Gardaí intensify murder investigation after Ana Kriegel's body found at derelict farmhouse

Gardaí are intensifying their search to try and determine Anastasia Kriegel's final movements as they continue with their murder investigation.

Gardaí intensify murder investigation after Ana Kriegel's body found at derelict farmhouse

Gardaí are intensifying their search to try and determine Anastasia Kriegel's final movements as they continue with their murder investigation.

14-year-old Anastasia's body was found in a derelict farmhouse on the Clonee Road in Lucan on Thursday afternoon.

Gardaí began treating her death as murder after a post-mortem was carried out by the State Pathologist Marie Cassidy in the early hours of Friday morning.

Results are expected later today.

It has been reported that Ms Kriegel was the victim of a violent assualt.

State Pathologist, Dr. Marie Cassidy at the scene at a derelict house and farmyard on the Clonee Road, Lucan.
State Pathologist, Dr. Marie Cassidy at the scene at a derelict house and farmyard on the Clonee Road, Lucan.

The teenager had been missing from her home in nearby Leixlip on Monday, her family reported her missing at around 8pm that evening.

She was last seen at St Catherine's Park outside Lucan at around 5.30pm on Monday - around a kilometre from the farmhouse where her body was found three days later.

Gardaí are now focusing on who Ana was with and how she made her way from the park to the unused buildings.

There are a number of routes from the park to the derelict farmhouse and invesitgators are trying to figure out what route Ana took.

The derelict house and farmyard on the Clonee Road, Lucan where the body of a female was found this afternoon. Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin.
The derelict house and farmyard on the Clonee Road, Lucan where the body of a female was found this afternoon. Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin.

A family friend has said it would be completely out of character for Ana not to be in contact with her family.

Speaking to KFM, local TD and family friend Catherine Murphy says her parents knew something was wrong when she went missing on Monday evening.

She said:

She was a permanent communicator and they knew very early this was out of character for her.

"I think people are afraid and until this is resolved they will continue to feel that.

"This is just such an unusual crime, it is very hard to process it and the community are feeling that."

Gardai at the scene at a derelict house and farmyard on the Clonee Road, Lucan.
Gardai at the scene at a derelict house and farmyard on the Clonee Road, Lucan.

Her school Confey Community College released a statement saying it is a terrible tragedy for the Kriegel family, their school and community.

It also says they are deeply saddened by Anastasia's death and their thoughts are with the Kriegel family and friends.

The school issued a letter to parents and an advice sheet for students on how to cope when something terrible happens.

Ana was also a member of local dance group Dance LA who have also expressed their sadness at the news of Ana's death on Facebook.

An appeal has been made for anyone with any information to come forward.

Gardaí want to hear from anyone who was in St. Catherine's Park or the Clonee road area on Monday evening and are also appealing for anyone with dashcam footage to come forward.

Superintendent John Gordon from Lucan Garda Station is leading the investigation, he says every support is being given to Ana's family, who are "extremely distressed."

He said:

As you can imagine at this time they are receiving a lot of support from An Garda Siochana but they are extremely distressed and they are also looking for the public's assistance and privacy as well.

"They have another child in that house so they need to be careful around that."

Garda forensic team at the scene outside a deserted building in Lucan.
Garda forensic team at the scene outside a deserted building in Lucan.

He said the body was found as part of a gardaí search for Anastasia.

Gardaí had been searching the 200-acre St Catherine's Park since the teenager went missing.

They found her body in a disused farmhouse on the Clonee Road at about 1pm on Thursday.

The scene at Clonee Road remains sealed off as the Garda's technical examination continues.

Gardai at the scene at a derelict house and farmyard on the Clonee Road, Lucan.
Gardai at the scene at a derelict house and farmyard on the Clonee Road, Lucan.

- Digital Desk

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