GARDAÍ investigating the disappearance of a teenager 11 months ago have searched a stretch of Dublin's Grand Canal looking for her remains. Marioara Rostas (19) was last seen begging at traffic lights in Dublin's south inner city in January.
A member of the Roma community, her family in Ireland and Romania have heard nothing from her over the past 11 months. Gardaí now believe she was murdered by an Irishman and her remains were disposed of.
Four people, two men and two women, were arrested last Friday as the investigation into the disappearance and presumed murder intensified.
Members of the Garda Water Unit searched the Grand Canal near the Donore area of Dublin 8 over the weekend. Nothing was found.
The chief suspect for the suspected killing is known to gardaí. Detectives are working on the theory that the missing teenager was shot dead as part of a personal dispute.
Ms Rostas was last seen on Lombard Street East in Dublin city centre at 2pm on Sunday, January 6th. She was begging at the junction of Pearse Street.
She was seen by her younger brother talking to a man in a car he described as a Silver Ford Mondeo, possibly with a 01 LH registration. The driver gave her younger brother money.
Ms Rostas then got into the car voluntarily and has not been seen since. Gardaí believe she may have known the driver.
Gardaí believe she was taken to an address in the south inner city, and think she was killed at the property and that the killer then disposed of her remains.
The house where she is believed to have been driven to was damaged by fire a short time after the suspected murder. Gardaí believe the fire was started deliberately to frustrate any forensic examination.However, despite the fire damage, gardaí have found evidence of a gun being discharged at the property. A number of DNA samples taken from the house are being tested in the UK.
Three of the people questioned over the weekend were arrested in Dublin's inner city on Friday morning. The man arrested is aged 29 and two women aged 30 and 56.
They were detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and were taken to Kevin Street, Harcourt Terrace and Pearse Street Garda stations in Dublin city centre.
The man and younger woman appeared in the courts on Saturday evening when gardaí sought to have their periods of detention extended. The older woman was hospitalised while in Garda custody over the weekend and her period of detention was not due to expire until late last night. Another man was arrested on Friday evening in relation to Ms Rostas's disappearance. He was also still being held last night. All four people arrested are Irish.
Ms Rostas had only been in Ireland for three weeks before she disappeared. Her parents and other family members came in Ireland three months before her. They are living in Donabate in north Co Dublin.
Ms Rostas was last seen wearing blue jeans, white Adidas runners, a white hooded top, a pink scarf and a long black jacket. Gardaí at Pearse Street are investigating.