SPECIALIST search dogs, based in Newcastle, have been involved in efforts to solve the mystery of what happened to six women who disappeared in the 1990s. Nelly and Bee, from the Search and Rescue Dog Association (Ireland North), and their handlers feature in the newly released ‘Six Silent Killings: Ireland’s Vanishing Triangle’, which is available on Sky Documentaries and Now TV.
Viewers of this new and deeply moving two-part series will see how the two cadaver dogs may have unearthed a tomb which some think is linked to the disappearance of the women in the ‘vanishing triangle’ case. Springer spaniel Nelly (7) and border collie Bee (3) may have sniffed out a lead in the decades-old murder mystery. Within the space of five years in the 1990s, six young women went missing in Ireland, never to be seen again. In the area known today as Ireland’s Vanishing Triangle, Annie McCarrick, Josephine Dullard, Fiona Pender, Ciara Breen, Fiona Sinnott and Deirdre Jacob all disappeared without a trace.
Thirty years on from the first case, the new twopart crime series delves into the investigations prompted by the tragic disappearances of these women and the ongoing search for answers. Five of the women were last seen within an 80- mile radius of the ‘triangle’, with many fearing a serial killer was at large. No one has been convicted for being involved in their disappearances or deaths. A convicted kidnapper was identified as a suspect in a number of the disappearances but never charged. The families of the women, aged between 17 and 25, continue to face the heartbreak of not knowing what happened to their loved ones.
The two-part documentary sees investigators home in on a long-forgotten underground storage chamber near the suspect’s home, which has lain sealed for years. In the documentary, Nelly and Bee identify this potential burial site in the Wicklow Mountains. Nelly’s handler is the renowned local dog trainer, search and rescue specialist, and SARDA IN founder, Dr Neil Powell, whilst Bee is Raph O’Connor’s dog. A team of five SARDA volunteers, along with Nelly, first started investigating the search area back in December 2021. From the outset, the Newcastle team’s role was to first determine if there was any detectable odour of human decay. Despite the weather, a talented and motivated Nelly got to work and indicated on a bearing due south of the chamber’s entrance. Then, on their return visit, just a few months later, an equally skilled Bee homed in on the exact same area. The indications supported the team’s role to determine if there was any detectable odour of decay.
Neil and the team also stated that, despite the dogs’ indication, there is no guarantee the patch of land holds the answers so many seek. Raph explained that SARDA IN were part of a very detailed investigation team who assisted in the dog searching element of the operation, working in tandem with forensic and archaeological investigators, plus a retired FBI agent who had a specialist knowledge tracking serial killers. “The team approached Neil first, given his links with so many people he has made over the years, and then we devised a plan. “Neil wanted to involve our two cadaver dogs, because it is a historical crime investigation,” the local man explained. “With a number of theories and sites, we checked a number of locations and one in particular has had consistent indications from our dogs. They are associating the odour they are trained on. Whether it is related to the women who have gone missing or another human being is not yet known, but hopefully we will find out in due course.”
Raph added that “the ultimate goal is that the women are located and that they get the chance to have the Christian burial they deserve, and their loved ones finally begin to properly grieve for their loss.” Only time will tell, and hopefully the families will get answers.
