Convicted child-killer murdered Arlene Arkinson, inquest finds
Tyrone schoolgirl Arlene went missing in August 1994, and her body has never been found.
Last updated 21st Jul 2021
A Coroner has found that convicted child killer Robert Howard was responsible for the death of County Tyrone schoolgirl Arlene Arkinson, on the balance of probabilities.
The 15-year-old girl went missing in August 1994 after a night out in Donegal.
Robert Howard, originally from Co Laois, was charged with the murder of Arlene Arkinson in 2002 but acquitted in 2005.
He died in prison custody in England in 2015 while serving a life sentence for the rape and murder of 14-year-old Hanna Williams from London.
Arlene's body has never been found despite extensive searches.
Following a long-running inquest at Omagh courthouse, coroner Brian Sherrard found that she died on the morning of Sunday August 14 1994.
“There is no record of her being alive after that date,'' he said.
“Robert Howard - a violent sexual offender and the last person to be seen with Arlene, in the early hours of August 14 1994 - was responsible for her death.''
Reacting to the coroner's ruling, Arlene Arkinson's sister Kathleen said: "This was a 14-year-old inquest, nearly as long as Arlene's life.''
"An inquest that Howard and the state never wanted. It was opened in November 2007, and only finishes today.
"Twenty-seven years on from Arlene's murder, I am still searching for her body. What else can I do? What else would anyone expect me to do? Despite what has happened, I have placed my faith in our justice system and went with it.
"Therefore I appeal to the Justice Minister (Naomi Long) to examine Arlene's case carefully.
"When she does, she will see that the need for a public inquiry into the activities of Robert Howard in this jurisdiction and his status as an agent for the RUC, which has led to death and misery for many people, will be unavoidable.
"I guarantee the minister that the more she looks into Arlene's case, the more outraged and terrified she will be on behalf of the public. But, above all, I want a Christian burial for my sister. In seeking the truth, through public inquiry, maybe I will achieve that.''