Gardaí investigating the disappearance and murder of Fiona Sinnott in 1998 have begun a search operation in Co Wexford.
Ms Sinnott, the mother of an infant daughter, lived at Ballyhitt, Broadway, at the time of her disappearance and had been socialising in Butler’s pub on February 8th with friends.
The 19-year-old left the pub at around midnight, the last confirmed sighting of her.
A motorist said they saw a man and a woman on the road near Kisha Cross, a short distance from the pub, at around midnight. There were also two males in their late teens or early 20s close by.
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None of these four people have ever come forward, and gardaí said they are “anxious to trace them or anyone who was in the vicinity who did not, or could not, come forward at the time”.
A renewed appeal for witnesses was made in February 2023, on the 25th anniversary of Ms Sinnott’s disappearance.
Gardaí on Thursday said a search operation on open ground was set to begin at a location in Co Wexford. The area will be subject to excavation, technical and forensic examinations over the coming days. Road closures will be in place, and diversions will be in operation, the force said.
Gardaí in Wexford and Wicklow have over the last 27 years worked to establish Ms Sinnott’s whereabouts and investigate her disappearance.
Extensive searches have been carried out and six people were arrested and questioned in connection with the investigation.
In 2005, gardaí arrested and detained a male on suspicion of the murder of Ms Sinnott. At the same time, three women and two men were arrested and detained in connection with the investigation into the disappearance of Ms Sinnott.
However, no person has been charged in connection with the investigation to date.
Gardaí said thousands of documents, reports and more than 500 statements of evidence have been collated during the investigation.
Gardaí continue to appeal to anyone with any information who has not spoken to the force to come forward.
Any person who may have previously felt they could not provide gardaí with all the information they had is urged to contact Wexford Garda station on 053 9165200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.
