Lisa Dorrian's family confident this will be the last year her killer escapes justice
Sisters Joanne and Michelle Dorrian are hopeful justice will finally be served 16 years after she was murdered.
The family of murdered woman Lisa Dorrian are hopeful this will be the last year her killer escapes justice.
Today (27 February 2021) marks 16 years since Lisa was last seen alive in Ballyhalbert Caravan Park.
Despite extensive searches of the area, her body has never been found.
However, the PSNI investigation is continuing, and the Detective in charge says the 'net is tightening' on her killer.
Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy believes Lisa knew her killer and has always believed that a small number of people hold the key to police finding out what happened to her.
Her sisters Joanne and Michelle also believe this will be the last year they have to appeal for her killer to come forward, as the investigation picks up pace.
Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy said: “Every year the Dorrian family relive this tragic event. However as time passes, they become more and more determined to find Lisa and lay her to rest and we become more resolute in helping them to do so.
“I believe Lisa knew her killer and have always believed that a small number of people hold the key to us finding out what happened to her. She was last seen alive in a caravan on the caravan park around 10pm on Sunday 27th February. I believe she was murdered that night or in the early hours of the following morning. There is nothing to suggest that Lisa came to harm at the hands of a stranger, I believe she knew her killer.
“My focus is very, very clear - and that’s on the recovery of Lisa and getting justice for Lisa’s family and I believe that we have a good opportunity to achieve either or both, but this will need to continued support of the local community.
“Ballyhalbert and that local area is a huge space so the key for me is to work with the public, colleagues, professionals and expert advisers to understand what potential still exists, and what searches should be conducted. I recognise that for those who know what happened, providing that evidence to the police might be a step too far at this point. It is possible though to help the Dorrian family out of the daily nightmare that comes with not having Lisa’s body and I would appeal for those with direct knowledge of Lisa’s whereabouts to find a way to get that information to me, anonymously or via a third party if necessary. Whilst my focus is on justice and the recovery of Lisa’s body, the focus of the Dorrian family is understandably entirely different’.
Anyone with information should call detectives on 101. Or, if someone would prefer to provide information without giving their details, they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers and speak to them anonymously on 0800 555 111.