Garda have announced a renewed appeal for information on the disappearance of Deirdre Jacob, 25 years after she was last seen.
A Garda spokesperson has said her family deserve to know the truth.
Ms Jacob was last seen on 28 July 1998 near her home, at Roseberry, Newbridge, Co Kildare at approximately 3pm.
She was 18-years-old at the time of her disappearance and she had just completed one year at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, London.
On the day she was last seen, Ms Jacob had walked into Newbridge town to get a bank draft to send to a college friend in London for their rent deposit.
At 2.14pm, she was observed on CCTV walking on Main Street Newbridge and shortly after was observed in the AIB bank.
At 2.26pm, Ms Jacob was observed again on CCTV queuing in the Post Office Newbridge and at 2.32pm was seen on CCTV speaking with a friend outside the Post Office on Main Street Newbridge.
The last known recording of Ms Jacob on CCTV was recorded at 2.35pm, walking outside the PTSB Bank on Main Street Newbridge.
She was last seen shortly after 3pm near her family home outside Newbridge.
On the 20th anniversary of her disappearance, An Garda Síochána confirmed that the missing person investigation had been upgraded to a murder investigation.
On Friday, a Garda spokesperson made a further appeal for information.
They said: “Today, the 25th anniversary of Deirdre’s disappearance and murder, I appeal to any person with any information in relation to the murder of Deirdre Jacob to contact the Garda investigation team.
“I want to speak to any person who met, spoke with or had any interaction with Deirdre Jacob on July 28 1998 or subsequently.
“There are person or persons who have information on the disappearance of Deirdre Jacob and her murder on or about July 28 1998 and who haven’t yet spoken to Gardaí or who may have already spoken to Gardaí but were not in a position to tell everything that they know at that time.”
Ms Jacob was five-foot three-inches in height, slim build with grey/green eyes and dark chin length hair.
When she went missing on the 28 July 1998, the student was wearing a navy v-neck t-shirt with white trim on the collar and sleeves, navy or black straight jeans and blue Nike runners.
She was carrying a distinctive black satchel-type bag with long shoulder straps and the word “CAT” in large yellow capital letters on the side. The black satchel bag has never been located.
The Garda wish to speak to anyone who was in the queue in the Post Office at the time Ms Jacob was recorded on CCTV, or anyone who has information on the black bag that she had in her possession when she went missing.
A Garda spokesperson said: “I am appealing to those persons, 25 years later, to please come forward and speak to the investigation team.
“The primary focus of this investigation is the victim, Deirdre Jacob and her family.
“Deirdre’s parents Michael and Bernadette deserve to know the truth, Michael and Bernadette deserve to know what happened to their daughter on or about the 28 July 1998.”
An Garda Síochana has submitted an investigation file on the murder of Deirdre Jacob to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
No prosecution has been directed to date.
Over the 25 years of this investigation, the investigation team has discovered and collated in excess of 5,000 documents and reports, taken in excess of 300 statements of evidence and retained many pieces of evidence.
An incident room remains in place at Kildare Garda Station and Deirdre’s parents, Michael and Bernadette, and her wider family are regularly updated through a designated family liaison officer.
Anyone with information in relation to the murder of Deirdre Jacob is urged to come forward to either the investigation team at Kildare Garda Station on 045 521222, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, Crimestoppers on 1800 250 025 or any Garda Station, citing reference number PR20034/2023.
