Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 5106Missing person (possible murder, not upgraded) · Co. Kilkenny · 22 Mar 2015

Friend of missing Dean Roche calls for murder probe in Kilkenny case

The best friend of Dean Roche, who was last seen at Ballyfoyle, Co Kilkenny, in March 2015, has called for the case to be upgraded to a murder inquiry. Gardaí have launched a review with fresh searches, but the investigation is not being upgraded at this stage.

  1. Reported
  2. Arrested
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
14 statements extracted from the articles
  • whereDean Roche was last seen alive at Ballyfoyle, Co Kilkenny. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenDean Roche was last seen alive on the evening of 22 March 2015. (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeDean's mother believed he had been killed over a drug debt of a few hundred euros. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí announced a review of the unsolved case earlier in the week. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí conducted fresh searches in the Ballyfoyle area, with drones deployed at the spot where Dean was last seen. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationAn inspector has been appointed to oversee the review. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationSites of interest will be re-examined and a number of people will be re-interviewed. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationA source said the investigation is not being upgraded to a murder inquiry at this stage. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherDean Roche crashed a car he had just bought, less than a mile from where he bought it. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherDean was reportedly approached by a silver car and someone shouted "get in". (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe car has never been traced and nobody has come forward with information on the vehicle or its occupants. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherAn item of clothing believed to have been worn by Dean was found in the area early in the investigation. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherDean had a drug addiction, according to Damien Hipwell. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherDamien Hipwell calls for the case to be upgraded to a murder inquiry. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 15 Sep2024
    Otheririshmirror.ie, first report
    Best friend of missing Dean Roche calls for case to be upgraded to murder probe

    First report in this set on the Dean Roche case. It covers the friend's call for a murder inquiry, the garda review and searches, and the background of the disappearance.

    victim, Dean Roche, 31, male, irish (judged from name)Dean Roche