GARDAÍ INVESTIGATING THE murder of Jastine Valdez have issued a fresh appeal for information.

24-year-old Jastine was killed on Saturday 19 May after being abducted by Hennessy, a married father-of-two, in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow.

Hennessy murdered Valdez 45 minutes later and left her body at Puck’s Castle in Rathmichael, Co Dublin.

He was killed himself by a Garda bullet when apprehended in his black Nissan Qashqai in Cherrywood, south Dublin, the following day.

In a statement this evening, gardaí said they were very interested in tracing a blue shoulder bag that had been purchased from Next that contained the following items:

• A Bershka jacket
• Nike runners
• A Leap card
• An iPad mini
• Make-up
• Purple reading glasses with a pink tint
• Lip balm

Gardaí are also anxious to speak to any passengers who travelled with Jastine on the 185c bus that evening on 19 May.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Bray Garda Station on 01 666 5300, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station.

Last night, a statement was issued to say that the Valdez and Hennessy families had met each other.

“In the midst of our grief both the Valdez and Hennessy families met on Friday morning where we exchanged sympathies with each other on the tragic circumstances that resulted in the loss of our respective love ones,” the families said in a statement released by gardaí.

Both families requested privacy at this very difficult time.

Mark Hennessy was cremated in a private funeral service at the weekend in Harold’s Cross in Dublin.

With reporting from Cianan Brennan