Gardaí Renew Appeal For Josephine 'Jo Jo' Dullard 31 Years After Her Disappearance

Her disappearance was updated to a murder investigation in 2020

Gardaí have renewed their appeal for information regarding the disappearance of Josephine 'Jo Jo' Dullard on this day (9 November) 31 years ago.

Her disappearance was updated to a murder investigation in 2020.

A number of search operations were conducted as part of the investigation, including searches of an area of open ground in Co. Wicklow, near the Wicklow/Kildare border earlier this year.

On 9 November 1995, Jo Jo travelled to Dublin where she spent the evening socialising in Bruxelles Bar, Harry Street, Dublin 2.

Jo Jo missed her last bus home to Kilkenny that evening and instead at 10pm boarded a bus to Naas.

Jo Jo then intended to hitchike the rest of the way home to Callan, in Co. Kilkenny.

Jo Jo hitched a lift from Naas to what is now the slip road on the M9 motorway at Kilcullen.

At approximately 11.15pm Jo Jo hitched another lift to Moone.

In Moone, Jo Jo made a telephone call to her friend Mary Cullinan at 11.37pm.

During that call, Jo Jo told Mary that a car had stopped for her and she was going to take the lift. This was the last known interaction with Jo Jo Dullard.

The following morning, Friday 10th November 1995, Jo Jo Dullard’s sister, Kathleen, reported her missing and a missing person investigation commenced.

Jo Jo was 21 years old when she disappeared.

Her father, John, died before she was born and her mother Nora died from cancer in 1983.

Jo Jo was the youngest of five siblings, her sisters Mary, Nora and Kathleen and brother Thomas.

The disappearance of Jo Jo has been the subject of a sustained Garda investigation, by the investigation team based at Naas Garda Station.

The investigation is subject to ongoing review by the Serious Crime Review Team, Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

In November 2020, on the 25th Anniversary of Jo Jo’s disappearance, An Garda Síochána confirmed that her disappearance was now classified as a murder investigation as An Garda Síochána was satisfied that serious harm came to Jo Jo on or about the night of 9th November 1995.

No person has been brought to justice for the murder of Jo Jo Dullard at this time.

The investigation into the murder of Jo Jo Dullard has continued since the reclassification to ‘murder’ in 2020.

The investigation has progressed and nearly 800 recommendations have been identified. These recommendations have informed and generated new lines of enquiry which have been actioned by the investigation team based at Naas Garda Station, under the direction of the Senior Investigating Officer, and assisted by the Serious Crime Review Team.

Thirty-one years later, An Garda Síochána continue to appeal to the public for any information on the disappearance and murder of Jo Jo Dullard on 9th November 1995.

Gardaí are appealing to anyone that met, saw, or has any information in relation to the murder of Josephine after 11.37pm on the night of 9th November 1995, who has not spoken to Gardaí to come forward.

Gardaí concluded by stating: "An Garda Síochána is resolute in our determination to provide answers to Jo Jo's family and bring her murderer to justice".

An Garda Síochána appeals to anyone with any information, no matter how small or insignificant you might believe it to be, to contact Naas Garda Station on 045 884 300 or any Garda station, or anyone who wishes to provide information confidentially should contact the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.