By 
AN INDEPENDENT review into the investigation surrounding the death of Marian Beattie at a quarry in Aughnacloy almost 53 years ago is now understood to have been commissoned by the PSNI.
Chief Constable of the PSNI, Jon Boucher, has commissioned the review into the murder of the 18 year-old from Portadown on March 30, 1973 and it is expected that it will be carried out by Bedfordshire Police.
It comes after the family of the teenager met with the First Minister, Michelle O’Neill, at Stormont this week. The Sinn Fein Vice-President, has promised to write to the Chief Constable to find out what his position on the issue.
The First Minister is then expected that she will refer back to the family once she receives a replay.
Marian Beattie’s cousin, Colette Toman, said that they had met with the Chief Constable in October last year, but that they have heard nothing since then.
“Obviously she (Michelle O’Neill) is supportive of this moving forward and that there is a review of the investigation into the investigation that was conducted when Marian actually died,” Marie Toman said, in an interview with UTV.
“We would like to make a special appeal to the Chief Constable today and we would like to ask him – we have been failed by the PSNI and the RUC on numerous occasions and we just feel that the lack of contact from October is not forgiveable at this stage.
“This was supposed to be about building trust with the family and I do not thing that not having contact with us for four months is building trust.”
The Chief Constable said that work has been undertaken to seek answers to the family’s questions and an update would be provided to the family in the new future.
Marian Beattie’s brother, Gerard, pledged that they were not giving up on seeking the answers to what happened his sister.
“Whatever we can do for her, we are determined to do it,” he added.
It will be 53 years at the end of next month since Marian was murdered. Last year, a report by the Police Ombudsman highlighted numerous failings in the police investigation.
