Latest news with #MikeKelley
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.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Crescent Hose Company acquires new ladder truck
For some volunteer fire departments, it can be tough to keep up financially with the latest fire fighting technology. But thanks to the community's support and the dedication of the volunteers with the North East Fire Department, Crescent Hose Company now has a state-of-the-art ladder truck ready to respond to calls. 'It comes down to we do the cherry fest every year, and every sausage sub, every basket of fries or chicken tenders or whatever it is that you buy helps the fire department. It took 25 years' worth of that for us to be able to help get this truck on the ground,' said Mike Kelley, Crescent Hose Company rescue chief. Kelley said the new truck arrived at the station about three weeks ago. Remains Cambridge Springs World War II vet coming home After an in-depth training program, this truck and volunteer firefighters are ready for their next call. The ladder stretches 107 feet into the sky at a 35-degree angle, and it's going to help the firefighters fight larger fires with a growing industry in the North East area. The ladder truck can pump 2,000 gallons of water per minute, but it can also help firefighters access some hard-to-reach places. 'The height of the ladder is the biggest thing. We have a lot of industry in North East and the industry is growing, so we have larger buildings; we have more buildings than we used to have,' said Kelley. 'We needed a bigger truck with a bigger pump on it to handle if we have to knock down a fire in one of these larger, industrial locations.' Downtown Erie, Presque Isle water taxi service set to return in near future Kelley said the ladder will also come in handy if they have to evacuate people from high-up windows. According to one lieutenant, getting the truck set up is a quick and easy process. 'It's a lot quicker setup time, it maneuvers a lot easier, a lot faster with everything. It's just a beast,' said Donovan Skelly, Crescent Hose Company lieutenant. Skelly said the truck is a huge improvement compared to their last ladder truck. The ladder truck has already responded to one call so far, and the rescue chief said it's ready to serve the North East community. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
