GARDAÍ BELIEVE THAT the man suspected of abducting Jastine Valdez may have visited cafes or petrol stations in the hours before and after the crime.

Gardaí have this evening renewed their appeal for information into the abduction of the accountancy student. The appeal comes as a post mortem suggested Jastine was the victim of manual strangulation.

A body was found in the search for her yesterday.

Suspect Mark Hennessy was shot dead by gardaí on Sunday evening in a business park in south Dublin.

Gardaí say they are “particularly interested in the movement of a black Nissan Qashqai, registered number 171 D 20419, and the driver of this vehicle Mark Hennessy” between 5pm on Saturday and 8pm on Sunday.

Hennessy is described as being 5’9’’, of slight build and balding. He was wearing a dark coloured t-shirt, blue jeans and grey runners at the time.

“We would particularly like to speak with people who were in the Dalkey, Killiney, Ballybrack, Sallynoggin, Cherrywood [and] Rathmichael areas. The car may have stopped at restaurants, cafes, petrol station shops or bars in those areas.

“If you travelled in this part of county Dublin between Saturday and Sunday evenings and you have a dashcam fitted please contact us and make the footage available to investigators.”

Post mortem

A post mortem is being carried out on the body found at the site and gardaí now believe that the woman died of manual strangulation.

Jastine, an accountancy student and an only child, had been living with her parents in Enniskerry. The 24-year-old was reported missing on Saturday night after she was believed to have been forced into a car on the R760 road near Enniskerry in Co Wicklow.

Anyone with information should contact Bray Garda Station on 01-6665300 the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.