Man (50s) arrested on suspicion of murdering Kerry farmer Mike Gaine
He was arrested this Sunday afternoon
Gardaí investigating the disappearance of Kerry farmer Michael Gaine have arrested a man in his 50s on suspicion of his murder.
He was arrested this Sunday afternoon.
Mr Gaine was reported missing from his home near Kenmare on Friday, March 21, and despite significant searches, no trace of him had been found.
The last official sighting of Mr Gaine was when he bought phone credit in his local Centra shop on March 20.
Mike Gaine
News in 90 Seconds - May 18th
He left the shop in his bronze-coloured Toyota RAV 4, with the registration 152KY366. The car was found in his farmyard just off the N71 at Carrig East, Kenmare, along with his phone and wallet.
"This afternoon, Sunday 18th May 2025 a male (aged in his 50s) has been arrested on suspicion of murder.
'The homicide investigation, led by a Senior Investigating Officer and the Serious Crime Unit Kerry Garda Division is ongoing, supported by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI).
Mike Gaine
'The male is being detained under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda Station in Kerry Division.
'An Garda Síochána continue to carry out searches and technical examinations at lands at Carrig East, Kenmare, Co. Kerry.
'The family of Michael Gaine have been informed of this arrest and An Garda Síochána continue to support Michaels family through a Family Liaison Officer. The family have requested privacy at this time.
'Gardaí continue to appeal to the public assistance in this investigation. The Garda investigation team can be contacted at Killarney Garda Station on 064 667 1160, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or speak with any member of An Garda Síochána,' a garda spokesperson said.
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Irish Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
The mystery over what happened to Michael Gaine only adds to the pain
Michael Gaine should be remembered for how he lived and not for how he died, his local parish priest claimed at his funeral. Unfortunately that's unlikely to be the case as this much-loved Kerry farmer's death will always register as one of the most grotesque and macabre murders in recent years. The fact that no one has so far been held to account for this horrific murder amid growing fears that his killer might escape justice will only add to the notoriety of the case. What appears to have been a series of blunders on the part of investigating gardai in the early stages of his disappearance when vital evidence might have been available is also a cause of serious concern. Gardaí now believe the outgoing farmer who loved music and travelling was murdered soon after he returned to his isolated farmyard at Carrig East, six kilometres from Kenmare town on March 20. In his homily yesterday the Parish Priest of Kenmare Fr George Hayes said that since Michael went missing 'we've asked so many questions, and in life, sometimes there are no answers.' It is hard to argue with Fr Hayes' assessment as fears grow that the killer may never face charges because of a lack of evidence. Indeed there is a growing resignation that the chance of catching his killer has passed. The announcement by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris on Friday that a review of the police investigation of the murder is to take place would also indicate that mistakes have been made. The Commissioner said there are definite lessons to be learned from investigations, that were initially treated as missing persons cases, but which were later classed as homicides. But when the 56-year old farmer disappeared on March 20 last March those closest to him realised almost immediately that this was not a missing persons case. They knew this farmer who lived for his family, relations and friends would never leave the ones he loved or the land he worked for years. Although they could never have imagined his terrible fate they must have suspected the worst as the days passed. The image caught on CCTV footage of him buying phone credit in a shop in Kenmare on the day he vanished would have convinced them, and almost everyone who saw it, that this was not the act of a man who wanted to disappear. Yet it wasn't until the end of April, over five weeks after Michael had vanished, that gardai upgraded the case to homicide. The search for Michael Gaine was one of the largest ever seen in the country involving gardai and many other organisations as well as hundreds of volunteers yet the missing man's remains were in his farmyard. The nature of its discovery only adds to the horror as the human remains were found by a relative while spreading slurry with a local agricultural contractor at the farm. It was only then that gardai fully investigated the slurry tank on Mr Gaine's farm where more of his body parts were found. Gardaí believe that his killer cut the body into pieces that were so small, they were able to push them through gaps in the grill that were just a few inches wide. This would have meant that the murderer spent many hours cutting the body apart and it is then believed he used water and disinfectant to remove forensic evidence from the scene. As to why the slurry tank was not fully inspected in the early stages of the search remains a mystery and will no doubt will be probed when the review of the investigation takes place. But on the face of it it appears that the lessons from the infamous 'Mr Moonlight' murder case - when another killer Patrick Quirke hid the body of love rival DJ Bobby Ryan in a slurry tank - had not been learned. After painstaking detective work was found to convict Quirke of murder and he was jailed for life in 2019 but there are fears that there may not be enough evidence to find Micheal Gaine's killer. Shortly after the discovery of Mr Gaine's body parts were found, gardai made an arrest and former US soldier Michael Kelley later identified himself as the man who had been questioned. Mr Kelley, who had been living on Mr Gaine's farm for three years before moving to Tralee in April, strenuously denied any involvement in the murder. He claims he is being framed by a subversive criminal organisation. Whatever has really happened, there's little doubt that Michael Gaine's funeral that Kenmare is dealing with the loss of a much-loved family man who hadn't an enemy in the world. That much was clear from the number of friends who carried photographs or items from Michael's life to the altar as he was remembered as a man who loved life to the full.
Irish Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Mourners told to remember Michael Gaine 'for how he lived, not how he died'
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He recalled his passion for rallying, farming, current affairs, holidays and music. "As we all know, Michael was generous. Incredibly generous. He had time for everyone and would chip in to help any time and any place," he said. "Michael seemed to always find the time to do the work of three men on his own farm, help out friends, family and neighbours, keep up to speed on current affairs and enjoy himself. "He loved life, he always made the most of it and he truly lived every single moment. Whether you met him during lambing or while on a trip away to a car show or rally event, he always had the iconic twinkle in his eye - the 'I'm delighted to see you', 'I'm in great form', 'let's go and enjoy ourselves' glint in his eye." He also said that Mr Gaine's wife Janice and sisters knew his soft caring side. "Caring and affectionate. Kind and considerate. He was not afraid to show his emotions. He was also brave, fearless and strong," he said. "We will all miss Michael terribly. 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Family friend brought up a photo of the globe to show how Mike was extremely interested in current affairs and world events, while friend Edward Gibbons carried up a photo of Mike and Janice's wedding nephew Jamie O'Regan brought up a photo of Mike's family - his mother and father Jimmy and Sheila and his two sisters Noreen and Catherine, while friend Donie McCarthy brought up a CD, which symbolised Mike's love of all music.. Family friend David Dornan brought up a photo of Saint Michael the Archangel, who symbolises divine protection and strength. Meanwhile, Michael's brother-in-law Sean O'Regan brought up a photo of Mike and his rally car and his friend Shane McCarthy brought up Mike's rally helmet, as he loved all motorsports and was very interested in cars. As the ceremony ended, Fr Hayes said: "Before we go your separate ways let us take leave of our brother Michael. 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We're also on Facebook/irishmirror - your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the Irish Daily Mirror, Irish Sunday Mirror and
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