Family of murdered backpacker seeks answers in new inquest
The family of Inga Maria Hauser, a teenage German backpacker who was murdered in Northern Ireland in April 1988, is hopeful that a new inquest can provide the answers they have been searching for over three decades. Inga Maria Hauser’s body was found in a remote forest in Co Antrim, 14 days after she was last seen alive on a ferry from Scotland. Her death remains one of the most high-profile unsolved murders in the region.
Coroner Joe McCrisken recently held a pre-inquest review hearing ahead of the fresh inquest into the Munich teenager’s death. During the hearing, barrister for the family Malachy McGowan expressed the family’s gratitude for the decision to conduct the probe, stating that they have been waiting for answers for many years. The family places their trust and hope in this process to finally uncover the truth.
Before her tragic death, Inga Maria Hauser had travelled through England and Scotland, with plans to head south to Dublin after arriving at Larne, Co Antrim. However, she was found dead in Ballypatrick Forest two weeks later, in the opposite direction of her intended travel route. Despite extensive investigations, including DNA screenings and arrests in 2018, no one has been held accountable for her murder.
The family’s solicitor, Claire McKeegan, expressed their desire for justice, emphasizing that they simply want the truth and for those responsible for the brutal murder to be brought to justice. The family has been enduring the pain and trauma of this tragedy since 1988 and is grateful that the inquest process has finally commenced.
The next review hearing for the inquest has been scheduled for January 22, as the family, along with supporters and campaigners, continue to seek closure and justice for Inga Maria Hauser. Their unwavering determination and persistence shed light on the importance of seeking answers, closure, and justice for victims of unsolved crimes, even after many years have passed.