Family in shock as woman’s body found

THE family of a woman whose body was found by police after a four-month search had not given up hope of her safe return.

A post-mortem was being carried out in Belfast yesterday on the body of pensioner Attracta Harron, from Strabane in County Tyrone, who disappeared on December 11 while returning from mass in the nearby town of Lifford, Co Donegal.

Strabane parish priest Fr Declan Boland said her husband Michael and her children were distraught at the discovery of her remains in a field.

“They are in a state of shock and disbelief that this has happened,” he said.

“Up until the very last minute, they would have kept some degree of hope alive of a positive outcome.

“Yesterday was the final act of taking away that hope,” Fr Boland said.

Specialist search teams discovered her remains close to a stream at Concess Road, near Sion Mills, Co Tyrone. Her identity was confirmed on Monday night after the body was taken to Forster Green Hospital in Belfast.

Fr Boland said the discovery of her body was of some comfort to the family.

“I have been speaking to the family on a daily basis and their focus was to get their mother’s body recovered to allow her a decent, respectful, Christian burial.

“They have been in a state of limbo and suspension for four months.”

Detective Inspector John Gilmore, who has been heading the investigation into Mrs Harron’s murder, said the body had been “concealed under the ground.”

Police on both sides of the Border have been working closely to trace her.

Extensive searches were conducted in Strabane, Sion Mills and Lifford. Fourteen detectives were assigned to the case.

Last month a 21-year-old student appeared at Omagh Magistrates’ Court charged with the pensioner’s murder. He was remanded in custody until April 22.

Meanwhile land near the home town of missing schoolgirl Arlene Arkinson was searched by police yesterday.

Police said the hunt for the body of the 15-year-old from Castlederg, Co Tyrone, who disappeared nearly a decade ago had switched to a laneway close to fields on the Drumquin Road. Two specialist dogs belonging to Strathclyde police are being used.

Arlene has never been traced after vanishing in August 1994 on her way home from a disco in Bundoran, Co Donegal.

Robert Howard, 59, is in custody awaiting trial for her murder.

The new search for Arlene was mounted at the same time as the search that found Ms Harron’s body.