Man charged with murder over disappearance of Limerick woman missing since October

Charge and court appearance

Police in Northern Ireland have charged a 35-year-old man from Enniskillen with murder and with preventing a lawful burial, in connection with the disappearance of a 39-year-old woman from Limerick. He appeared by video link from custody before Dungannon Magistrates' Court on Saturday morning, 7 November. A detective sergeant told the court she could connect the accused to the charges. The man had been arrested on suspicion of murder in the week of 2 November, and on Wednesday, 4 November, police were granted a further 36 hours to question him. The charge was set out in a police statement issued on the evening of Friday, 6 November.

Disappearance and last known movements

The woman, a mother of four, travelled from Co Limerick to Enniskillen in Co Fermanagh on 10 October and has not been seen since. Her last confirmed sighting came when a taxi collected her at the bus station on Wellington Road and took her to Trasna Park at around 9pm that evening. Detective Superintendent Richard Thornton, of the PSNI Serious Crime Branch, described the gap in her movements in a public statement.

“From this point on, her movements are unknown and this is where we hope that the public can help us.”

Concern for her welfare was passed to the PSNI by An Garda Síochána on 29 October. Officers have searched for her since then without establishing her whereabouts or her welfare. Police believe it is very likely she came to harm shortly after reaching Northern Ireland.

Boat and campervan appeal

Police have released images of a boat and a campervan they believe may be linked to the disappearance. Thornton said that establishing where these vehicles travelled could produce vital evidence. Investigators want to hear from anyone who saw either the boat or the campervan in the window running from late on 10 October until 1 November. They also ask anyone holding dashcam, doorbell or other footage from that period to come forward. Thornton made a direct appeal to owners of boats on Upper Lough Erne, saying:

“In particular I would like to appeal to boat owners on Upper Lough Erne who may have seen this boat on the lough in between these dates.”

Timeline of the case

The key dates run from the woman's arrival on 10 October, through the welfare concern reported on 29 October, to the charge announced on 6 November and the court appearance on 7 November. The man was arrested on suspicion of murder in the week of 2 November, and a 36-hour extension was granted on Wednesday, 4 November. Police have not yet established her whereabouts, and the boat and campervan appeal remains open.

Public appeal and warning

The PSNI said it was grateful for the support shown by the local community. It asked members of the public to refrain from speculation, particularly online. Police also urged anyone with information, however small or insignificant it may seem, to get in touch. Thornton said such information could prove key in bringing her home and providing answers for her loved ones. Investigators have not yet established what happened to her, and the search for her whereabouts continues.