Former RUC sergeant John Weir, who is facing murder charges linked to the notorious Glenanne Gang, is believed to be living in South Africa.
It was confirmed on Thursday the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) has decided to prosecute the former RUC officer, who was an alleged member of the Genanne Gang, for murder and conspiracy to murder.
He is also charged with an aborted attack south of the border.
Both the PPS and Police Ombudsman’s office have refused to reveal how many murder charges the ex-police officer is facing.
It is understood the ombudsman’s office contacted representatives for the family of Elizabeth McDonald (32) on Thursday.
The mother-of-three, who was known as Betty to friends, was killed along with Gerald McGleenan (22) when the Glenanne gang left a car bomb outside the Step Inn in Keady, Co Armagh, in August 1976.
It is believed ombudsman officials also got in touch with the family of Thomas McNamee.
Mr McNamee died almost a year after being injured in an explosion at McArdle’s Bar in Crossmaglen in November 1974.
When asked about the possible extradition of the suspect, the PSNI directed the Irish News to the Police Ombudsman, who in turn said “the matter” sits with PPS.
The PPS did not respond at the time of publication.
Made up of members of the RUC, UDR and UVF, the Glenanne Gang operated across the Mid-Ulster area in the 1970s.
Based out of a farm owned by former RUC officer James Mitchell in Glenanne in south Armagh, the gang is believed to have carried out around 125 murders, the majority of which were innocent Catholics.
Its activities are currently subject to separate investigations by the Police Ombudsman, Operation Newham, and the Kenova investigation team.
The Police Ombudsman has now confirmed the publication of its long-awaited Newham report will not take place before an April 30 deadline introduced due to the British government’s Legacy Act.
In a statement, ombudsman Marie Anderson said she is “engaging with the NIO” to request a deadline extension.
Another victim of the Step Inn bomb was Co Armagh woman Maria McShane, who lost an eye in the blast.
At the time she was pregnant with her eldest son Gavin, who was murdered by the UVF along with his friend Shane McArdle in a taxi depot in Armagh in May 1994.
Her daughter Alana welcomed news of the prosecution.
“However, we note that this former RUC officer was but ... a whistle blower,” she said.
“And as such we want those higher up the chain of command within the RUC, British army and British government of the time who organised the appalling policy of collusion also held to account.”
Her solicitor Kevin Winters, of KRW Law, said while some families cautiously welcome the prosecutions they are “suspicious over its timing”.
“Equally they are suspicious that the decision amounts to some contrived latter-day consolation for failing to direct prosecutions against other ex-security force personnel some of whom arguably have more to answer for.”
Mr Winters said there was concern over the delay in publishing the Operation Newham report.
“Families of victims and survivors have waited a lifetime for these important findings and now their hopes of getting the report any time soon lie in ruins,”
Gavin Booth, of Phoenix Law, who represents the McDonald family welcomed the decision to prosecute.
“There remains many suspects who still remain free from prosecution in relation to 120 murders in the Glenanne series both north and south,” he said.
“It shows that with the right political will that people today can still be prosecuted for legacy matters going back to the 1970s.
“We hope the suspects appear before the court here without any undue delay.”