Offaly bogland search in Fiona Pender murder probe continues

THE search of bogland near Killeigh in connection with the disappearance of Fiona Pender is continuing this evening (Monday, May 26).

The gardai launched an operation in the townland of Graigue this morning, a move which coincided with the Fiona Pender case being upgraded from missing persons status to a murder probe.

The focus of the search is on land about three kilometres north-east of the main N80 Tullamore-Portlaoise road near Killeigh village.

A bog boreen leads to the search site and gardai have restricted access to the exact location of their investigation.

One source close to the operation described it as a “follow-up” search. A number other searches have taken place at various locations since the 25-year-old Tullamore woman disappeared in August, 1996.

“It's another area that was identified at some stage before,” said the source.

Turf has been cut recently on an area of bog adjacent to the search site (pictured below) and though rough and potholed, the boreen remains accessible to traffic and is in everyday use locally.

Before lunchtime today gardai said they had commenced a search operation on open ground in Co Offaly.

“This area of land will be searched and subject to excavation, technical and forensic examinations over the coming days,” a garda statement said.

A week-long ban on the flying of drones by the public at the townland of Graigue, Killeigh and its vicinity has been put in place by the Irish Aviation Authority.

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Fiona Pender was seven months pregnant when she was last seen on August 22, 1996.

Despite arrests being made that year, no charges were ever brought.

Tragedy first hit the Pender family when Fiona's other brother Mark was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1994.

Fiona grew up in Connolly Park, Tullamore and was living in a flat in Church Street in the town and looking forward to the birth of her baby when she disappeared.

Her father Sean died tragically at home in 2000.

Fiona's mother Josephine made public appeals for information and said she believed her daughter was murdered and the body buried.

She believed she knew the man who killed Fiona and right up to the time of her own death in 2017 she always hoped her remains would be found.

She said of the killer: “He destroyed all of us. He didn't just destroy Fiona, he destroyed every member of the family.”

READ ALSO: Tragic Offaly mother's pleas for information on missing daughter