A verdict of unlawful killing has been returned at an inquest into the death of a Dublin woman who was murdered almost 50 years ago.
The family of Elizabeth Plunkett has now called on the Garda Commissioner to reopen the case into her death.
From Ringsend in Dublin, 23-year-old Elizabeth Plunkett had been on a night out in Brittas Bay when she was abducted and murdered in August 1976. Her body washed up along the Wexford shoreline.
A month later, another young woman, Mary Duffy, from Mayo, was murdered.
Their killings shocked the country.
Two men from England, John Shaw and Geoffrey Evans, confessed, were convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Shaw remains in prison, while Evans died a decade ago.
However, today the Plunkett family said they found out last year that despite the confession, no one was actually convicted of their sister's murder, saying the DPP at the time decided only to prosecute the case of Mary Duffy.
They also say no death certificate was ever issued.
This afternoon, five decades on, the inquest into Elizabeth Plunkett's death took place at Gorey courthouse in front of coroner Dr Seán Nixon.
After hearing evidence around the circumstances around the death, the jury, after deliberating for a matter of minutes, returned a verdict of unlawful killing.
Dr Nixon gave the cause of death as asphyxia due to strangulation.
In a statement afterwards, the family said the verdict would restore some of the dignity to Elizabeth and said they hoped it marked the start of justice for her.
They say their parents never recovered from Elizabeth's murder and said the authorities had failed them.
The family have now called on the Garda Commissioner to reopen the case and said they have questions too for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Earlier, the inquest heard from Detective Inspector Garda Murth Whelan, from Wexford Garda station, who gave details about the death who read from statements given at the time.
At the conclusion of the hearing, the coroner and the gardaí present offered their sympathies to Elizabeth's family.
