Gardaí have confirmed the human skeletal remains discovered in the Dublin mountains last weekend are of a man who went missing four months ago.
Kenneth Fetherston (26) was last seen on September 22nd, 2009 at Landy's Industrial Estate on the Knocklyon Road in Dublin. He had been driving a red Honda Civic, registration number 93 D 44862, which was found in a lay-by on the N11 near Gorey, Co Wexford four days later.
He left his apartment at the Tallaght Cross Hotel shortly before 9am that morning.
Gardaí have now begun a murder investigation.
Mr Fetherston’s body was found on Sunday afternoon in a ditch in a boggy area among some trees by two people who were out walking at Military Road near the junction with Piperstown Road. It is near an area known locally as the “viewing point”.
Officers from the Garda technical bureau yesterday carried out a wider search of the area where the body was found.
The scene where the remains were found was examined yesterday morning by Assistant State Pathologist Michael Curtis, assisted by forensic anthropologist Dr Laureen Buckley, whose expertise was needed because the remains were in an advanced stage of decomposition.
A number of items of clothing and footwear were also found with the remains. In addition, dental evidence and DNA were used to identify the dead man.
Speaking on Today with Pat Kenny, Kenneth's father Brian Fetherston said: "Ken was never the type of person to go a day without speaking to some member of the family; he'd most definitely be onto his friends.
"He has a three-year-old daughter who he just totally idolised…there wasn’t a day that would go by he wasn’t ringing to find out was she alright,” he added.
Mr Fetherston said blood had been found “around the boot of the car, on the back bumper and in the boot” which belonged to his son.
Gardaí have appealed for anyone with information or who was in the vicinity of the Military Road in the last number of months and may have seen anything unusual to contact them at Tallaght Garda station on 01 6666056 or the Garda confidential line on 1800 666111.