 18 when she went missing from her home in Batchelors Walk, Dundalk, on February 13, 1997. She is 5’5” tall with long dark brown hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a black leather jacket, dark blue jeans, wine-coloured sweatshirt and a white T-shirt with a picture of her face superimposed on it.
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Josephine was 21 when she vanished while hitching a lift from Moone, Co Kildare, to her home in Callan, Co Kildare, on November 9, 1995. She is 5’4” in height, of medium build with dark, shoulder-length hair. When last seen, Jo Jo was wearing a dark/black jacket zipped at the front, blue jeans, black boots and carrying a black rucksack.
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She was 22 when she disappeared from her rented accommodation in Lombard Street, Waterford, on January 3, 1994. Ms Keenan, originally from Mountmellick, Co Laois, is described as being 5’3” tall, of thin build, with long brown hair and blue eyes. When last seen, Imelda was wearing leopard-skin ski pants, a white jumper, blue denim jacket and black shoes.
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Annie was 26 when she went missing from her home in Sandymount, Dublin, on March 26, 1993. The US national had gone walking in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow. When last seen she was wearing a grey/green tweed, thigh-length jacket and brown cowboy boots. Annie is described as being 5’8” in height, 10 stone, with long brown hair.
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The 27-year-old from Kilmahudderick, Dublin, was last seen at 3.30am on July 11, 1987 on Westmoreland Street. She was wearing blue jeans, denim jacket, dark brown wig and was carrying a sports bag. She was found strangled in the Dublin Mountains on April 3, 1988.
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Aged 30 and from Tallaght, Dublin, she was last seen leaving her home on December 23, 1991. The mother-of-two was wearing a blouse, a dark skirt and a dark brown scarf. She was found strangled in the same stretch of the Dublin Mountains on June 21, 1992.
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The 36-year-old from Portlaoise, Co Laois, was last seen at her home on December 16, 1993. She was wearing a purple and grey shirt and skirt with a large red floral print. She was found strangled in a remote bog in Portarlington on June 10, 1994.
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