Gardai have issued a new public appeal for any information about a missing couple linked to notorious crime boss Cornelius Price.
Willie Maughan, 34, and Ana Varslavane, 21, were last seen alive only a couple of hundred yards from the late gangster's compound at Gormanston, Co Meath over eight years ago and were never seen again.
Detectives believe they were both abducted and brutally murdered after crossing Price.
READ MORE - Ruthless mobster Cornelius Price ordered execution of rival over unpaid €30,000 drug 'tax'
Maughan was Price's right hand man and "enforcer" for years as the gang became the biggest drug dealers in the north-east. The pair were regularly seen together in Balbriggan, Drogheda and Laytown.
Maughan had lived along with a number of Price's family members in the isolated compound nestled off the M1 motorway along the border between Dublin and Meath for a couple of years.
Gardai believe the pair fell out because Maughan had fallen in love and wanted to move back to his family in west Dublin along with Anna.
They believe Price was afraid he would spill the beans to rivals about his criminal empire and ordered them to be killed.
Detectives are convinced a number of people close to Price, who only died from a brain illness a few weeks ago, are aware of what happened to the couple.
A handful of individuals previously questioned had refused to talk.
Gardai suspect they were terrified of giving information in case Price found out and they feared being killed in retaliation.
Garda Olga Bacon appealed to anyone with any information about the missing couple to contact them.
She stated: "Willie Maughan and Ana Varslavane were known to frequent the Balbriggan, Stamullen and Gormanston areas. She was last known to be in the company of Willie Maughan. They were last seen before 2 to 3 o'clock in the Gormanston area, Co Meath on Tuesday, April 14, 2015.
"Anyone with any information is asked to contact Ashbourne Garda Station on 01-8010600."
Gardai have long suspected they were murdered on the Price compound and their bodies disposed of there.
They had previously been told from an underworld source that the couple were dumped in a quarry lake on the Cement Road, Drogheda. An extensive search was carried out but no bodies were ever found.
A Garda source added: "We just hope someone with a conscience will come forward and tell us what happened. The families are desperate to recover the bodies to give both Willie and Ana a decent Christian burial.
"It is really heartbreaking for the families because they are left in limbo land and have no closure."
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