Jastine Valdez died of asphyxia, inquest hears

Murder victim Jastine Valdez died of asphyxia, an inquest into her death has heard.

The 24-year-old student was abducted in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, on Saturday, May 19th.

She took the 5.40pm bus from Bray to Enniskerry and arrived in Enniskerry village around 6pm.

She was abducted in daylight on a busy road at 6.20pm. A witness who saw her being forced into the boot of a Nissan Qashqai rang 999.

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Her body was discovered shortly before 3pm on Monday, May 21st, in dense woodland at Rathmichael, south Dublin.

No members of the Valdez family were present for the opening of an inquest into her death at Dublin Coroner’s Court. A family liaison officer has been appointed to the Valdez family.

Detective inspector Frank Keenaghan applied to the court for a three month adjournment of the case.

“The family will be back in the jurisdiction at that stage and we will have a clearer picture,” Mr Keenaghan said.

Ms Valdez's parents Danny and Tess Valdez travelled to the city morgue on May 22nd to identify their daughter's remains. A statement from Danny Valdez was read out in court.

He said he travelled to Dublin City Morgue with garda Patrick Mackey of Bray Garda Station.

“There I saw my daughter Jastine and I identified her as my daughter,” Mr Valdez said in his statement.

The formal identification took place in a viewing room at 6.10pm.

A post-mortem conducted by Deputy State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan gave the cause of death as asphyxia.

Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane adjourned the inquest for further mention to March 14th, 2019, and extended the condolences of the court to the Valdez family.