New searches in probe into gangland murder of William Maughan and Anastasija Varslavane

William Maughan (right) and Anastasija Varslavanne were last seen in April 2015.

Gardaí investigating the disappearance and gangland murder of a couple almost 10 years ago are carrying out searches of lands in north Dublin.

Willie Maughan, 34, and his pregnant Latvian girlfriend Anastasija Varslavane, 21, were last seen alive at Rockleigh House in Gormanston, Co Meath, where they were living in a caravan.

The couple were in the process of leaving the property on April 14, 2015 – and had organised for Mr Maughan’s mother to collect them – when they disappeared.

Gardaí suspect that a notorious drug gang – the Price-Maguire Organised Crime Group – murdered the couple and buried their bodies.

No remains have ever been found, despite the arrest of seven people.

The joint leader of the gang, Cornelius Price, died in February 2023, and is suspected by investigators of having a direct role in the double murder.

Price, who died from a brain injury in Wales aged 41, was considered by gardaí to be a particularly violent and reckless individual.

Court documents previously heard that the caravan the couple were staying in was owned by Price and that gardaí suspected the murders were carried out on the basis of protecting the gang’s lucrative drug business.

In a statement on Friday, Garda HQ said that officers in Co Meath, backed up by the Garda Technical Bureau, had begun searches of open lands in north Co Dublin.

“The area of land will be searched and subject to excavation, technical and forensic examinations over the coming days,” it said.

“The investigation is being carried out by the Serious Crime Unit, Meath Division and is led by a Senior Investigation Officer based out of an incident room at Ashbourne Garda Station.” 

It said gardaí have been and continue to keep the family fully updated in relation to the investigation and that they have been fully appraised of today’s developments.

It said Mr Maughan and Ms Varslavane who were reported last seen on Tuesday, April 14, 2015.

“An extensive investigation was launched with several searches and enquiries carried out,” the statement said. 

“The case was upgraded to a murder investigation following a review of the case in September 2016.” 

Investigators are hoping that people, who have information, may now come forward: “Given the passage of time since their disappearance individuals personal circumstances may now have changed and people may now be in a position to either speak to investigating Gardaí or to provide information now that they may not have been able to provide before.”

Couple's disappearance 

Gardaí said the couple had been together since 2014 and lived in a caravan in Gormanston, Co Meath. Mr Maughan had decided to return to his family home in Tallaght with wife and his parents, Helen & Joe, were making arrangements for their return.

On April 14, 2015, Mr Maughan went to Balbriggan, followed shortly afterwards by Ms Varslavane. They ran some errands and made contact with Mr Maughan's mother to arrange for her to travel from Tallaght to Gormanston to collect them and their belongings.

Mr Maughan spoke to his mother at about 2.30pm and asked her to make her way out to Gormanston to collect them. The couple then got a taxi together from Balbriggan to Gormanston shortly after 2.30pm. Helen arrived in Gormanston just before 3pm but could not locate her son. She drove to Stamullen to look for him but didn’t find him. She returned to Gormanston and called his mobile phone but it went straight to voicemail.

Mr Maughan and Ms Varslavane never showed up and Helen became extremely worried, and reported both as missing.

The Irish Aviation Authority has set up, on foot of a garda request, a temporary restricted air space around the lands being searched.

In November 2022, the Criminal Assets Bureau told the High Court that Mr Maughan and Ms Varslavane were last seen alive “in a property belonging to feared criminal Cornelius Price”.

In an affidavit filed to the court as part of a CAB case against Owen Maguire and his brother Brendan, a CAB officer said it was their belief that “members of the Price-Maguire OGC carried out the double murder”.