The family of a Limerick man whose partial skeletal remains were discovered in 2001 have issued a fresh appeal for information about his death.
Aengus ‘Gussie’ Shanahan was last seen alive, aged 20, in his native Limerick city, on February 11, 2000.
Bone fragments belonging to him were found washed up in Co Clare on October 28, 2001, by members of Bunratty Search and Rescue Service.
However, the partial remains were only confirmed as belonging to Gussie last year following improvements in DNA technology, gardaí said.
A garda review of the case, launched late last year, remains ongoing, senior gardaí said.
Today, Mr Shanahan’s family launched a fresh campaign for information — including a confidential telephone line 087-122 2950 — which will be manned by the Shanahan family.
Gussie’s sister, Grainne Shanahan, said she and her family believe he was murdered.
She added: “We are going with this new appeal because this is a different chapter in the case. We have laid him to rest, but we still want answers as to what happened to Gussie.”
Ms Shanahan appealed directly to people who have information about her brother’s disappearance and death to let them know what happened.
She particularly appealed to a male who contacted her father Bob Shanahan years previously with possible information about the case:
"The man rang my Dad and said that Gussie had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. We’d like to hear from that man again, and anyone that knows what happened on the night Gussie disappeared."
A poster released by the Shanahan family reads: “JUSTICE FOR GUSSIE...So many Unanswered Questions??? Did He Suffer? Was He Alone? We Need Your Help...Help us get the answers.”
Ms Shanahan said any information given to the family would be treated in “strict confidence”.
Gussie’s bone fragments were laid to rest beside his late mother Nancy last November following his funeral mass.
Bob Shanahan, speaking prior to the funeral, said hearing confirmation from gardai that the bone fragments found 17 years earlier belonged to his missing son, was like being “struck by a thunderbolt”.
The investigation team at Roxboro Road Garda Station can be contacted at 061-214340 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800-666-111.
