An inquest into the death of a Clare woman whose body was discovered in a burnt out mobile home 20 years ago, is due to take place today.
The family of Emer O'Loughlin, a 23-year-old art student, hopes the State will officially acknowledge that she was murdered, at the inquest in Kilrush.
The remains of Ms O'Loughlin, a native of Ennistymon in Co Clare, were found in the caravan on lands at Ballybornagh near Tubber in Co Clare, on 8 April 2005.
She had been living with her boyfriend at the time, and they planned to build a house there.
The cause of her death was not determined in 2005, although her family always suspected that violence did play a part in her death.
Her remains were exhumed in 2010 as part of a cold case review when forensic anthropology tests revealed she had died violently, before the fire in the mobile home occurred.
The mobile home belonged to her neighbour John Griffin, also known as 'Fozzie' Griffin, a native of Mervue in Galway, who gardaí believe has information about the young woman's death.
He has been missing since shortly after her death.
Gardaí interviewed Mr Griffin at the time of their initial investigation, but he said he had stayed with a relative in Galway the night before Ms O'Loughlin's death and knew nothing about the blaze at his mobile home.
His last confirmed sighting was in Inis Mór on Oileáin Arann. His clothes were found at the edge of the cliff there, but despite intensive searches he has not been located and has never been reported as a missing person.
He was named by gardaí as the chief suspect in Ms O'Loughlin's death.
Gardaí renewed their appeal for information on the 20th anniversary of her death last April.
They believe Mr Griffin is still alive and that he may have been assisted in leaving Inis Mór by another person and that the clothes on the cliff edge was an effort to frustrate the garda investigation.
For the past 20 years, Ms O'Loughlin's sister Pam has been campaigning for her killer to be brought to justice.
She is hopeful that the inquest will return a verdict of unlawful killing.
