Gardai have completed a 10 day excavation at a site in Wicklow linked to ‘credible information’ in the cold case investigations into the suspected murders of Jo Jo Dullard and Deirdre Jacob.
The scene at an area of open ground in Co. Wicklow, near the border with Co. Kildare, where Gardai investigating the murders of Jo Jo Dullard and Deirdre Jacob in the 1990s are conducting a search. (Image: Niall Carson/PA Wire)
Gardaí investigating the separate disappearances and murders of Jo Jo Dullard and Deirdre Jacob have concluded a 10-day dig at a location in Co Wicklow near the Wicklow/Kildare border.
There is still an ongoing “further assessment” of the site. The families of both missing women were informed tonight of the end of this phase of the search
A Garda spokesperson said: “An Garda Síochána has provided an update to the families of Jo Jo Dullard and Deirdre Jacob in relation to this phase of the search and they have been fully appraised of these developments.
“An Garda Síochána also acknowledges the ongoing cooperation and support of the landowner.”
The search began on February 16 and continued for the past 10 days with investigators digging for any sign that monster Larry Murphy buried the remains of a murdered woman there.
The site, at Castleruddery Upper, is around 10kms north of rapist Murphy’s Baltinglass lair, just off the N81 that connects Wicklow to south Dublin.
Specialist gardai used a large digger to excavate a specific site on the plot of land – and moved significant amounts of earth.
Deirdre Jacob and Jo Jo Dullard
Gardai have been given credible information that Murphy – the prime suspect for the 1998 abduction and murder of 18-year-old Deirdre Jacob from outside her home in Newbridge, Co Kildare that is just over 30kms from the new dig site – may have buried at least one vehicle on the land.
Gardai from the Cold Case Unit, or Serious Crime Review Team, decided to excavate the area after being told about suspicions about vehicles being buried there.
One theory is that 61 year-old Murphy, who now lives in England, may have put the remains of student teacher Ms Jacob in the car and then secretly buried it at the site.
But officers were looking for any scrap of evidence that could connect Murphy to Ms Jacob, whose missing person’s case was upgraded to murder in 2018 – 20 years after she vanished.
Gardai were also examining the site for any possible connection to missing Kilkenny woman Jo Jo Dullard, who was 21 when she was abducted from Moone in Co Kildare, about 17 kms from this new dig site. But sources stressed gardai are not linking the two cases.
Although officers have a different suspect for that case, which is also being treated as murder, detectives did notify Jo Jo’s family of this search.
Gardai have again appealed for anyone with information about the two missing women to come forward.
The force said: “An Garda Síochána appeals to anyone with any information, no matter how small or insignificant you might believe it to be to contact any Garda station, or anyone who wishes to provide information confidentially should contact the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.”
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