The Gardaí have committed to maintaining their search over the coming fortnight for a father who disappeared nearly a decade ago in a Kilkenny county locality. Dean Roche, a 31-year-old resident of Hebron Park, Co Kilkenny, vanished on 22nd March 2015 and has not been trace since then. He was living at his home along with his late mother, Geraldine.
The authorities reissued their request for information regarding his disappearance last year. Upon the morning of March 22nd, he departed from his residence to buy a car and assured his mother he would return later. Information gathered confirmed his journey via taxi to Ballyfoyle around 7pm, with a red Manchester United hat, a possession of Mr Roche, later discovered in the location.
Subsequent to this, his vehicle was discovered having been crashed a short distance from there. His last confirmed sighting was at 9 pm in Ballyfoyle on a property’s driveway.
Damien Hipwell, a personal friend of Mr Roche and his family, is ardently trying to carry out Geraldine’s final hope of being laid to rest alongside her son, who they have now sadly accepted as deceased. Mr Hipwell has regularly proposed that the case of “Dean’s disappearance” needs to be reclassified as a murder investigation.
He mentioned that he and the Roche clan had a very productive meeting with gardaí the previous Thursday to discuss certain aspects of the case. The Gardaí stated recently that they have performed searches throughout a large portion of the countryside, notorious for its slurry pits. “The family has been reassured that these pits, too, have been thoroughly searched. The dog and water units, as well as the army, have been assisting the Garda in these efforts,” the statement concluded.
The family themselves have also conducted their own searches and investigations within the vicinity but without success. One bystander provided an account of observing a silver vehicle moving rapidly and hearing voices uttering, “get in quick”.
The police statement further stated, “This claim has not been confirmed and the family are persistently following this lead. The investigation’s complexity is amplified by speculations and irregularities.”
Local farmers have been consistently encouraged by the police to inspect their homes, related buildings, and properties to help in the search for Mr Roche.