Search for body in Co Wicklow

Gardaí were remaining tight-lipped this afternoon as to the progress of a search for human remains at Kippure in the Wicklow mountains.

The search - the third separate hunt for human remains in the Wicklow mountains this week - is part of the investigation into the disappearance and presumed murder of a teenage woman three years ago. Marioara Rostas (19) was last seen begging at traffic lights in Dublin’s south inner city in January 2010.

After a morning of little activity at the entrance to the site, which is on the main Manor Kilbride to Sallygap road, a fleet of Garda vehicles arrived shortly after 2pm. Among the vehicles was a Garda van bearing members of the Garda Technical Bureau, also known as the murder squad. Gardaí on the ground were joined within minutes by a Garda helicopter that appeared to be flying over the area in a strategic fashion, section by section.

A plain-clothed garda who had been on duty at the entrance to the site since morning said he was unable to provide any information. A spokesman for the Garda Press Office confirmed a search was being carried out but said “for operational reasons” the gardaí were making no further comment at this time.

The search is centered on a site on Coillte lands about six kilometres east of the hamlet of Manor Kilbride, near Blessington, and close to the Kippure adventure estate.

The area of Garda interest is some distance down a forest track, which is barred by a Coillte gate. A Coillte vehicle was also parked a little way down the road as Coillte staff used welding equipment on another gate. A worker said a number of Coillte gates in the area had been vandalised overnight, their locks being shorn off with cutting equipment.

Gardaí began their search of the area yesterday, having just completed a two-day search of an area around Kilranelagh, also in the Wicklow mountains, about eight kilometres north of Baltinglass. This search followed information related to the convicted rapist Larry Murphy, which was provided by a forensic scientist.

Last Sunday a shallow grave containing the remains of missing Dublin man James McDonagh were discovered by two hillwalkers at Slieve na mBan Óg mountain, again in Co Wicklow. McDonagh (28) had been murdered in October 2010 by an organised crime gang from west Dublin and his body dumped. None of the three cases is linked.

Today’s search for the remains of Ms Rostas, a member of the Roma community, was the latest development in an intensive investigation into her disappearance. She is presumed to have been shot dead.

While a gangland criminal from Dublin’s south inner city is suspected of being centrally involved in the murder of Ms Rostas, gardaí have not discounted the theory that the fatal shots were discharged by another person, possibly a woman.

The male suspect is believed to have sexually assaulted Ms Rostas and later helped to dispose of her body after she had been shot dead. He is also a suspect in the shooting dead of Darren Cogan (19), Bluebell Road, Dublin, in the Blackhorse Inn, Inchicore, on June 25th last.

Ms Rostas was last seen on Lombard Street East in Dublin city centre at 2pm on Sunday, January 6th, 2010. She was begging at the junction of Pearse Street. She was seen by her younger brother talking to a man, believed to be the gangland suspect, in a car her brother described as a Silver Ford Mondeo.

Gardaí believe she went voluntarily in the car and was taken to an address in the south inner city. Once there she is believed to have been sexually assaulted over a number of days and then shot dead before her body was taken away and disposed of.

The house where she is believed to have been attacked was damaged by fire a short time after the suspected murder. Gardaí believe the fire was started deliberately to frustrate any forensic examination.

However, despite the fire damage, gardaí have found evidence of a gun being discharged at the property. A number of DNA samples taken from the house suggested Ms Rostas had been injured there.

The teenager had only been in Ireland for three weeks before she disappeared.