Police search near a caravan park in Northern Ireland where a murdered woman was last seen 14 years ago ‘and secretly buried by two men’
- Officer in Northern Ireland are searching land near a carvan park for Lisa Dorrian
- The 25-year-old was last seen at the park in Ballywater, on the Ards Peninsula
- Lisa was last seen alive in 2005 after attending a party at the caravan park
- Sources say the search began after new information was given to the police
Police are today searching near a caravan park where a murdered woman was last seen 14 years ago after a night out.
Officers in Northern Ireland are searching a disused airfield next to the park in Ballywater on the Ards Peninsula as they continue to investigate the disappearance of Lisa Dorrian.
A buggy is on the scene to allow police to access marshy ground at airfield behind the site, as police probe a theory she was secretly buried there.
Lisa, 25, was last seen at 5am on February 28, 2005 after attending a house party at the caravan park.
Her handbag and belongings were discovered inside a caravan there. Police believe she was murdered.
Three former airfield buildings and the surrounding land is being combed today by a police search team.
Lisa, 25, was last seen at 5am on February 28, 2005 after attending a house party at the caravan park.
A source told Belfast Live: ‘The search was planned as a result of information the police now hold which suggests that Lisa died in the caravan and was moved by car to an area close by.
‘The disused airfield has buildings on site and a number of underground chambers which were abandoned after WWII.
‘The area is now used for grazing sheep and the caravan where Lisa died overlooks the search area.
‘The caravan site was closed for the winter and only a very small handful of people were on site at this particular caravan, but a party was arranged for the night and it went on into the early hours of the morning.
‘But something happened to Lisa, something terrible and she has never been seen since.
‘Police searched the area at the time, and have revisited it but now they are back and they have information that has led them straight to the airfield beside the holiday park.
‘It is a grim sight to see lines of police officers mapping out their search area for the remains of a beautiful young woman who died with her whole life ahead of her.’
Last year Ms Dorrian’s family appeared on Crimewatch appealing for information to find her killer.
Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy, are following a major line of inquiry that she was secretly buried by two men known to each other, only one of whom was known to Lisa.
Det Supt Murphy said: ‘I firmly believe that the answers to Lisa’s disappearance lie with a small number of people.
‘They may believe that they are bound by a common bond and have maintained their silence as a result. That silence will be a heavy and lifelong burden.
‘We can help to unlock that burden, but we cannot do so whilst they remain silent.
‘We have not given up on our pursuit of justice. We have not given up on our search for Lisa’s body. Those who choose to withhold what they know should expect us to rigorously investigate them.’