Walk to mark 30 years since Fiona Pender's disappearance

A memorial walk will take place later today to mark the 30th anniversary of Fiona Pender's disappearance. At 25, Fiona was last seen on Church Street in Tullamore, Co Offaly, on 23 August, 1996, and was seven months pregnant at the time. Gardaí long suspected she had been murdered and had a chief suspect, though the case was a missing persons investigation until last year.

The suspect, from the midlands, emigrated from Ireland. Police believe she was murdered and her body buried, though no remains have been recovered. Five arrests were made in 1997, but no one has been charged. Fiona's mother, Josephine, and brother, Mark, campaigned tirelessly for a breakthrough in the case. Mark died in a motorcycle crash 14 months before her disappearance, and Josephine died in 2010.

Searches were conducted in bogland in Killeigh and the Slieve Bloom mountains recently. Despite the passage of time, people in Tullamore remember Fiona and hope her body will be recovered. Gardaí have appealed for information and urge anyone with knowledge to come forward. They are also appealing to those who previously provided information but felt they couldn't give all details to contact the investigation team again.

The investigation, which has collated thousands of documents and taken over 300 statements, is ongoing with inquiries still being followed.