A man in his 60s has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of Annie McCarrick, the 26-year-old American woman who disappeared from her Dublin home in 1993.
It is the first arrest to take place in relation to the case.
The suspect is currently being detained at a garda station in Dublin, while investigating gardaí are today commencing a search operation at a residence in Clondalkin, Dublin 22.
According to gardaí, elements of the house and garden will be searched and subject of both technical and forensic examinations.
The current residents of the home are not connected in anyway with Annie McCarrick or her disappearance, a statement from the gardaí said.
Originally from New York, Annie visited Ireland on a school trip as a teenager
Her parents described how she fell in love with Ireland and the way of life, and how she determined to move there upon her return to New York.
In the late 1980s Annie McCarrick completed her third level studies at St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra and at St Patrick’s College, Maynooth before returning to New York in 1991, where she completed her studies at Stoney Brook University.
On January 4, 1993 Annie moved to Ireland to live permanently. She found rented accommodation at St Catherine’s Court, Sandymount, Dublin 4 with two other tenants.
Annie purchased groceries in Quinnsworth on Sandymount Road on the morning of Friday, March 26, which were found left unpacked in shopping bags in her apartment.
A receipt in the shopping bags confirmed the date and time of purchase as: 26/03/1993 at 11:02am – the last confirmed activity of Annie McCarrick.
She was reported missing by a friend at Irishtown Garda Station on the evening of Sunday, March 28, 1993.
The missing person report was confirmed by her mother Nancy when she arrived in Dublin on Tuesday, March 30, 1993.
Gardaí have said that the family of Annie McCarrick is being kept fully updated in relation to the investigation, and have appealed to anyone with information, no matter how small or insignificant that they might believe it to be, to contact with the investigation team.
Gardaí also appeal to anyone that may have previously come forward but who felt that they could not provide gardaí with all of the relevant information they had in relation to this matter, to make contact with An Garda Síochána again.
The investigation team can be contacted at Irishtown Garda Station on 01 666 9600, or anyone who wishes to provide information confidentially should contact the Garda Confidential Line: 1800 666 111.