Tragic end to search for missing schoolgirl Elisa Claps (From Thisisdorset)

Tragic end to search for missing schoolgirl Elisa Claps

10:24am Saturday 20th March 2010 in

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THE family of Elisa Claps are “remaining strong” after the discovery of what is believed to be her body in an Italian church on Wednesday.

Elisa disappeared in 1993 and the case has been linked for several years now with that of murdered Bournemouth seamstress Heather Barnett.

Dorset detectives have spent considerable time in the schoolgirl’s home town of Potenza piecing together the connections.

Elisa’s brother Gildo has been campaigning tirelessly on behalf of his family to find out what happened to his little sister.

Gildo’s wife Irena told the Echo: “These are not exactly the best of times for us, as you can imagine. It is very hard.”

She added: “We have been living with this for 17 years and we have been strong throughout that time and we stay strong.”

Irena, who visited Bournemouth with her husband in 2004 when they first learned of links between Elisa’s disappearance and Heather’s death, said: “We really knew all along that something had happened to her but it is devastating when you finally have to face the reality of a tragic end.”

Although formal identification may take weeks, personal effects found next to the body, including glasses, earrings and watch, have been confirmed as belonging to Elisa.

Irena said her husband was alerted by police that workmen had made a discovery at the church in Potenza’s main square on Wednesday, as he drove home from a business meeting in Naples.

When he arrived back in Potenza, the church had been cordoned off as a crime scene.

It was at the Most Holy Trinity Church that Elisa was last reportedly seen alive.

Irena added: “It’s where we knew she was all the time. Now all we want is justice to be done but that may be a long process too.”

Potenza police spokesman Giuseppe Persano said that Italian authorities remained in contact with their British counterparts.