The family of murdered Irish art student, 23, whose body was so mutilated experts could not tell whether her remains were male or female, are appealing for help to find the main suspect, who has been on the run for 19 years after “trying to fake his own death”

The heartbroken family of a murdered art student have shared the last known image of the prime suspect, who tried to fake her own death and fled Ireland in the wake of her murder.

Emer O’Loughlin’s mutilated and charred body was discovered in John Griffin’s burnt out mobile home on 8 April 2005.

Ms O’Loughlin, 23, had been living in a neighboring caravan with her boyfriend Shane Bowe in Ballybornagh, Co. Clare. It is believed she visited Mr Griffin’s home to charge her mobile phone after an electrical problem at her own residence.

Forensic experts were initially unable to determine whether her remains were male or female because they were so badly damaged, and an autopsy at the time did not reveal a cause of death.

But after pressure from Mrs O’Loughlin’s family, her remains were exhumed in 2010 and a re-inquest found she died violently before the fire; X-rays of her bones showed marks suggesting she had been attacked with a machete knife. A similar weapon was found in the remains of the mobile home.

Sir. Griffin, 56, from Galway city, was placed on Interpol’s most wanted list in connection with the murder. But the main suspect tried to fake his suicide before fleeing Ireland. Despite extensive searches, gardaí have never found him.

Talking to The Irish Independent for his The Indo Daily podcast, Ms O’Loughlin’s distraught father Johnny O’Loughlin insisted Mr Griffin definitely had help in his escape.

‘Someone must have helped him. How was he supposed to get out of the country without anyone knowing?’ asked the parent ahead of the 19th anniversary of his daughter’s death.

Sir. Griffin, who is said to have a history of drug abuse, was already known to gardaí. He had previously used the alias John McDermott and lived in Scotland.

He was interviewed by gardaí in the days after Ms O’Loughlin’s death but said he had been staying with a relative the night before the fire and knew nothing about the fire.

But three days after the art student’s murder, the suspect had allegedly started behaving strangely, according to The Irish Independent.

He traveled to the historic ring fort of Dún Aonghasa on the Aran island of Inis Mór, where he threatened to throw himself off a cliff and pelted stones at anyone who tried to get near him.

Gardaí were flown in from the mainland and lifeboats were stationed in the water below in case the suspect carried out his threat.

He was taken to a psychiatric hospital in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway after the nine-hour stand-off when he was eventually overpowered.

But after five days he checked himself out and on 18 April, having shaved his head and beard, reportedly boarded a ferry to Inis Mór.

He had left clothes at the edge of the cliff on the island in an attempt to stage an apparent suicide, according to the publication. But Ms O’Loughlin’s family never believed Mr Griffin was dead.

Despite extensive searches, gardaí have been unable to locate him since and detectives reportedly believed he fled Ireland.

In 2014, The Irish TheWSTNews revealed how Mr Griffin was believed to have moved to Scotland after he left a ‘paper trail’ in Edinburgh.

Then in 2022, the Sunday Independent revealed that the suspect was traced to a drug rehabilitation facility in Scotland following coordination between gardaí, Police Scotland and Interpol.

But shockingly, he was discharged before investigators realized his whereabouts, according to a source.

“His identification at the rehab site in Scotland took place some time ago,” the source said. ‘It is terribly unfortunate that he was not identified while he was a patient there.

“When it was established, he had been released. He is the prime suspect in connection with Emer O’Loughlin’s murder and remains at large.’

Mrs O’Loughlin’s father, Johnny, admitted he had several problems with the Gardaí’s initial investigation into his daughter’s murder.

“We have a number of questions and issues relating to the original Garda investigation,” he said. ‘How did that man get out of Ireland? Why wasn’t he talked to after he got out of the mental hospital? We need answers.

‘I have faith the gardaí are doing their best now but I don’t know how that man was able to get off the island and how he still hasn’t been found.

“All we can do is keep going until we get answers. Emer’s mother, Josephine, is gone now, but we will continue.’ Mrs O’Loughlin died peacefully after a long illness in 2015.

Speaking on The Indo Daily podcast, Catherine Fegan, special correspondent for the Irish Independent, claimed Mr Griffin’s whereabouts had been linked to Spain, the Netherlands and ‘most recently Morocco’.

Ms O’Loughlin’s family were told last month that suspected sightings of the prime suspect in Morocco have been ruled out.

The country’s authorities have reported back that Mr Griffin is not in the country, according to the Sunday Independent. Pam O’Loughlin, Emer’s older sister, said the news was ‘soul-destroying’.

“He could well have changed his appearance by now, he could be anywhere in the world at the moment,” Catherine warned.

She explained how in April 2005, ‘bright and talented’ Mrs O’Loughlin was studying art in Galway. She had traveled the world and had just returned home with her boyfriend.

They were building a house and were living in a mobile home on a remote site in the meantime. She was described as a ‘carefree, really artistic, photography enthusiast, kind, gentle person’.

On April 8 of that year, her boyfriend had gone to work while she was preparing for college. It is believed she needed to charge her phone but had an electrical problem in her own home.

Her boyfriend Shane, who has since passed away, according to Catherine, allegedly suggested she use the electricity at a nearby mobile home owned by Mr Griffin.

Shane, who was at work, received a phone call that there was a fire at the site. The remains of Mrs O’Loughlin’s body were discovered inside the burnt out caravan.

Her family are still seeking justice and last month shared a photograph of Mr Griffin to the Justice for Emer O’Loughlin Facebook page.

“This is the last photo taken of John Griffin, the prime suspect in Emer’s murder,” the caption read. ‘It was taken several days after the event. It has taken 19 years to get this picture released to the public.’

Gardaí also shared the photograph along with a description of Mr Griffin which read: ‘Bald on the top of the head. Often had a beard, which he occasionally shaved off. Known by many by his nickname “Fozzie”.

It also noted that the suspect had a tattoo in the neck area, described as an Egyptian “eye of Horus”.

Sharing a statement alongside the image, it read: ‘Gardaí at Gort Station are investigating the full circumstances surrounding the death of Emer O’Loughlin (aged 23) in Ballybornagh, Tubber, Co. Clare.

‘On 8 April 2005, human remains were discovered in a mobile home close to where Emer lived with her boyfriend.

‘The mobile home, which belonged to a man named John Griffin, had been completely destroyed by fire – the human remains discovered inside were later identified as those of Emer O’Loughlin.

‘On 19 May 2010 Gardaí exhumed Emer’s remains which were then removed to Galway University Hospital where forensic anthropological tests were carried out.

‘The tests indicated that Emer had died a violent death and as a result the investigation was upgraded to murder.

“Investigating Gardaí are hoping the public can assist in efforts to trace John Griffin, formerly of the Mervue area of ​​Galway City. Gardaí believe John Griffin may have information that will assist them and are keen to interview him as part of the investigation.’

On the 19th anniversary of her murder, O’Loughlin’s father Johnny and her sister Pam appealed for information on RTE’s Crimecal.

Gardaí said they are ‘of the belief that John Griffin is still alive and at the time of his disappearance he was assisted by one or more persons unknown to leave the island of Inis Mór’.

They added: ‘AGS has never received a missing person report in respect of John Griffin. Extensive searches were made along the coast for the recovery of his clothing, but he has never been seen and his body has never been found.’