Dating website examined in hunt for woman’s killer

Gardaí have identified a social networking site that Elaine O’Hara had been using in the period leading up to her disappearance and are trying to establish if she made contact with a man on it that she went to see the last day she was alive.

The site has hundreds of Irish members but has a mainly UK and US membership. Gardaí believe the 36-year-old from Killiney, south Dublin, had been using the site to meet men and they are trying to establish if any of those contacts was involved in her presumed murder.

News that a particular website of interest has been identified came on the same day the dead woman’s family issued a statement to the media appealing for privacy and asking anyone with information to contact gardaí in Blackrock.

It said: “The O’Hara family are distraught at the death of their popular and much-loved daughter and sister Elaine. We understand the role of the media in providing accurate and helpful information as well as facilitating Garda communication with the public, but we ask that you respect our need for privacy and space to grieve at this very difficult time.”

While Ms O’Hara’s car was not found for 48 hours after the last known sighting of her at Shanganagh Park, Shankill, gardaí believe she most likely died on the day she was last seen, August 22nd last year, or into the early hours of the next morning.

Cause of death
Not enough of the former childcare and retail worker's remains have been found to determine a cause of death yet, but gardaí are now convinced she was killed. They believe a third party brought her body to the spot on Killakee Mountain, Rathfarnham, in south Dublin where her partial skeletal remains were found last Friday evening, and hurriedly hid it in undergrowth. Detectives also believe the personal items owned by Ms O'Hara that were found in Vartry reservoir near Roundwood in Co Wicklow last Wednesday were gathered and dumped by a third party, rather than being discarded by Ms O'Hara. Some of the items included restraints, along with her fob key linked to her work in Dunnes Stores and her telephone.

Gardaí are also studying the dead woman’s computer and telephone records.

Gardaí­ have a reported sighting placing her close to the footbridge that crosses the railway at Shanganagh Park, Shankill, at about 6.15pm on August 22nd.