DEIRDRE COPS PROBE BEAST MURPHY
Evil psycho to be quizzed as case of missing teen upgraded to murder
GARDAI probing the case of missing Deirdre Jacob want to quiz crazed sex fiend Larry Murphy, it emerged last night. The “Beast of Baltinglass” was caged in 2001 for the abduction and attempted murder of a woman. Deirdre was just 19 when she disappeared from her home in Co Kildare, on July 28, 1998.
Yesterday, gardai upgraded her disappearance to a murder investigation and have identified several “persons of interest” – one of whom is Murphy.
THE distraught dad of Deirdre Jacob yesterday said being told she had been murdered was “heart wrenching”.
As a major breakthough emerged in the 20-year mystery of her disappearance and death, Michael Jacob begged anyone with information to come forward.
Cops hunting the killer of the tragic teen yesterday revealed they have new evidence – which the Irish Mirror has learned will lead them to interview notorious sex attacker Larry Murphy.
Dubbed “the Beast of Baltinglass”, Murphy was convicted in 2001 of the horrific abduction and attempted murder of a woman.
Deirdre was just 19 when she vanished from Roseberry, Newbridge, Co Kildare, on July 28, 1998.
Gardai yesterday upgraded her disappearance to murder after the force’s Serious Crime Review Team carried out a detailed examination of the investigation file.
A source said: “The whole file has been gone through and people have been re-interviewed.
“A person has given a statement and there is new critical information in this document – it has led gardai to now believe Deirdre was murdered.
“There are a number of people gardai want to talk to and Larry Murphy is one of those.”
Sources believe this may prove difficult as Murphy is abroad – possibly in the UK.
Gardai have generated 3,000 lines of enquiry and 2,500 statements have been taken.
In recent months officers had cross-referenced statements and also met people with new information that has led to the breakthrough.
Sources stressed there is a long way to go until this case can be solved but they believe the new evidence is “critically important”.
Yesterday morning Michael gave his reaction to a murder inquiry being launched.
He told RTE radio: “We always held out hope, that is probably how one reacts.
“You always look for a glimmer of hope as I said now with the investigation going in this direction, it is a difficult time.
“We are taking it one step at a time and hopefully with the coverage it is getting, and that it has been upgraded, it will encourage someone with that vital bit of information to come forward.
“Gardai need more information. It is progressing and we are
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appealing for people with new information to come and help.” Mr Jacob said he and his family have worked closely with gardai in the past 20 years and they draw strength from the hunt for justice.
He added: “Gardai keep us very well informed – they always have. “We have a very good team work with the gardai and that has helped us endure the case. We draw the strength from the desperate situation we were cast into.
“Deirdre was walking into our gateway and she suddenly wasn’t there anymore – we owe it to her, that will be our goal all the time until we get the final answers.”
Mr Jacob appealed for people with critical information to come forward and finally help gardai close the case.
He said: “We hope we are nearer to getting the answers but over the 20 years there have been moments we got information that we thought would make a difference. Now at this time, with this new information, we have to try and encourage those who have that information to bring it forward.
“We know the goodness of people who have information and at this point they might feel it is good to come forward.”
Murphy has been linked to the disappearance of several young women in Ireland.
He is a suspect in the cases of Annie Mccarrick, 26, Jo Jo Dullard, 21, and now Deirdre.
The Irish Mirror had tracked him down to the London borough of Waltham Forest in February 2014.
Murphy was hiding out in the city for a number of months with a mystery woman but soon decided to move on.
He was freed from jail in August 2010 after serving 10 years of a 15-year sentence for a brutal sex attack and attempted murder of a woman in the Wicklow mountains.
He had stalked his 28-year-old victim for a month before raping and beating her.
Murphy tried to smother her but was scared off by two hunters.
We always had hope but with the inquiry going this direction it’s difficult MICHAEL JACOB
Chief Superintendent Brian Sutton would not be drawn on what information the investigators had developed and would not give details of the “persons of interest”.
He said: “Deirdre Jacob was 19 when she was last seen on July 28, 1998, as she walked to her home in Newbridge.
“She was a young woman starting off her life, who had just completed one year at St Mary’s University in Twickenham, London.
“Deirdre had enjoyed her life in London and was looking forward to returning to college that September when her life was taken away on or after July 28, 1998. 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.”
Chief Supt Sutton said that key to the new evidence is the review carried out by specialist investigators.
He added: “As a result of this review and new information that has been received, gardai have re-classified the disappearance of Deirdre Jacob from a missing person investigation to a murder investigation.
“The investigation team are following a number of lines of enquiry and progress is being made on the 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.”