AN investigation into the disappearance of Fiona Pender nearly 30 years ago has been reclassified as murder.
The 25-year-old went missing from her home in Tullamore, Co. Offaly in 1996.
Ms Pender was last seen at her flat at Church Street, Tullamore at 6am on August 23.
She was seven months pregnant at the time and had spent the previous day shopping for baby clothes with her mother in Tullamore.
Fiona Pender from Tullamore in Co. Offaly has been missing since 1996Yesterday, gardaí confirmed that they are now classifying her disappearance as murder, for the first time.
As a result, new searches are underway in Offaly this week and Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan has appealed to anyone with information about her disappearance to contact gardaí.
Police have launched a fresh search after reclassifying Ms Pender's disappearance as a murder investigationSpeaking in Limerick, Mr O'Callaghan said Ms Pender's family have "gone through a terrible time over the past 28 years or so".
"I think it's incumbent upon anyone who has information to bring that information to the gardaí so that this investigation can be concluded," he added.
Gardaí say that anyone with any information, no matter how small or insignificant they might believe it to be, can contact Tullamore Garda Station on 057-9327600, or any garda station.
See More: Fiona Pender, Investigation, Missing, Murder, Offaly, Search
