Gardaí carry out fresh searches of lands in Fiona Pender case

Gardaí at the location of the latest search for the body of missing woman Fiona Pender in an area close to Killeigh, about 10km from Tullamore. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie

Gardaí are searching lands in Co Offaly on the back of a decision to upgrade the disappearance of Fiona Pender almost 29 years ago to a murder investigation.

The 25-year-old woman was seven months pregnant when she was last seen at her apartment on Church Street, Tullamore, by her partner John Thompson on August 23, 1996.