Three arrests in murder case of man last seen in Monasterevin
William Delaney was reported missing in 2019
THREE people have been arrested in connection with the murder of Portlaoise man William Delaney in 2019.
Two women and a man were arrested this morning and are detained for questioning, in relation to the sinister unsolved murder.
The women aged in their 20s and 30s and the man, aged in his 30s, are being held at garda stations in the Midland and South Western regions.
A resident of Fieldbrook, Portlaoise, Mr Delaney disappeared without trace over seven years ago. He was reported missing in March 2019 and the case was upgraded to murder three months later.
He left Portlaoise hospital, where he had been a patient, on 30 January 2019 and collected a social welfare payment at the town’s post office. He was last seen at 3pm that day outside a property near the Hazel Hotel in Monasterevin, having called to see a relative who was not in that afternoon.
The 56-year-old Tipperary native, who has a large family in Portlaoise, was reported missing that March and the case was upgraded to murder in June, after gardaí received disturbing information that he had been killed and his body buried near the Rock of Dunamase.
A comprehensive search was carried out but no remains were found. Although a number of arrests were made at the time, nobody was charged.
Last November, two women and one man were arrested and detained for questioning, as part of the ongoing investigation. The man and woman aged in their 30s and a woman in her 50s were subsequently released without charge.
An appeal for information was launched by gardaí and Crimestoppers on 26 April 2021, which would have been Mr Delaney’s 59th birthday. It failed to yield any worthwhile information.
A further unsuccessful search was carried out in August 2023 at bogland in Kyletalesha, off the N80 Portlaoise to Mountmellick Road, near the Laois Co Council landfill site.
The three people detained today were arrested under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939.
Gardaí continue to appeal to the community and said they would like to thank them for their assistance so far.
However, gardaí believe that people in the community have information and have not yet come forward.
Gardaí said today: 'An Garda Síochána are appealing for information on the murder of William Delaney and any persons with any information are asked to contact gardaí at Portlaoise on 057-8674100, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.'
Gardaí say investigations are ongoing.
