GARDAÍ INVESTIGATING THE disappearance of Fiona Pender have finished a search operation in County Laois – the second search to take place since her case was officially upgraded from a missing person investigation to a murder inquiry earlier this week.

In a statement this afternoon, gardaí stated that, for operational reasons, the results of the searches carried out on open land in the Slieve Bloom Mountains area since yesterday will not be released for operational reasons.

“An Garda Síochána have updated the family on any developments,” a garda spokesperson said.

“Investigations are ongoing.”

The Laois search followed an initial excavation took place in Offaly on Monday.

Fiona was last seen in the early hours of 23 August 1996 at her flat on Church Street in Tullamore, Co Offaly.

She was 25 years old and seven months pregnant at the time she went missing.

Fiona’s remains have never been found.

Throughout the 28-year investigation, Gardaí have maintained a primary suspect, but no charges have been filed.

“Gardaí continue to appeal to any person who may have previously come forward who felt they could not provide Gardaí with all the information they had in relation to this matter, to contact the investigation team again,” a garda spokesperson said.

“An Garda Síochána appeals to anyone with any information, no matter how small or insignificant you might believe it to be, to contact Tullamore Garda Station on 057 932 7600, or any Garda Station.

“Anyone who wishes to provide information confidentially should contact the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.”