Gardaí investigating the disappearance and murder of William Maughan and Anastasija Varslavane have started a search of open lands in north Co Dublin.
The couple were reported missing from Laytown, Co Meath, in April 2015.
They were last seen on 14 April 2015.
The case was upgraded to a murder investigation following a review of the case in September 2016, and seven people have previously been arrested.
The garda investigation team, the Meath divisional search team, and the Garda Technical Bureau are carrying out the search.
The area of land will be subject to excavation, technical and forensic examinations over the coming days.
Gardaí said in a statement that the family have been fully updated of the latest development.
They continue to appeal to anyone with information to speak with investigating gardaí.
“Given the passage of time since their disappearance individuals personal circumstances may now have changed and people may now be in a position to either speak to investigating gardaí or to provide information now that they may not have been able to provide before,” they said.
Those with information, no matter how insignificant they might believe it to be, are asked to contact Ashbourne Garda Station on 01 8010600 or any garda station.
People can also contact the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.
Mr Maughan and Ms Varslavane had been together since 2014 and lived in a caravan in Gormanston, Co Meath.
Mr Maughan had decided to return to his family home in Tallaght with Ms Varslavane.
His mother and father were making arrangements for their return.
On the morning of their disappearance, Mr Maughan went to Balbriggan followed shortly afterwards by Ms Varslavane.
They ran some errands and made contact with Mr Maughan’s mother to arrange for her to travel from Tallaght to Gormanston to collect them and their belongings.
He spoke to his mother at approximately 2.30pm and asked her to make her way to Gormanston to collect them.
Then, the couple got a taxi together from Balbriggan to Gormanston just shortly after 2.30pm.
Mr Maughan’s mother arrived in Gormanston just before 3pm but could not locate her son.
She drove to Stamullen to look for him but did not find him and subsequently reported them both as missing.
An extensive investigation was launched with several searches and inquiries carried out.
