A NEW search is being carried out by garda investigating the disappearance of William Maughan and Anastasija Varslavane in Co. Meath more than nine years ago.
The couple have not been since April 14, 2015, with the case upgraded to a murder investigation following a review in September 2016.
The latest search for the couple in open lands at Ring Commons, Balrothery East in north County Dublin got underway on Friday and is expected to last for several days.
Disappearance
Mr Maughan and Ms Varslavane had been together since 2014 and lived in a caravan in Gormanston, Co. Meath but were in the process of relocating to Mr Maughan's family home in Tallaght.
On the morning of Tuesday, April 14, 2015, Mr Maughan went to Balbriggan followed shortly afterwards by Ms Varslavane.
They ran some errands and made contact with Mr Maughan's mother to arrange for her to travel from Tallaght to Gormanston to collect them and their belongings.
Mr Maughan spoke to his mother at about 2.30pm and asked her to make her way out to Gormanston to collect them.
Mr Maughan's brother Martin, mother Helen and father Joe Maughan at the scene of the search on Saturday (Image: Eamonn Farrell / RollingNews.ie)He and Ms Varslavane got a taxi from Balbriggan to Gormanston shortly after 2.30pm but when Mrs Maughan arrived in Gormanston just before 3pm, she could not locate the couple.
She drove to Stamullen to look for them but with no sign of the couple, she returned to Gormanston and called her son's mobile phone, which went straight to voicemail.
Mr Maughan and Ms Varslavane never showed up, prompting his worried mother to report them both as missing.
An extensive investigation was launched with several searches and enquiries carried out.
Seven people have been previously arrested in connection with the disappearance and murder of the couple but no one has ever been charged.
Investigation
The latest search for Mr Maughan and Ms Varslavane is being carried out by the garda investigation team supported by the Meath Divisional search team and the Garda Technical Bureau.
The area of land will be searched and subject to excavation, as well as technical and forensic examinations over the coming days.
In a statement, gardaí urged anyone who may now be in a position to provide information to come forward.
"Gardaí continue to appeal to anyone with information in relation to the disappearance and murder of William Maughan and Anna Varslavane to speak with investigating gardaí," read the statement.
"Given the passage of time since their disappearance, individuals' personal circumstances may now have changed and people may now be in a position to either speak to investigating gardaí or to provide information now that they may not have been able to provide before."
An Garda Síochána has appealed to anyone with any information, no matter how small, to contact the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666111, Ashbourne Garda Station on 01 8010600 or any garda station.
