AN Garda Síochána are making a fresh appeal relating to the murder of 23 year-old Emer O’Loughlin on the 20th anniversary of her death. They say that any information received from the public could help close her file and bring justice for the O’Loughlin family.
Ms O’Loughlin was from Ennistymon, Co Clare. Her remains were recovered from a severely fire-damaged caravan at Ballybornagh near Tubber, Co Clare, on 8th April 2005.
It is understood that the young art student had been living in a mobile home with her boyfriend at the time, and that they had plans to build more permanent lodgings on the land there. The cause of her death was unable to be determined in 2005, though Ms O’Loughlin’s family suspected foul play.
Following the exhumation of her remains in 2010 as part of a cold case review, forensic anthropology tests revealed that Ms O’Loughlin had died violently. The fire had not been the cause of her death and had occurred in the mobile home subsequent to her death taking place.
The mobile home Ms O’Loughlin and her partner had been living in belonged to a neighbour of theirs named John Griffin, also known as ‘Fozzie. Mr Griffin was a native of Mervue Co Galway, and gardaí believe he may have information pertienent to the woman’s death.
Although Gardaí interviewed Mr Griffin during the investigation in 2005 and Mr Griffin said that he had been staying with a relative in Galway the night before Ms O’Loughlin’s death, he subsequently went missing. His last confirmed sighting was in Inis Mór on Oileáin Arann.
Mr Griffin’s clothes were found on the edge of a cliff, yet despite extesnive searches, the man has not been located since then and has never been registered as a missing person by those closest to him.
Gardaí believe that Mr Griffin is still alive and say that the opportunity for renewed questioning may shed some new light on the twenty year old case. Police believe he was assisted by someone to leave Inis Mór and that the clothes found had been placed there in a deliberte effort to frustrate the overall investigation into Ms O’Loughlin’s death.
There have since been some unconfirmed sightings of Mr Griffin, and gardaí believe that he is now based somewhere in continental Europe. He has been place on Interpol’s international fugitive list.
Gardaí have said that Mr Griffin would now be 57 years old, 5’11”, of light built, bald, perhaps with a beard, and that he had a distinctive Egyptian Eye of Horus tattoo on his throat and neck.
Gardaí crimecall (Photo: An Garda Síochána)Anyone with information on this investigation can contact Gort Garda Station on +353 (0)91 636400, or the Garda Confidential Line on +353 1800 666 111.
See More: An Garda Síochána, Co Clare, Emer O'Loughlin
