Ashling Murphy killed just metres from childhood home of missing Fiona Pender

Missing woman Fiona Pender. Picture: Irish Times Group Picture

Ashling Murphy was killed just 500m away from the childhood home of missing Tullamore woman Fiona Pender, on a walkway named after the missing mother-to-be.

The walkway, which is known as Fiona’s Way, was opened in 2014 in memory of the 25-year-old who disappeared in August 1996. 

She was last seen at her apartment on Church St in the Co Offaly town at 6am on August 23.

Local Fianna Fáil councillor Tony McCormack said: “The scene is just 400 to 500 metres away from where Fiona would have played herself as a youngster.” 

He said Fiona has never been forgotten by the people of the area, but that Wednesday afternoon’s tragedy has brought the memory of Fiona’s disappearance back into the minds of people.

“The walkway was dedicated to her because people wanted somewhere to remember her," he said. 

Fiona has been close to the hearts of the people of Tullamore for many years.” 

She was seven months pregnant at the time of her disappearance.

Her mother Josephine passed away in 2017. She had regularly made media appeals for information on her daughter’s whereabouts. Her father Sean died just four years after Fiona disappeared.

Last September, 25 years after Fiona’s disappearance, her brother John made an appeal alongside gardaí for information on her whereabouts.

According to gardaí, Fiona was last seen at around 6am on the morning of Friday, August 23, 1996.

An investigation into her disappearance remains active with the investigation team based in Tullamore Garda Station and Portlaoise Garda Station.

When she disappeared, the young woman was wearing bright-coloured clothing and white leggings.

She was described as being 5'5" in height, with long blonde hair, and was 25 years of age.

In last September's fresh appeal, gardaí asked anyone who met, saw, or has any information in relation to the disappearance of Fiona who has not spoken to gardaí to come forward.

In their appeal, gardaí said they “continue to appeal to any person who may have previously come forward who felt they could not provide gardaí with all the information they had in relation to this matter, to contact the investigation team again".

Anyone with information can contact Portlaoise Garda Station on [phone], or any Garda station. Anyone who wishes to provide information confidentially should contact the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.