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Irish Times
02-06-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Michael Gaine's funeral to be held next weekend in Kenmare
Kerry farmer Michael Gaine will be laid to rest next weekend after a funeral Mass in his native Kenmare. Gardaí have returned his remains to his family following the completion of a postmortem. Mr Gaine's disappearance is being investigated by gardaí as suspected murder. Mr Gaine (56) was last seen alive on March 20th when his image was caught on CCTV footage at a shop in Kenmare. Gardaí believe he was murdered soon after this when he returned to his isolated farmyard at Carrig East, six kilometres from Kenmare town. READ MORE In late April gardaí upgraded their missing persons case to a homicide inquiry. On May 16th, human remains were found by his nephew while spreading slurry with a local agricultural contractor at the farm. Gardaí recovered Mr Gaine's dismembered remains from fields and a slurry tank. Following a postmortem by State Pathologist Dr Sally Anne Collis, the remains have been returned to Mr Gaine's family for the funeral next weekend. Mr Gaine is survived by his wife, Janice; sisters Noreen and Catherine; nieces Emma and Rachael; nephews Jamie and Mark; and brother-in-law Sean O'Regan. He will lie in repose at Finnegan's Funeral Home in Kenmare on Friday. His requiem Mass will take place at 10.30am on Saturday with a private family burial afterwards. His funeral notice on says he will be 'sadly missed and fondly remembered by his heartbroken wife', family and wide circle of friends in the farming and rallying community and beyond. Meanwhile, the Garda investigation into Mr Gaine's homicide is continuing following the arrest and release of a former US soldier, Michael Kelley (53), on May 17th for questioning about the death. He was released without charge after being held and questioned for 24 hours. Mr Kelley, who is from Maine, denies having any involvement in Mr Gaine's disappearance. Mr Kelley had been living alone at the old farmhouse at Carrig East, some five kilometres from where Mr Gaine lived, where he used to help out with farm work in return for accommodation. He is now living in Tralee.
Irish Times
27-05-2025
- General
- Irish Times
American (53) confirms he was suspect arrested for questioning about Mike Gaine
A 53-year-old American has confirmed he is the man who was arrested for questioning about the suspected murder of Kerry farmer Michael Gaine (56). Mike Kelley, from Maine, denies he had anything to do with the Kerry farmer's disappearance. He confirmed to The Irish Times that an earlier interview with the Irish Mirror, in which he said he was the man gardaí arrested for questioning about Mr Gaine's death, was 'fair and accurate'. Mr Kelley also confirmed earlier to that newspaper that he was denying any involvement in Mr Gaine's death and said it is 'a matter of record' that he was arrested by gardaí and questioned about the killing. READ MORE [ Michael Gaine homicide case: The full story so far Opens in new window ] He also alleged that he was being framed for the killing by criminals. 'There may be elements that want to string me up – people who have an interest in organised crime – people who are involved in organised crime,' he told the newspaper. Mr Gaine disappeared on March 20th after calling to a shop in Kenmare. His vehicle was later found at the farmyard at the old Gaine family home at Carrig East, 6km from Kenmare where he had invited Mr Kelley to stay in return for doing jobs on the farm. Gardaí initially treated Mr Gaine's disappearance as a missing persons investigation but, on April 29th, they upgraded their investigation to a homicide inquiry after searches exhausted the possibility that Mr Gaine had either self-harmed or suffered a fatal accident. [ Michael Gaine case: Investigators believe most human remains at farm have been recovered Opens in new window ] Human remains found in the search for the missing Co Kerry farmer have been confirmed as those of missing farmer Michael Gaine. Photograph: Garda/ PA Wire On May 16th, body parts were found by Mr Gaine's nephew, Mark O'Regan, while spreading slurry on the Gaine family farm at Carrig East. Gardaí immediately declared the farm a crime scene and cordoned off the area. Gardaí arrested Mr Kelley on May 18th at an address in Tralee where he had been living for around three weeks since leaving Mr Gaine's farmhouse. He was approached by The Irish Mirror while busking in the town, playing traditional music on the flute. He confirmed to the newspaper the details of his arrest, but he refused to be drawn on what he believed happened to Mr Gaine or about their relationship. 'It would be incautious for me to comment on that on the advice of my solicitor,' he said, adding that his comments to gardaí at interview are 'privileged between the guards, the solicitor and myself'. He said he was upset over Mr Gaine's death and, when asked why he believed gardaí arrested him for questioning about Mr Gaine's death, he said it was 'because I lived there'. Mr Kelley grew up in Waldo County in Maine. He confirmed to The Irish Times that he had been a soldier with US Armed Forces but said he had not been a marine as reported in some media. He said he has been living in Ireland for some years. Mr Kelley moved to Kenmare about five years ago working with a man harvesting seaweed in Kenmare Bay, but he later lived in a tent in woodland before being offered accommodation by Mr Gaine at the old family farmhouse at Carrig East. Gardaí spoke to Mr Kelley as part of their initial missing persons investigation into the disappearance of Mr Gaine, which involved extensive searches of the 1,000-acre hillside farm and the farmyard, including a slurry tank. Army Personnel close to the farm of Michael Gaine near Kenmare in Co Kerry after partial remains were found. Photograph: Noel Sweeney/ PA Wire The slurry tank was drained of liquid on March 24th, and members of the Kerry Fire Service using breathing apparatus then searched the remaining solids with poles and rods but they found no trace of Mr Gaine's body. However, since the discovery of body parts, searches of the slurry tank and the surrounding fields where slurry was spread have resulted in the discovery of more remains, which DNA analysis has since confirmed are those of Mr Gaine.
Daily Mail
18-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Missing farmer, 56, 'was chopped up and dumped in a slurry tank before being spread across paddocks': Body parts found two months after disappearance
Police believe a missing Irish farmer may have been chopped up and dumped in a slurry tank before it was emptied across several fields. Michael Gaine, 56, was reported missing nearby his home in Kenmare on March 21, having last been seen in the town purchasing phone credit at the Centra Shop the morning prior. Over the last eight weeks, police have probed his disappearance, with his wife Janice Gaine and sister Noreen O'Regan pleading for information from the public regarding his whereabouts. On April 29, the investigation into his disappearance has since been classed a homicide. A source has since revealed that cops believe his remains have been placed into a slurry tank and spread over several paddocks. They told the Irish Mirror: 'The belief now is that was then emptied and spread across several fields. All of these fields are being checked and a number of other body parts have been discovered.' The area being combed though by police is understood to be several fields, owned by Mr Gaine. Police have been searching the land in Carrig East, Kenmare since last Friday, and it has since been declared as a crime scene. A man in his 50s has since been arrested on suspicion of murder, after being questioned by officers earlier today, around 48 hours after partial human remains were found on the land. In a statement, the Garda said: 'The male is being detained under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda station in Kerry Division. They added that members of the force would '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 Michael's family through a family liaison officer. The family have requested privacy at this time.' During their investigation, police say they have accumulated 2,200 hours of CCTV as well as dashcam footage, and have gathered around 130 witness statements. Yesterday, State Pathologist Dr Sally Anne Collis as well as Garda Technical Bureau (GTB) travelled to the missing farmer's property. Dr Collis and forensic anthropologist Laureen Buckley worked with GTB to perform preliminary examinations of the site. The Garda Water Unit, as well as Irish military personnel, have also aided in the search for Mr Gaine over the last few weeks, setting up checkpoints to help obtain information and further the probe. On Saturday, police said: 'Gardaí at Killarney Garda Station continue to investigate the disappearance and homicide of Michael Gaine, who was reported missing from his home near Kenmare, Co Kerry, on Friday, March 21, 2025. 'As part of the investigation, operations resumed at lands in Carrig East, Kenmare, Co Kerry on Friday evening and a crime scene has now been declared. 'The Garda Technical Bureau and the Office of the State Pathologist have been requested to attend the scene. 'Pending examinations by both the Garda Technical Bureau and the State Pathologist, An Garda Síochána is not in a position to provide further information at this time. The investigation is ongoing and further updates will follow.'
