Gardai believe the bodies of a young missing couple - killed on the orders of crime boss Cornelius Price - will never be found.
Detectives suspect about five people know the truth of what happened to Willie Maughan, 34, and Ana Varslavane, 21, but they will never spill the beans.
Officers are convinced Willie and Ana were both murdered at Price's large fortified compound at Gormanston, Co Meath and their bodies incinerated afterwards.
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Willie had lived in a caravan on the site but was planning to leave and move back to his native Tallaght with his pregnant partner to start a new life when they vanished in April, 2015.
It is believed Price, who died from a brain disease over a week ago took exception to him moving away and was afraid Maughan would leak information on the murder of Benny Whitehouse, 35, in nearby Balbriggan, a year previously.
Whitehouse was shot dead in the town centre after dropping his daughter off to school. The assassination was carried out by an English hit man brought in and paid for by Price.
A Garda source involved in the case said: "We have a pretty good idea what happened to Willie and Ana. We believe they were killed at Price's compound on the day they went missing.
"We also believe the bodies were incinerated on that site and their ashes buried there."
"I don't think the bodies will ever be found because they have been disposed of.
"Over the years we have searched various places for the remains based on what turned out to be false information leaked by the gang.
"We suspect four to five people know exactly what happened and were involved but will never say a word because the bodies are gone and they are also too ashamed.
"It is very hard and heartbreaking for this couple's families. They are rightly clinging to a small degree of hope that someone will talk but I doubt it.
"Cornelius Price was a very dangerous individual with absolutely no moral compass and so are his cohorts.
"At one stage we were out searching an area for Willie and Ana near Stamullen, Co Meath and he was standing there for hours watching and laughing at us.
"He had deliberately leaked out false information which was very unfair on the families. But that's the type of individual you were dealing with."
Willie's mother Nell says all she wants is her son's body so she can give him a Christian burial and let him rest in peace.
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