Gardaí carry out fresh searches of lands in Fiona Pender case

Mon, 26 May, 2025 - 19:44

Cormac O’Keeffe, Security Correspondent

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.

Despite a series of extensive searches, more than 300 statements and the arrest — in April 1997 — of five people, no indications of her remains have been found.

Detectives have long had a prime suspect for the disappearance and suspected murder of Ms Pender — but have not had the evidence to bring charges.

That person, who is from the Midlands and was known to Ms Pender, emigrated.

On Monday, Garda HQ said it was now formally upgrading the missing person case to a murder investigation.

It said it was carrying out fresh searches in the Offaly area, on lands at Graigue in Killeigh, a short distance from Tullamore.

The land is due to be excavated and forensic and technical examinations will be carried out over the coming days, gardaí said.

Fiona Pender was one of five women who vanished in Leinster in less than four years in the mid 1990s. Picture: Irish Times Group

Ms Pender was one of five women who vanished in Leinster in less than four years in the mid 1990s, but, as with most of the cases, gardaí suspected there were no connections and people known to the women were involved in their disappearances.

Ms Pender's mother, Josephine, who campaigned on her case, died in September 2017. Her husband, and Fiona’s father, Seán, died by suicide in 2000.

A statement issued by Garda HQ said officers in the Laois/Offaly Garda Division had carried out “a sustained investigation over the last 28 years”, during which significant inquiries had been carried out.

“Over the course of this investigation, the investigation team have discovered and collated thousands of documents/reports, taken in excess of 300 statements of evidence and retained a number of exhibits,” the statement said.

It said “extensive searches” had been carried out and five persons arrested.

It said: “Based on the entirety of the information available to the investigation team, An Garda Síochána can confirm that this missing person investigation has been re-classified as a murder investigation.

Fiona’s remains have never been located. No person has been brought to justice for the disappearance and murder of Fiona at this time.

It said gardaí continue to appeal to any person with any information in relation to the disappearance of Fiona in the early morning of Friday, August 23, 1996, who has not spoken to gardaí, to come forward.

It added: "Gardaí 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."

Thousands of people are reported missing every year, but only a few hit the headlines