The parents of Filipina student Jastine Valdez thank the Irish public for their support as they bring the body of their young daughter back to the Philippines.
The remains of 24-year-old student Jastine Valdez are being repatriated to her native Philippines on Tuesday as Gardaí make another call for information on her murder. The accounting student was kidnapped from her home in Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow and strangled to death on May 19.
Valdez’s parents Teresita and Danilo Valdez accompany the remains of their daughter back home after thanking the Irish public for their support in the past week. The flight will leave Dublin Airport and travel to Manila via Dubai
While in Ireland, the student’s parents met with the family of her alleged murderer, 40-year-old father-of-two Mark Hennessy, who was shot dead by Gardaí on May 20.
Read more: Was he a serial killer? DNA of Irishman who murdered Jastine Valdez will tell the tale
The suspect in the murder of Jastine Valdez in Mark Hennessy.
"In the midst of our grief, both the Valdez and Hennessy families met on Friday morning where we exchanged sympathies with each other on the tragic circumstances that resulted in the loss of our respective loved ones," both families said in a statement.
"Both families request privacy at this very difficult time.”
The body of Valdez was discovered on Monday, May 21, in thick undergrowth in the Puck's Castle area of Co Dublin.
"There is sincere compassion - compassion for the Hennessy family left behind as innocent victims of a cruel fate,” said Mark Christopher Congdon, Honorary Consul for the Philippines in Ireland, in an official statement.
'Our daughter planned to settle in Ireland, buy a house and make a new life' - Jastine Valdez's parents https://t.co/aks0sDbzyy pic.twitter.com/NiOwqP3LVn
— Independent.ie (@Independent_ie) May 25, 2018
"Tess and Dani understand this horrific pain and have shown incredible strength, understanding and sympathy for their plight while in the midst of the worst calamity imaginable.
"Their depth of strength and empathy is both formidable and understanding."
Gardaí has renewed their appeal to the public for further information on the murder, in particular for information regarding the bag that Valdez was carrying when she was kidnapped, which has not yet been found.
Read more: Dublin Jastine Valdez murderer could have links to Irish American cold case
On #3News at 5.30, the body of murdered Jastine Valdez is lying in repose in Bray where large crowds have turned out to pay their respects. Her parents have also issued a statement thanking people for their support, sympathy and compassion. I'll have more details on @TV3Ireland pic.twitter.com/lKb3SXNkIO
— Fergal O'Brien (@FergalOBrienTV3) May 25, 2018
The blue shoulder bag purchased from Next contains a Bershka jacket, Nike runners, a Leap Card, an iPad mini, makeup, purple reading glasses with a pink tint and lip balm.
Gardaí also want to speak to any passengers who traveled with Jastine Valdez on the 185C Dublin Bus on the evening of Saturday, May 19.
Anyone with information should contact Bray Garda Station on 01-6665300, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any garda station.
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