Gardaí Say They're Not Giving Up On Newbridge Teenager Deirdre Jacob's Murder Investigation

Monday, 18 July 2022 09:20

By Caoimhe Harney

Deirdre Jacob vanished from the roadside close to her family home just outside Roseberry in Newbridge.

The Garda investigation into the abduction and murder of Newbridge teenager Deirdre Jacob is continuing and detectives still believe people who have not yet come forward have vital information that can help solve the crime.

Garda sources said that while the latest investigative file sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions had not resulted in any charges, against chief suspect and convicted rapist Larry Murphy, the development was “not the end of the investigation”.

The Irish Times revealed at the weekend that the DPP had considered the file on the case, sent by Gardaí last year after a new investigation, but had decided the evidence gathered was not strong enough to ground a prosecution.

However, a former prisoner came forward to Gardaí and claimed Murphy had confided in him that he had abducted and killed Ms Jacob, that evidence alone was not regarded as strong enough.

While Gardaí believe the information was credible, there were also concerns the man’s criminal background would be used to undermine him if he was used as a witness in a court case.

Gardaí used modern technology to enhance CCTV images from Roseberry in Newbridge, on the day Ms Jacob went missing in 1998.

However, they did not provide any information that linked Murphy to the crime, and images were not clear enough for witnesses to identify a person captured in the CCTV.

Gardaí have never found the trainee teacher's remains and nothing of evidential value was discovered during searches in counties Wicklow and Kildare, including as recently as October 2021.

Those shortcomings in the investigation mean the manner of Ms Jacob’s death is not possible to prove and the location remains unknown, which also undermined the prospects of a prosecution.

Deirdre, 18 years old at the time, went missing on the afternoon of July 28th, 1998, her case was upgraded to a murder inquiry a few years ago.