Gerard Evans (1955–1979) was one of the "Disappeared" of the Troubles. Having gone missing in March 1979, his body was recovered 31 years later in October 2010.
Disappearance Evans was kidnapped by the Provisional Irish Republican Army in March 1979 while hitch-hiking in the Castleblaney area of County Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland. After questioning by a group of twelve local PIRA members on the accusation that he was an intelligence agent for the British Government in the Armagh/Monaghan district, he was taken at night into County Louth. After pleading for mercy and being allowed to say a final prayer, he was shot in the back of the head.
His body was buried in an unmarked grave in a peat bog at Carrickrobbin, near Hackballcross in County Louth, five miles from his home in Crossmaglen. The decision to conceal the burial and deny involvement was taken to avoid alienating the community in Crossmaglen, where the surname Evans was common.
Recovery of remains In October 2010, the Sunday Tribune journalist Suzanne Breen reported that she had received information from an ex‑member of the Provisional IRA's "South Armagh Brigade", about the location of Evans' body, along with details of his kidnap and murder. After an extensive search of the area, Garda Síochána located his remains on 15 October 2010. The source said that their decision to come forward had been influenced by the 2007 murder of Paul Quinn.
Evans' funeral took place at St. Patrick's Church, Crossmaglen, on 4 December 2010. He was buried in the church's graveyard.
See also Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains Lists of solved missing person cases
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