GARDAÍ HAVE CONFIRMED that the body discovered in the Wicklow mountains on Monday is that of missing teenager Marioara Rostas.

Last seen in Dublin city centre four years ago, the search for the 18-year-old continued in the Wicklow mountains earlier this month. Gardaí said they were searching for 13 days before finding the body.

A post-mortem has confirmed that Rostas died of a gunshot wound but Gardaí could not provide any other details at this time.

However, they said that their investigation had moved forward “significantly” since the discovery of the body. They said they were investigating several possible motives and had a number of suspects.

The body of the teenager was found in a semi-decomposed state in an isolated area of the mountains, near Kippure.

At a press conference today, Gardaí said Marioara had been in the country just three weeks when she went missing, presumed kidnapped. She was last seen stepping into a car in Dublin city centre.

She was described as a harmless, defenceless girl who looked younger than she was. Gardaí added that she had suffered an “appalling death”.

Ongoing investigation

Gardaí today appealed for two people who have previously made phone calls to them in relation to the case to contact them again.

They are keen to speak to a man who rang Pearse Street Station from Wexford on 2 June 2008, as well as a woman who made a 999 call on 23 September of the same year.

Gardaí said they are “very relevant” to the investigation and have appealed for them to get in touch again.

A house on Brabazon Street in Dublin has been searched as part of the ongoing investigation. Since 2008, seven people – five men and two women – have been arrested in relation to the abduction.

Authorities are now in touch with the victim’s family in Romania to make arrangements for the repatriation of Marioara’s body.

-Additional reporting by Jennifer Wade