Gardai probe murder of teenager last seen in 1998
POLICE in the Republic investigating the disappearance of a teenager near her home in Co Kildare 20 years ago yesterday launched a murder investigation.
Deirdre Jacob was last seen near her home, at Roseberry, Newbridge, on July 28, 1998.
Gardai have carried out a 20-year investigation into the 18-year-old’s disappearance, during which significant inquiries were carried out to establish her whereabouts and to investigate the circumstances in which she disappeared.
The case was reclassified as a murder investigation following new information received by Garda.
The murder investigation is being conducted by gardai from the Kildare Garda District, with the support of the Serious Crime Review Team. An incident room has been set up at Kildare Garda Station.
Chief Superintendent Brian Sutton said: “Deirdre Jacob was a young woman starting off her life, who had just completed one year at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, London.
“This 20-year-old investigation has been reviewed in detail by gardai from Kildare and from the Serious Crime Review Team over the last 12 months.”
He continued: “The investigation team are following a number of lines of enquiry and progress is being made on the investigation.
“As a result of this review and new information that has been received, Garda have reclassified the disappearance of Deirdre Jacob from a missing person investigation to a murder investigation.
“I wish to appeal to any person with information in relation to the murder of Deirdre Jacob to come forward, particularly persons who have not come forward in the past.”