Investigation concludes for couple missing in Ireland since 2015

Irish police, known as gardaí, have announced the conclusion of a search operation in the Republic of Ireland concerning a couple who disappeared in 2015. Willie Maughan and Anastasija Varslavane were last observed on 14 April 2015. This search effort, initiated last week, took place across open terrain in north County Dublin. Authorities from An Garda Síochána, who are investigating the couple’s disappearance and suspected murder, confirmed the operation’s conclusion and that the family has been informed. “Nothing of evidential value was located during the search operation,” a gardaí spokesperson stated. The spokesperson urged anyone possessing information to contact the gardaí involved in the investigation. Earlier this week, Mr Maughan’s parents issued a renewed appeal for details regarding the fate of their son and his girlfriend. Helen Maughan, his mother, informed the Irish broadcaster RTÉ that she had hoped the search would provide the family with answers and a sense of closure. “It’s nine years now, and things change. I would like [anyone with information] to just look at myself and Joe and my family and pass on any small piece of information,” she stated. When they vanished, one avenue of investigation suggested the couple had been killed by a criminal organization. The pair had been a couple since 2014 and resided in a caravan located in Gormanston, County Meath. Mr Maughan had made plans to move back to his family residence in Tallaght alongside Ms Varslavane. On the morning of Tuesday, 14 April 2015, Mr Maughan traveled to Balbriggan, with Ms Varslavane joining him a short time later. They completed several tasks and contacted William’s mother to coordinate her journey from Tallaght to Gormanston to pick up both of them and their possessions. William communicated with his mother around 14:30 local time, requesting her to proceed to Gormanston for their collection. Mr Maughan and Ms Varslavane shared a taxi from Balbriggan to Gormanston just after 14:30. Mr Maughan’s mother reached Gormanston shortly before 15:00 but was unable to find her son. She then drove to Stamullen in an attempt to locate him, but without success. Upon returning to Gormanston, she telephoned his mobile phone, but the call went directly to voicemail. As Mr Maughan and Ms Varslavane failed to appear, Mr Maughan’s mother grew highly concerned and subsequently reported both individuals as missing. The investigation was reclassified as a murder inquiry after a review conducted in September 2016. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.