Fiona Pender memorial walk marks 30 years since Tullamore woman vanished
A memorial walk in Tullamore marked 30 years since Fiona Pender disappeared in 1996. Gardaí renewed their appeal for information as the murder investigation remains open.
Tullamore gathers to remember Fiona Pender, 30 years on
Thirty years after Fiona Pender was last seen at her flat on Church Street in Tullamore, Co Offaly, a memorial walk has been held in her honour, RTÉ News reports. A fresh appeal for information accompanied the gathering as gardaí continue to investigate her suspected murder.
Ms Pender, who was 25 and seven months pregnant, was last seen at approximately 6am on Friday 23 August 1996. Her body has never been recovered and no one has been charged in connection with her disappearance and murder.
On Saturday morning, people assembled at a memorial in Tullamore that was surrounded by photographs of Ms Pender, flowers, balloons and candles. Family friend Brendan Killeavy addressed those gathered.
"The community in Tullamore is gathered here to remember Fiona Pender on the 30th anniversary since she sadly left us back in 1996 — a very long time now," he said. "We're gathering here to remember Fiona and her baby, and I suppose an appeal out today as well for information."
Killeavy urged anyone holding even minor details to come forward. "Thirty years is a long time, but we feel that there's people that have information that would resolve this. No matter how small the information is, if you think it's irrelevant, it will be very relevant to the gardaí."
The case was treated as a missing persons investigation for decades. Only last year was it formally reclassified, reflecting gardaí's longstanding belief that Ms Pender was murdered and her body buried. A chief suspect — a person from the midlands who has since emigrated from Ireland — has been identified, though no charges have been brought. Five arrests were made in 1997.
Searches carried out in May last year covered bogland in Killeigh, Co Offaly, and the Slieve Bloom mountains near Clonaslee in Co Laois, but no remains were found.
The case has left a lasting mark on Ms Pender's family. Her father Sean died in 2000, and her brother Mark was killed in a motorcycle crash 14 months before her disappearance. Her mother Josephine campaigned tirelessly over the years, repeatedly appealing for information.
Gardaí say the investigation remains active. Investigators have collated thousands of documents and reports and have taken over 300 statements of evidence. They are appealing to anyone who has not yet spoken to gardaí, or who previously came forward but felt they could not provide all relevant information, to contact the investigation team.
Ms Pender's relatives and friends said that despite the passage of three decades, the people of Tullamore have not forgotten her, and hope remains that her remains will one day be recovered.
Source: RTÉ News