Gardai have launched a murder investigation into the 30-year-old disappearance of an American woman in Dublin.
Annie McCarrick, 26, was last seen by her flatmates on March 26, 1993, before she went missing in a mystery that has baffled investigators for three decades. As the 30th anniversary of her disappearance draws near, gardai have upgraded the investigation into a murder inquiry.
Annie, who was originally from Long Island, New York, first visited Ireland as a teenager on a school trip. She later went on to complete her college education at St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra and at St Patrick’s College, Maynooth before returning to New York in 1991, where she completed her studies at Stoney Brook University, New York.
Read more: Garda probe into 1993 disappearance of Annie McCarrick upgraded to murder investigation
Annie permanently moved to Ireland in January 1993 where she lived in St Catherine's Court, Sandymount with two other tenants. She worked as a waitress at the Courtyard Restaurant, Donnybrook and as a waitress at Cafe Java on Leeson Street.
Here is the full time of event leading up to Annie's disappearance 30 years ago:
- March 17, 1993: Annie attends the St Patrick's Day parade with friends. Gardai said Annie carried out a normal life working, socialising in various licensed premises, and visiting friends over the next few days.
- Thursday, March 25: Annie was not working but called to Cafe Java to collect her wages. Her wages were not ready and Annie arranged to call again on Friday. She then visited friends and stayed for dinner.
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Friday, March 26: Annie spoke to both her flatmates before they left separately to travel home for the weekend. Annie was excited planning for a visit by her mother Nancy on March 30. She visited the AIB branch on Sandymount Road shortly before 11am to run some personal banking errands. This is the last confirmed sighting of Annie McCarrick, captured on CCTV. Annie also invited her friends to her apartment for dinner the next day. There were other reported sightings of Annie in Sandymount Green. She was also reportedly seen boarding a No 44 bus bound for Enniskerry and a number of further reported sightings in Enniskerry village and Johnnie Fox’s pub.
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Saturday, March 27: Annie's friends grew concerned after she was not at home when they called for the dinner invite. She had also not turned up for work on Saturday. A friend who turned up at her apartment that evening spoke to her flatmates. They also found groceries purchased by her that were left unpacked in shopping bags. A receipt in the bags confirmed the date and time of purchase was March 26, 1993, at 11.02am. This is the last confirmed activity by Annie.
- Sunday, March 29: Annie was reported missing by a friend after she didn't show up at work on Sunday morning at Irishtown Garda Station.
- Monday, March 30: Annie's mum Nancy arrives and confirms the missing person report.
Annie's father John passed away without knowing what happened to his only child. Investigating officers recently flew to New York to visit Nancy.
DMR South Central Detective Superintendent Carroll said: "There are person or persons, who have information on the disappearance of Annie McCarrick and her murder on or about March 26, 1993 and who haven’t yet spoken to gardai or who may have already spoken to gardai but were not in a position to tell everything that they know at that time.
"I want to speak with any person who has any information on the large brown handbag which it is believed that Annie was in possession of when she went missing. The primary focus of this investigation is the victim, Annie McCarrick and her family.”
"I am appealing to those persons, 30 years later, to please come forward and speak to the investigation team.”
Annie is described as 5'8" in height, 10 stone, long brown hair. She spoke with a soft Irish-American accent. When Annie disappeared it is believed she was in possession of a large brown leather bag.
Detective Superintendent Carroll appealed: "I would urge any person or persons with information in relation to the Murder of Annie McCarrick to please come forward to either the investigation team at Irishtown Garda Station at 01 6669600, your local Garda Station or the Garda Confidential telephone line 1800 666 111.
"I appeal to any person who have information relative to Annie’s murder not to assume we know and/or that it has limited value. Let us make that decision."
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