Second arrest in decade-old murder

GARDAÍ investigating the disappearance and suspected murder of a woman in Co Mayo more than 10 years ago have made a second arrest.

The detention of a man in relation to the disappearance of Sandra Collins from Killala on December 4, 2000, follows the arrest of a woman on Wednesday.

The man, aged in his 40s, is being questioned under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act and can be held for up to two days.

He was arrested by gardaí yesterday morning in the Ballina area and is being held at Ballina Garda Station.

The arrest is seen as a breakthrough in the case and followed the arrest of a 21-year-old woman in Ballina on Wednesday morning.

She was released from custody without charge yesterday.

Gardaí suspected the woman had information in relation to what happened Ms Collins, but did not suspect her of any involvement in her disappearance.

Detectives suspected she had connections with a man in the locality who they were investigating,

Ms Collins lived with her aunt on Courthouse Street in Killala when she disappeared.

She was last seen at a local takeaway at 11.15pm where she bought some food.

Her fleece jacket and a chip bag were found on a nearby pier four days afterwards, but gardaí suspect this was staged to look like a suicide.

Gardaí made a fresh appeal for information last December. This led to a number of new witnesses coming forward.