Ireland Gardaí resume house search for missing Elizabeth Clarke after case upgraded to murder probe
Elizabeth Clarke, a 24-year-old woman and mother of two, was last seen in Navan, Co. Meath in November 2013 and was officially reported missing in January 2015. Gardaí believe she was killed by someone known to her after a prolonged period of mistreatment and that her body was disposed of to conceal the crime. The case was upgraded from a missing person investigation to a murder investigation in February 2025 after credible information that she had been buried at a house. A search of an unoccupied house in the Claremont Estate, Navan, commenced on 7 February 2025, focusing on a concreted-over back yard and under ground-floor floorboards. The search was completed by 10 February 2025, with results not released for operational purposes, and the investigation remains ongoing.
- Reported1 Feb
5 reports - Arrested
- Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Elizabeth Clarke, a 24-year-old woman and mother of two, was last seen in Navan, Co. Meath in November 2013.
- Gardaí believe she was killed by someone known to her after a prolonged period of mistreatment and that her body was disposed of to conceal the crime.
- The search focused on a concreted-over back yard and under the ground-floor floorboards of the house.
- Where
- The search took place at an unoccupied house in the Claremont Estate, Navan, Co. Meath.
- She had previously lived in Portrane (described as Co. Dublin in one source and Co. Meath in another) and Bettystown, Co. Meath.
- When
- She was officially reported missing by her family in January 2015.
- The house search commenced on 7 February 2025 and was completed by 10 February 2025.
- Investigation
- The case was upgraded from a missing person investigation to a murder investigation after Gardaí received credible information that Elizabeth had been buried at the property.
- The search was led by Gardaí from the Meath Serious Crime Hub, supported by the Meath Divisional Search team and Garda National Technical Bureau, with a forensic archaeologist available.
- Other details
- The results of the search are not being released for operational purposes, and Gardaí continue to appeal to the public for information.
61 statements extracted from the articles
- whatElizabeth Clarke was a mother of two. (garda.ie)
- whatElizabeth was aged 24 at the time of her disappearance. (garda.ie)
- whatThere have been no sightings of Elizabeth in over ten years. (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie)
- whatGardaí believe Elizabeth Clarke was killed by someone known to her after a prolonged period of mistreatment. (irishtimes.com)
- whatIt is believed she was murdered and her body disposed of to conceal the crime. (irishtimes.com)
- whatElizabeth Clarke was a mother of two children. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatOne area being searched is a back yard or garden that had been concreted over in recent years. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe second area being searched is under the floorboards of the ground floor of the house. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe property being searched is now unoccupied. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe search operation is expected to take several days. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe missing person case was upgraded to a murder investigation. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatElizabeth Clarke was 24 when last seen in Navan in late 2013. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatGardaí spent much of Friday and the weekend clearing debris from the house before the internal search could begin. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatOfficers fear Elizabeth may be buried under the floorboards of the house. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatAnother possibility is that the remains are under a concreted area of the back yard. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe search is likely to last for several days. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereElizabeth Clarke lived in Navan, Co. Meath. (garda.ie)
- whereShe had previously lived in Portrane and Bettystown, Co. Meath. (garda.ie)
- whereA search commenced on Friday at a property in Navan. (irishtimes.com)
- whereMs Clarke had previously lived in Portrane, Co Dublin, and Bettystown, Co Meath, as well as another address in Co Meath. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe search is taking place at a house in the Claremont Estate, Navan, Co Meath. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenElizabeth Clarke has not been seen since 2013. (garda.ie)
- whenElizabeth was officially reported missing by her family in January 2015. (garda.ie)
- whenElizabeth Clarke was reported missing in January 2015 (garda.ie)
- whenMs Clarke was officially reported missing in January 2015. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThere have been no confirmed sightings of Ms Clarke since November 2013. (irishtimes.com)
- whenElizabeth Clarke has been missing since November 2013. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenElizabeth was officially reported missing in January 2015. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenGardaí informed the mother about the search plan just before 9am on Friday. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe search is in its fourth day as of 10 February 2025. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe unoccupied house was sealed off on Friday, 7 February 2025. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeGardaí received information leading to a reasonable suspicion that Elizabeth was killed and secretly buried at the property. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe investigation is led and coordinated by a Senior Investigating Officer. (garda.ie)
- investigationGardaí carried out house-to-house enquiries, land searches, and canal and river searches assisted by the Garda Water Unit and Meath River Rescue. (garda.ie)
- investigationAn Garda Síochána reclassified the investigation from a missing person investigation to a murder investigation. (garda.ie)
- investigationGardaí commenced a search at a house in Navan, Co. Meath. (garda.ie)
- investigationThe search is led by Gardaí from the Meath Serious Crime Hub based at Navan Garda Station. (garda.ie)
- investigationThe search is supported by the Meath Divisional Search team and Garda National Technical Bureau. (garda.ie)
- investigationThe search operation has the support of a Forensic Archaeologist if required. (garda.ie)
- investigationGardaí have completed searches at a house in Navan, County Meath (garda.ie)
- investigationGardaí continue to appeal to the public for information about the disappearance and murder (garda.ie)
- investigationInvestigations are ongoing (garda.ie)
- investigationThe investigation has been upgraded to a murder inquiry. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí are following a definite line of inquiry regarding who killed Ms Clarke and the context of her killing. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí have strong suspicions about where her remains may be buried. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe search was expected to be intrusive, over several days, and involve excavation work. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí suspect she was murdered around the time of the last confirmed sighting. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe force carried out land, canal and river searches but found nothing of evidential value. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe upgrade was based on the assessment that additional resources and powers could result in a breakthrough. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe search was led by gardaí from the Meath Serious Crime Hub, based at Navan Garda station. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe search was supported by the Meath Divisional Search Team and Garda National Technical Bureau. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationA forensic archaeologist has been made available to the search team if required. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe decision to upgrade was taken after officers received credible information that Elizabeth had been buried at the house. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe search is led by Gardaí from the Meath Serious Crime Hub based at Navan Garda station, supported by the Meath Divisional Search team and Garda National Technical Bureau. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationA Forensic Archaeologist is available to assist if required. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationPrevious enquiries included house-to-house enquiries, land searches, and canal and river searches assisted by the Garda Water Unit and Meath River Rescue. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherAn Garda Síochána have kept the family of Elizabeth Clarke fully updated on the investigation. (garda.ie)
- otherThe results of the search are not being released for operational purposes (garda.ie)
- otherThe family has been updated on developments (garda.ie)
- otherGardaí remind the public that given the time frame, anyone who held back information should come forward now (garda.ie)
- otherThe investigation team can be contacted at Navan Garda Station or via the Garda Confidential line (garda.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 10 Feb2025Gardai resume house search for missing mum after case upgraded to murder probe
Reports that Gardaí resumed the internal search of the house on 10 February 2025 after clearing debris over the weekend, with the case now in its fourth day of searching; officers fear remains may be under the floorboards or a concreted area of the back yard.
victim, Elizabeth Clarke, 24, female, irish (judged from name)Elizabeth Clarke - 7 Feb2025Mum pays tribute as gardai commence dig in search for missing Elizabeth Clarke
Adds details on the search operation: two specific areas being examined (a concreted-over back yard and under ground-floor floorboards), the mother's tribute and plea, confirmation the upgrade was based on credible information that Elizabeth was buried at the house, and the specialist teams involved (Meath Serious Crime Hub, Divisional Search team, Technical Bureau, Forensic Archaeologist).
victim, Elizabeth Clarke, 24, female, irish (judged from name)Elizabeth Clarke - 7 Feb2025Gardaí believe missing Elizabeth Clarke killed after prolonged period of mistreatment
Provides more detail on the upgrade to murder inquiry, the context of the killing (prolonged mistreatment by someone known to her), the search operation details including excavation and forensic archaeologist, and the history of the investigation since 2013.
victim, Elizabeth Clarke, 24, female, irish (judged from name)Elizabeth Clarke - 1 Feb2025Update (1): Investigation into the Murder of Elizabeth Clarke; reported missing in January 2015
Confirms the house search in Navan has been completed, with results not released for operational purposes. The family has been updated and Gardaí renew their appeal for information, specifically urging anyone who held back information given the time frame to come forward now.
victim, Elizabeth Clarke, irish (judged from name)Elizabeth Clarke - 1 Feb2025Investigation into the Murder of Elizabeth Clarke; reported missing in January 2015.
Adds details of the 7 February 2025 house search, the formal reclassification from missing person to murder, Elizabeth's background as a mother of two who previously lived in Portrane and Bettystown, and the extensive prior enquiries including house-to-house, land, canal and river searches assisted by the Garda Water Unit and Meath River Rescue.
victim, Elizabeth Clarke, 24, female, irish (judged from name)Elizabeth Clarke