Search for couple missing in Ireland since 2015 ends

William Maughan and Anastasija Varslavane have been missing since 2015

A search in the Republic of Ireland for a couple last seen in 2015 has ended, gardaí (Irish police) have said.

Willie Maughan and Anastasija Varslavane were last seen on 14 April 2015.

The search operation, which began last week, was carried out at open lands in north County Dublin.

Gardaí investigating the couple’s disappearance and murder said it has now ended and the family has been notified.

“Nothing of evidential value was located during the search operation,” a gardaí spokesperson said.

The spokesperson appealed for anyone with information to get in touch with investigating gardaí.

Gardaí have carried out technical and forensic examinations over recent days

Earlier this week Mr Maughan’s parents made a fresh appeal for information on what happened to their son and his girlfriend.

His mother Helen Maughan told Irish broadcaster RTÉ she hoped the search would give the family answers and closure.

"It's nine years now, and things change. I would like [anyone with information] to just look at myself and Joe and my family and pass on any small piece of information," she said.

Upgraded to murder investigation

At the time of their disappearance, one line of inquiry was that the couple had been murdered by a criminal gang.

The couple had been together since 2014 and lived in a caravan in Gormanston, County Meath.

Mr Maughan had decided to return to his family home in Tallaght with Ms Varslavane.

On the morning of Tuesday 14 April 2015 Mr Maughan went to Balbriggan followed shortly afterwards by Ms Varslavane.

They ran some errands and made contact with William’s mother to arrange for her to travel from Tallaght to Gormanston to collect them and their belongings.

William spoke to his mother at about 14:30 local time and asked her to make her way out to Gormanston to collect them.

Mr Maughan and Ms Varslavane got a taxi together from Balbriggan to Gormanston just shortly after 14:30.

Mr Maughan's mother arrived in Gormanston just before 15:00 but could not locate her son.

She drove to Stamullen to look for him but didn’t find him.

She returned to Gormanston and called his mobile phone but it went straight to voicemail.

Mr Maughan and Ms Varslavane did not show up and Mr Maughan's mother became extremely worried, and reported them both as missing.

The case was upgraded to a murder investigation following a review in September 2016.