Ireland Case No. 20504Assault (suspected serious assault; missing person) · Co. Donegal
Gardaí search Teelin pier in Donegal after assault tip-off
A 67-year-old man, believed to be from Northern Ireland, has been missing since the weekend of 24 and 25 June 2023 in the Slieve League area of Co Donegal, after gardaí received information that someone was thrown off a cliff and believed a man may have been seriously assaulted. A man in his 30s and a woman in her 20s, neither named in the sources, were arrested on Monday 26 June and detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, and were released without charge on Tuesday evening, 27 June. The case is being treated as a missing person and potential serious assault, with sources expecting it to be upgraded to a murder investigation, after blood was found in the man's car, which was seized. As of 29 June the search focus had moved from Slieve League to a pier at Teelin, and the missing man had not been found and no one had been charged.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrested27 Jun
5 reports - Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Gardaí received information that someone was thrown off a cliff and believe a man may have been seriously assaulted in Co Donegal.
- When
- The incident is believed to have happened between Saturday 24 June and Sunday 25 June 2023.
- Where
- The search was centred on Slieve League (Sliabh Liag), a tourist spot near Killybegs, and the remote sea cliff was closed to visitors.
- The search focus later moved to a pier at Teelin, a couple of kilometres from the original search area, where the Garda Water Unit set up.
- Cause
- The search was sparked by a tip-off from a woman in her 20s, a suspect in the case, who contacted a friend to say there had been a serious assault and named the Sliabh Liag area.
- Gardaí have not ruled out a personal row that escalated over the weekend, and another line of inquiry is that the man was beaten with a rock before he vanished.
- Other details
- The missing man is described as 67 by one report and as in his 60s by another, and is believed to be from Northern Ireland and to have been staying with the two arrested people.
- The man's detention was extended after he complained of not feeling well and was taken to Letterkenny University Hospital.
- Investigation
- Blood spatters were found in the missing man's car, which was seized and is being examined, and a house in the Killybegs area was sealed off and examined by forensic officers.
- A recorded phone call made by one of the suspects to a third party is a key part of the investigation.
- Gardaí are liaising with the PSNI, which approached a relative of the missing man for DNA, and are examining information that he was targeted after being seen with large amounts of cash in Killybegs the previous week.
- The case is officially a missing person and potential serious assault investigation, though sources expect it to be upgraded to murder.
- Gardaí appealed for anyone who noticed anything suspicious in the Killybegs, Kilcar or Sliabh Liag area between Saturday afternoon and Sunday evening to come forward.
- Charges
- A man in his 30s and a woman in her 20s were arrested on Monday 26 June and released without charge on Tuesday evening, 27 June, after being held at Letterkenny and Ballyshannon Garda stations.
63 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA man and a woman were arrested on Monday and released without charge on Tuesday night. (irishtimes.com)
- whatGardaí believe a man may have been seriously assaulted in Co Donegal. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- whatGardaí received information that someone was thrown off a cliff, and a 67-year-old man has been missing since. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe search began after a tip-off that a person had been seriously assaulted. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereGardaí are treating a missing person case in Co Donegal as a probable murder investigation following the discovery of a blood-spattered car in the Killybegs area. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe search is centred around Sliabh Liag, a tourist spot. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe man was detained at Letterkenny Garda station and the woman at Ballyshannon Garda station. (irishtimes.com)
- whereA house in the Killybegs area has been sealed off since Monday as part of the investigation. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe incident took place in the Slieve League / Killybegs area of County Donegal. (donegallive.ie)
- whereThe search for the alleged victim is taking place in the Sliabh Liag area of Donegal. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe remote sea cliff location has been closed to visitors by gardaí for three days. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe search for the alleged victim is continuing in the Slieve League area of Donegal. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereA large search is taking place in the Slieve League area of Donegal. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe search focus moved to a pier at Teelin, a couple of kilometres from the original search area. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereForensics officers sealed off and searched a house in the Killybegs area. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenGardaí are trying to piece together the events leading up to the missing man going missing over the weekend. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe incident happened between Saturday 24 June and Sunday 25 June 2023. (donegallive.ie)
- whenGardaí want to hear from anyone who noticed anything suspicious between Saturday afternoon and Sunday evening. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeThe search was sparked after a suspect, a woman in her 20s, contacted a friend to say there had been a serious assault. (irishtimes.com)
- causeThe search was sparked after a woman in her 20s, a suspect, contacted a friend to say there had been a serious assault. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeGardaí have not ruled out that the man was attacked over a personal row that escalated over the weekend. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeAnother line of inquiry is that the man was beaten with a rock in the Slieve League area before he vanished. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationA search involving the Irish Coast Guard, the Donegal Mountain Rescue Team and gardaí is ongoing for a missing man. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe car first came to Garda attention after being involved in a road crash. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe woman said she had witnessed a serious assault earlier in the day around the sea cliffs. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí found extensive blood stains in the man's car. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe investigation is officially being treated as a missing person case and potential serious assault, but sources expect it to be upgraded to a murder investigation. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe man and woman were detained for questioning under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí have forensic samples from the car which include blood. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí are appealing to anyone with information about the alleged assault to contact them. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationA search involving the Irish Coast Guard, Rescue 118 and the Donegal Mountain Rescue team was carried out at Slieve League. (donegallive.ie)
- investigationGardaí appeal to anyone with information about the incident to contact them. (donegallive.ie)
- investigationGardaí arrested a man and a woman suspected of being involved. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationTwo people arrested in connection with the investigation were released without charge. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe man's car was seized, and spattered blood was found in the vehicle, which is being examined. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationA house in the Killybegs area was sealed off and examined by forensic officers. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- investigationA recorded phone call made by one of the suspects to a third party is a key part of the investigation. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí want to hear from anyone who noticed anything suspicious in the Killybegs, Kilcar or Sliabh Liag area between Saturday afternoon and Sunday evening. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí were set to decide whether the search would continue into Thursday. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí are liaising with police in Northern Ireland to find the man's whereabouts. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe man's car was seized and blood splatters were found in the vehicle, which are being examined. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationA recorded phone call made by one of the suspects is a key part of the investigation. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationInvestigators are liaising with the PSNI, which approached a relative of the missing man for DNA. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí are examining fresh information that the man was targeted after being seen with large amounts of cash in the Killybegs area the previous week. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationA blood-splattered car has been seized. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationA house remains sealed off and is being examined by forensics. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe investigation remains an assault investigation for now. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí have appealed for anyone with information to come forward. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGarda Water Unit members set up their investigation at Teelin. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationA man in his 30s and a woman in her 20s were arrested and interviewed. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationBoth suspects were released on Tuesday evening without charge. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationA car owned by the male suspect was seized and examined by forensics officers. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationSplatters of blood were reportedly found in the car, and samples were taken for analysis. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí appealed to the public about suspicious activity in the Kilcar, Killybegs or Slieve League area over the weekend. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeThe two people arrested were released without charge that evening. (donegallive.ie)
- chargeA man in his 30s and a woman in her 20s were arrested on Monday over the alleged assault on the missing man and released without charge. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe man's period of detention was extended after he complained of not feeling well and was taken to Letterkenny University Hospital. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe missing man is believed to be from Northern Ireland and was staying with the man and woman in southwest Donegal. (irishtimes.com)
- otherA man in his 30s and a woman in her 20s were detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at Garda stations in Letterkenny and Ballyshannon. (donegallive.ie)
- otherA person is believed to be still missing. (donegallive.ie)
- otherPublic access to Slieve League remains closed to facilitate the ongoing investigation. (donegallive.ie)
- otherThe missing man had been staying with the two arrested people before his disappearance. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherGardaí are reportedly searching for a man from Northern Ireland in his 60s. (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 29 Jun2023Gardaí focus search to pier close to Slieve League in Donegal after 'tip-off'
Reports the search focus moving to Teelin pier, two arrests (man in his 30s, woman in her 20s) with release without charge, a car seized for forensic examination, a house sealed in Killybegs, and a missing man from Northern Ireland in his 60s.
victim, 60s, malesuspect, 30s, malesuspect, 20s, female - 29 Jun2023DNA clues sought after gardaí get report of 'man thrown off cliff' in Donegal
Adds details of the search, a DNA request to a relative via the PSNI, a blood-splattered car seized, the two arrests (a man in his 30s and a woman in her 20s) released without charge, and fresh information about cash seen in Killybegs.
victim, 67, malesuspect, 30s, malesuspect, 20s, female - 28 Jun2023Gardaí examining 'recorded phonecall' in bid to solve mystery Donegal assault
First report of this incident; no existing case matches. Adds the search for the alleged victim, the release of two arrested people without charge, forensic work on a car and a house, and the planned use of a recorded phone call.
victim, 60s, malesuspect, 20s, femalesuspect, male - 28 Jun2023Gardaí liaise with PSNI as part of missing person investigation in Co Donegal
First report of the case. Gardaí are liaising with PSNI, the search for the alleged victim is ongoing, and a man and woman arrested were released without charge.
victim, 60s, malesuspect, 20s, femalesuspect, male - 27 Jun2023Release without charge for two people arrested for alleged assault at Slieve League
Two people arrested over the alleged Slieve League assault were released without charge on 27 June 2023. The investigation continues, public access to Slieve League is closed, and a person is believed to be still missing.
suspect, 30s, malesuspect, 20s, female - 27 Jun2023Gardaí treating Co Donegal missing person case as ‘probable murder investigation’
First report of the case. Describes the arrests of a man and a woman, their release without charge, the blood-stained car, the search for a missing man, and the sealed house in Killybegs.
suspect, 30s, malesuspect, early 20s, femalevictim, male