THE senior police officer who headed the seven-year investigation into the disappearance of Co Tyrone woman Charlotte Murray said yesterday he "believes she is dead".
Chief Inspector Eamonn Corrigan was giving evidence at the Dungannon Crown Court trial of Ms Murray's former fiance Johnny Miller.
However, the senior detective rejected defence claims that he was "usurping the function" of the jury of six women and six men in the case.
Mr Corrigan was asked at the end of his evidence by prosecution QC Richard Weir, were there, according to the protocols that he followed, any signs that Ms Murray "is alive and engaging" in any social activities.
"There is nothing," said the detective to show that "Charlotte Murray is engaging with normal society," before adding,"and I believe she is dead".
Defence QC Orland Pownall immediately put it to Mr Corrigan that: "Your opinion counts for nothing," to which he replied that he was "asked for his opinion", based on his 'proof of life inquiries' carried out into Charlotte's disappearance.
The detective said extensive and exhaustive inquiries were carried out by a team of detectives over the years following the protocols, or template as set down by the National Crime Agency, which included a 'yellow world-wide alert' issued by Interpol.
Over the years more than 600 people have been spoken to, with help sought from other police agencies, including An Garda Siochana, as well as links to all 45 police services in the UK, with requests for information from more than 430 councils and local authorities, health services, charities, airlines, transport companies, including rail networks, social services and HMRC.
Asked if they revealed anything on Ms Murray's possible whereabouts, including ten potential sightings of her, not only in Moy, but also in Birmingham, London, Belfast, Monaghan and Edinburgh, he said all had drawn a blank.
However, while he also accepted defence suggestions that there were some people who just wanted to disappear, the detective said that no one had suggested to him that Charlotte does not want to be found.
It is expected that the prosecution will close their case today before the defence for Mr Murray opens its case.
Mr Miller, with an address in Redford Park, Dungannon, denies murdering Ms Murray following her disappearance from the Roxborough Heights home they shared in the village of Moy, sometime between October 31 and November 2, 2012.
