Case of missing eight-year-old boy Kyran Durnin upgraded to murder investigation by Gardaí

Sources have told The Irish Mirror that Gardaí probing the disappearance of eight-year-old Kyran Durnin now believe he is dead

Gardaí have upgraded the case of this missing young boy to murder, it has emerged.

Sources have told The Irish Mirror that Gardaí probing the disappearance of eight-year-old Kyran Durnin now believe he is dead. Officers in Drogheda, Co Louth leading the hunt for the missing boy will make the announcement later today, sources say.

They also said the move is a major development in the hunt for the boy, who has not been seen since August. “It is a major decision to upgrade the case to murder,” a source confirmed to The Irish Mirror.

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Officers in Drogheda have been mounting a desperate search for Kyran, who was last seen in the Co Louth town on August 28. Despite a major search and repeated public appeals for help in tracing him, no sign of the boy has been found.

Now, even though his remains have not been found, sources say Gardaí believe the child is dead and have already upgraded the case to murder.

“There has been a significant investigation and that has led the investigation to the belief that Kyran is dead,” a source told The Mirror. “We do not know what happened to him yet, but the missing person case is now a murder inquiry.”

Kyran is described as being 3 feet 3 inches in height, with a medium build, brown eyes and brown hair. When last seen, Kyran was wearing a navy zip-up windbreaker and black runners.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Drogheda Garda Station on 041 987 4200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station. It is extremely rare for Gardaí to upgrade missing persons cases to murder – and that shows how seriously officers are taking this disappearance.

In August 2018, officers investigating the July 1998 disappearance of Co Kildare student Deirdre Jacob, then 20, upgraded that case to murder. They tried to charge sex beast Larry Murphy with her murder, but the Director of Public Prosecutions declined to prosecute him.

An Garda Síochána issued a statement on Wednesday morning which read: "Gardaí in Louth investigating the disappearance of Kyran Durnin are appealing to the public for information. Kyran was reported missing from his home in Drogheda, Co. Louth, to An Garda Síochána on the 30th August 2024.

"Despite extensive enquiries carried out by Gardaí to date, An Garda Síochána have been unable to either locate Kyran, identify any information on his current whereabouts or any evidence that he is currently alive. Following enquiries to date, investigating Gardaí now believe that Kyran is missing presumed dead. A murder investigation has been commenced.

"The investigation is being led by a Senior Investigation Officer (SIO) based out of an incident room established at Drogheda Garda Station. Gardaí are appealing to anyone who has any information in connection with the disappearance of Kyran to contact Drogheda Garda Station on 041 987 4200 , the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.

"Any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, will be welcomed by the investigation team. This information will be treated in the strictest confidence. No arrests have been made. The investigation is ongoing."

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