Family of missing William Maughan make renewed appeal for information

A father whose son and his partner were murdered on the orders of a notorious gangster has urged those who know where their bodies are buried to come forward.

Joe Maughan made the plea on the second day of a huge garda search for their remains in rural North Dublin.

William ‘Willie’ Maughan, 34, and his pregnant partner Anastasija (Anna) Varslavane were murdered in April 2015 but their bodies have never been found.

READ MORE: Gardai begin major dig in Dublin for missing couple in nine-year murder mystery

READ MORE: Bog land being searched for murdered Willie and Ana is adjacent to plot once owned by their suspected killer

The Irish Mirror exclusively revealed that the area now being searched is adjacent to land once owned by their suspected killer.

Mr Maughan and his heartbroken wife Helen along with their twin daughters visited the site of the search which involved dozens of Gardaí who used earth-moving machinery to clear dense undergrowth.

He told the Sunday Mirror that the main suspect is dead but he urged those on the periphery of the gang to reveal where the bodies are buried.

Mr Maughan said: “Someone always knows…but will they feel it in their heart to tell the right people?

“All they have to do is make an anonymous phone call…there’ll be no DNA got on them now, it’s too far gone, there’ll be nothing there now.

“Willie and Anna were murdered in the car park. We know that everyone knows that and we know who did it…we just can’t prove it. We just hope that one of them (involved) will open up before they die.”

Mr Maughan said he has taken hope from the search as it shows Gardaí are determined to find the killers and bodies.

He added: “There’s always hope. It’s encouraging because it shows the Guards are not giving up either, the file is still open and it will never be hidden.

“There’s also hope that someone will say something or something will turn up and they will be brought to justice.”

Gardaí intensified their search of open lands in north county Dublin connected with the disappearance of the couple who were last seen nine years ago on April 14, 2015.

The case was upgraded to a murder investigation following a review in September 2016.

The couple had been living in a caravan in Gormanston, Co Meath and were planning on moving back to Willie’s family home in Tallaght on the day they went missing.

Gardaí have said that the area of bog land at Ring Commons in Balrothery East in north County Dublin will be searched and subject to excavation, technical and forensic examinations over the coming days.

Saturday afternoon, Fern the cadaver dog was called in again and the cocker spaniel was seen sniffing in thick undergrowth close to where the search had been centred.

Helen Maughan, accompanied by her twin daughters Sabrina and Shirley, said they hoped the search could finally end their nightmare and bring the family closure.

She said: “It’s nine years now and things change. I would like [anyone with information] to just look at myself and Joe and my family and pass on any small piece of information. It might not mean a lot to them but it will mean a lot to us and the police. Let us have closure.

“Hopefully, today is the day we get William and Anna back. I just pray to God that I will get my child today and can give him a Christian burial.

“I just hope that for any family out there that has loved ones missing, looking at us here this morning, please don’t give up. You get up every day and you push forward. You don’t go backwards, you go forward. And our thoughts and prayers are with all those other families, whose loved ones are missing.”

The intensive search came after Gardaí received new information in recent weeks. The search began on Friday morning on the land where the specially-trained dog located three areas of “interest”.

Investigators have appealed to anyone with any information, no matter how small or insignificant they might believe it to be, to contact Ashbourne Garda Station on 01 8010600 or any garda station.

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