Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Dig bid to find missing doc as cops sent mystery note
A DIG began yesterday for the remains of a doctor – after a letter was sent to gardai claiming to know where she is buried.
The excavation, expected to last up to five days, is located between Rathmullan and Kerrykeel in Co Donegal.
A number of gardai using a mini-digger moved on to the site yesterday.
A letter received some weeks ago claims to know the exact location where 46-year-old Deirdre O’flaherty – who vanished 10 years ago – is buried.
Dr O’flaherty, from Strabane in Co Tyrone, was reported missing on January 11, 2009, at Moville.
It is understood gardai are treating the claim in the letter as genuine.
Detectives had initially considered using geothermal imaging in a bid to locate any remains.
EXCAVATION
However, because of the rocky nature of the terrain, it was decided to scrape away layers of soil using a smaller digger.
Gardai have cordoned off the area and prevented members of the public from accessing the site while the excavation is carried out.
Dr O’flaherty’s car was found at Kinnego Beach and she was known to have suffered from depression, leading to suspicions she had taken her own life.
She had been staying at a holiday home with her husband and their children when she vanished.
In February 2012, the
High Court in Belfast ruled it was satisfied she had died.
Her death featured on RTE’S Crimecall but there was no positive sighting of Dr O’flaherty.
Since her disappearance, her credit cards and bank accounts have remained untouched.
Gardai are keeping in close contact with the family and a liaison officer has been appointed.