Police investigating murder of Belfast teenager question man

Detectives were last night questioning a man about the murder of a teenage girl near Belfast.

The man was arrested by officers investigating the killing of Megan McAlorum (16) whose half-naked body was found in a wooded area close to a quarry overlooking the city. Police have yet to disclose any motive for the murder.

The body of the teenager, who had only just left school, remained at the scene near Dunmurry throughout much of yesterday as forensic experts searched the area for clues. Detectives were also waiting for the results of the post-mortem examination to establish whether she had been sexually assaulted.

The girl's parents, Mr Frankie and Ms Margaret McAlorum, who have six other children and are from Glencolin, said they were at a loss to understand why someone would harm their daughter. They appealed for anyone with information to help the police.

Church and community figures and elected representatives said they were prepared to act as third parties if people suspicious of contacting the police directly wanted to come forward.

Ms McAlorum had gone to work at the Glenowen, a popular west Belfast pub, as usual on Easter Sunday. It is understood she later spent some time between 10 p.m. and midnight at The Hunting Lodge, another bar in the area not far from her home.

Det Chief Insp Raymond Murray addressed reporters near the murder scene yesterday. "All murders are brutal and all murders are savage," he said. "It is difficult to quantify one above the other but, at the end of the day, a 16-year-old girl, we believe, is found murdered in a quarry area. What more can we say?"

Appealing for the community's help in tracking the killer, he added: "It is very important we trace Megan's movements from the time she left The Hunting Lodge until the time of her murder.

"My appeal to the public is for anybody who has a knowledge of Megan's movements from midnight on Sunday, any movements, anyone she was seen with, any location she was seen at, please get in touch with detectives. That is very, very important, please come forward."

The body was found at 2.45 p.m. by children from a nearby Traveller camp who then told their father. He is reported to have covered the girl's body with a coat, and the police were notified.

Mr and Mrs McAlorum yesterday made an emotional appeal for people to help with the police investigation.

"She was full of love and life," her mother said. "She trusted people too much."

Her father said their daughter may have been dragged into a car near their home and that witnesses had told him she had been arguing with somebody on the road. The couple fear the killer could strike again.

Weeping, Ms McAlorum said: "Get in contact with the police. Megan just turned 16 years of age. If he could do it to her, he could do it to anybody."

A Sinn Féin representative, Mr Paul Butler, said: "This young girl's family are well known within this community, and I am sure that we will now do all in our power to rally around them at this time."

Ms Patricia Lewsley, an SDLP Assembly member, called for people to help the police.

"It is our responsibility to work with them to make sure that justice is done for the McAlorum family," she said.