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Public memorial planned in Wicklow for Jastine Valdez

Updated 13:20 A public memorial is being planned for Jastine Valdez for next week. The 24-year-ol...
Newstalk
Newstalk

07.59 24 May 2018


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Public memorial planned in Wic...

Public memorial planned in Wicklow for Jastine Valdez

Newstalk
Newstalk

07.59 24 May 2018


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Updated 13:20

A public memorial is being planned for Jastine Valdez for next week.

The 24-year-old student was abducted in Enniskerry on Saturday and her body was found in Rathmichael on Monday.

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Plans are now underway to repatriate her remains back to the Philippines - however a public memorial is also being planned in Wicklow for next week.

A memorial fund for the Valdez family has passed €110,000 from an initial target of €10,000.

All funds from the campaign – set up by Vanda Brady, Wendell Bersola, Tina Manipis, Alma Imus and Raymond Garrett of Outreach Ireland – will go directly to Jastine's parents to help them in the coming weeks.

Outreach Ireland spokesperson Raymond Garrett said the outpouring of support for the family in recent days has been incredible.

"It is beyond belief how the Irish community, the Filipino community and the country as a whole has shown support," he said.

"It is not in any way compensation; it is nothing of the sort.

"It is just the only thing that people can do while looking on."

Jastine was an only child – her mum is a cleaner and her dad a gardener.

Mark Christopher Congdon, Honorary Consul to the Philippines, said they are understandably completely devastated.

"The parents are extremely shell-shocked as you would expect," he said.

"Obviously finding it very, very difficult minute by minute; hour by hour."

Appeal

Yesterday evening, Gardaí have issued a fresh appeal for help in the the case, seeking the public's help finding her blue shoulder bag and her iPad mini.

Investigators are also looking for dash cam footage from drivers who were in south county Dublin at the weekend and who may have seen suspect Mark Hennessy's black Nissan Qashqai.

Investigations are continuing into Mr Hennessy's background, with Gardaí examining the 40-year-old's phone as they try to piece together his movements before and after her brutal abduction and murder.

Image of Jastine Valdez's bag released by An Garda Síochána

Meanwhile GSOC has revealed that Mr Hennessy was shot dead in the driver's seat of his car by a Garda officer.

The Garda Ombudsman said a post mortem found that Mr Hennessy was shot in the shoulder – and that the bullet then entered his torso causing fatal injuries.

Wounds consistent with self harm were also found on his body.

A Stanley knife was later found in the car. Both the knife and the garda service weapon have been recovered.

Mark Hennessy. Image: Facebook

A post mortem has revealed that Jastine died from strangulation and it is believed she died within 45 minutes of her abduction on Saturday.

She dropped her bag, phone and shopping during the attack in Enniskerry. 

Gardaí are investigating whether Mr Hennessy went on a drink and drug binge just hours after her death.

A note containing the words "Puck’s Castle" and "sorry" found inside the black Nissan Qashqai car led Gardaí to Ms Valdez's body.

Hundreds of people turned out for a vigil for Ms Valdez in her home village on Tuesday night.

 


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