Two people who were recently interviewed by police over the 1988 killing of a German backpacker may be asked to formally join the upcoming inquest, court heard on Friday. The move — and the broader disclosure of files — marks the latest step in a renewed inquiry into a long-unsolved case that still reverberates across Northern Ireland.
A pre-inquest review in Omagh was told that letters inviting the two individuals to apply for Properly Interested Person status had been prepared but not yet dispatched because officials were uncertain of their correct addresses. Philip Henry KC, counsel to the coroner, said the letters were ready to go and that, if mail could not be safely delivered, police would consider hand delivery as a “fall-back” option to ensure the notices reached the right people.
What PIP status means for the case
Those granted Properly Interested Person (PIP) status at an inquest are entitled to see relevant case documents and to put questions during the proceedings. The coroner overseeing the fresh inquest is Joe McCrisken.
The decision to contact the two individuals follows ongoing work to gather and disclose official records held by police, prosecutors and Forensic Science Northern Ireland. Mr Henry updated the coroner on that process during the hearing, and the next review was scheduled after the court’s summer recess.
The victim, 18-year-old Inga Maria Hauser from Munich, was last seen alive boarding a ferry from Scotland to Larne, County Antrim. Her body was discovered in a remote area of Ballypatrick Forest 14 days later. Diary entries show she had planned to travel south towards Dublin after disembarking; for reasons that remain unexplained she went the opposite way and did not reach her intended destination.
Police investigations over the years have produced a male DNA profile from the scene, but attempts to match that profile have so far failed. One of the UK’s largest DNA screening operations tested about 2,000 samples without producing a conclusive match.
There were a number of arrests around the 30th anniversary of the murder in 2018, but by 2020 prosecutors concluded there was insufficient evidence to bring charges against a man and a woman who had been investigated.
- Victim: Inga Maria Hauser, 18, from Munich.
- Date of death: April 1988 (found 14 days after last seen).
- Location found: Ballypatrick Forest, Co Antrim.
- Key evidence: Male genetic profile recovered; large DNA screening (~2,000 samples) returned no match.
- Recent legal steps: Letters drafted inviting two interviewed individuals to seek PIP status; disclosure of files progressing.
- Next procedural milestone: Further pre-inquest review after the summer court recess.
Claire McKeegan, solicitor for the Hauser family, welcomed the update on disclosure, saying the family needed as much material as possible to prepare for the inquest and to participate fully in what she described as an emotionally demanding process.
The inquest itself represents one of the few formal avenues to scrutinise evidence in public when criminal prosecution is not proceeding. Any decision to include additional parties with PIP status could widen access to documents and questioning, and may affect how evidence is tested in the coming hearings.
Hi, I’m Benjamin, a member of the Sherburne County Citizen team. With a passion for writing and a deep interest in current affairs, I thoroughly enjoy bringing you the latest news and trends that affect our daily lives.
