Gardaí searched an area of the Wicklow mountains near Baltinglass today close to where convicted rapist Larry Murphy was discovered by two hunters with a woman he had abducted and raped.
The search stopped at nightfall and it is unclear if it will resume tomorrow.
A derelict hut, once used by hunters, is included in operation by more than 20 members of the force. The hut is less than 3km from the house where Murphy lived with his wife and children at the time of his arrest in February 2000.
Murphy pleaded guilty to rape and attempted murder of the young woman and received a 15-year sentence. He was released last year.
Murphy was also investigated as part of Operation Trace, a Garda inquiry into the disappearance of several women in Leinster including Annie McCarrick (26), Jo Jo Dullard (22), and teenager Deirdre Jacob.
It is understood gardaí, using information provided by an independent forensic scientist, carried out a smaller search of the hut and surrounds about a month ago.
The hut was built about 20 years ago as a refuge for hunters and originally had running water, electricity and a wood burning stove.
It is now in a state of disrepair and today's expanded search saw gardaí widen their area of interest with some 20 members of the force examining fields and forest tracks in the vicinity.
The area is known as Kilranelagh and is about 8km northeast of Baltingalss. It is isolated and a narrow road gives way to a forest track for the last 500m.
This morning the track was lined with about a dozen Garda vehicles and access to the hut was withheld.
Garda sources said the search was difficult as the hut appeared not to have been used in more then a decade.
Murphy is understood to have gone to northern Spain following his release. He returned to Ireland earlier this year to replace a passport.