Saturday 31 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. 21014Murder · Co. Wicklow · 19 May 2018

Parents of Jastine Valdez mark fifth anniversary of her murder

Jastine Valdez, a student, was kidnapped and murdered close to her home in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, on 19 May 2018. The suspect, Mark Hennessy, is a man whose age and nationality are not given in the facts, and he is believed to have been infatuated with her and to have rehearsed the abduction beforehand. Gardaí found a note with the words 'Pucks Castle' in his car, where her remains were later found, and an inquest at Dublin Coroner's Court returned a verdict of unlawful killing. Hennessy was shot dead by an armed garda in the Cherrywood Industrial estate, and on 19 May 2023, the fifth anniversary, her parents Tess and Danilo Valdez said they still live with the trauma of her murder.

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

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
Jastine Valdez, a student, was kidnapped and murdered.
Where
  • The murder took place close to her home in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow.
  • Former detective Frank Keenaghan believed her body was dumped in heavy gorse in south County Dublin.
When
  • Jastine Valdez was murdered on 19 May 2018.
  • The fifth anniversary of the murder was marked on 19 May 2023 with a statement from her parents to the Irish Mirror.
Cause
The cause of death was asphyxia through external pressure on the neck.
Investigation
  • Gardaí found a note in Hennessy's car containing the words 'Pucks Castle', where Jastine Valdez's remains were later found.
  • An inquest at Dublin Coroner's Court returned a verdict of unlawful killing.
Other details
  • Mark Hennessy is believed to have been infatuated with Jastine Valdez and to have rehearsed her abduction beforehand.
  • Mark Hennessy was shot dead by an armed garda in the Cherrywood Industrial estate.
  • Jastine Valdez's parents, Tess and Danilo Valdez, say they still live with the trauma of her murder.
9 statements extracted from the articles
  • whereThe murder took place close to Jastine Valdez's home in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereFormer detective Frank Keenaghan believed her body was dumped in heavy gorse in south County Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenJastine Valdez was murdered on 19 May 2018. (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeThe cause of death was asphyxia through external pressure on the neck. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí found a note in Hennessy's car containing the words 'Pucks Castle', where Jastine's remains were later found. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationAn inquest at Dublin Coroner's Court returned a verdict of unlawful killing. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherMark Hennessy is believed to have been infatuated with Jastine Valdez and to have rehearsed her abduction beforehand. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherMark Hennessy was shot dead by an armed garda in the Cherrywood Industrial estate. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherJastine Valdez's parents say they still live with the trauma of her murder. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 19 May2023
    Otheririshmirror.ie, first report
    Parents of Jastine Valdez tell of ongoing grief on fifth anniversary of murder

    Fifth-anniversary tribute in which the parents describe their ongoing grief, with background on the 2018 murder, the manhunt, the suspect's death and the inquest verdict.

    victim, Jastine Valdez, female, non-irish (judged from name)Jastine Valdezsuspect, Mark Hennessy, male, named, irish (judged from name)Mark Hennessy