Gardaí to excavate Kerry site in search for man kidnapped in 1991
Gardaí at Killarney will today search and excavate a site in Co Kerry as part of their investigation into a 1991 kidnapping.
Charles Brooke Pickard, 43 at the time, was abducted by a number of men from White Strand at Castlecove, Co Kerry April 26, 1991, and has not been seen since. He had been due to go cutting turf.
His wife Penny and four young children were left behind.
The search site at Derrennageeha, Ballaghisheen Pass, Waterville is located in a Coillte forest off the Waterville/Ballaghisheen road, about 20kms from Waterville.
It is less than a kilometre from where Charles Brook Pickard’s navy Ford Transit van was found burned out in May 1991 at Shronaloughnane Forest, in the townland of Derrennageeha near Waterville, 27 miles from where he was abducted.
Members of the Defence Forces are assisting gardaí in today's operation and gardaí have also consulted with an anthropologist on the matter. (A forensic anthropologist examines remains and cretes a biological profile of them.)
The search is expected to last at least a week and the family of Charles Brooke Pickard are being kept updated.
This development is as a result of a renewed appeals for information. Arising from the appeal, an area was identified by gardaí and will now be searched.
Gardaí continue to ask for anyone with information to step forward.
"There are people who may not have been in a position to assist the investigation 25 years ago but with the passage of time their circumstances may have changed," said Superintendent Flor Murphy, Killarney.
"Relationships, friendships , associations and loyalties may have changed and people may be in a better position to help us now."
Any information should be forwarded to investigating gardaí at Killarney garda station on 064 6631222 or any garda station.
