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Irish Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Dog that found Tina Satchwell used in search for Annie McCarrick
Gardai are using the same sniffer dog that found the remains of Tina Satchwell to search for those of missing Annie McCarrick, it has emerged. The dog, called Fern, has been lent to the Garda by the PSNI – and is specially trained to indicate the scent or presence of dead bodies. The dog was brought over the border on Friday morning to search a home in Clondalkin, south west Dublin as part of the hunt for Annie – while detectives continued to question a man on suspicion of the American student's murder. That suspect, who is a millionaire businessman, walked free from a Dublin Garda Station on Friday afternoon – after officers released him without charge. But sources say the man, who is in his 60s, is still the focus of the Garda murder investigation – and officers will continue to build a case against him. And PSNI cadaver dog Fern was on Friday playing a key role in that investigation – by using her special skills to examine the house in Clondalkin that was sealed off on Thursday morning, around the same time the suspect was arrested. Gardai stressed that the current residents of the house were not in any way connected with Ms McCarrick, 26, or the case of her disappearance. But Fern was brought in to examine if Annie, who was from New York but was living and working in south Dublin when she disappeared in March 1993, was secretly buried there. 'Cadaver dogs are specially trained for just that,' a source said. 'Their task is to indicate the scent of death or the presence of human remains in a location. 'The dog is looking for remains, or signs that remains were once there.' The house was sealed for a second day on Friday and gardai said the search would continue for several days. As well as Fern, gardai from the Technical Bureau and officers from Irishtown station – where the probe into the murder of Annie is based - were also carrying out an invasive search of the property. The gardai were using specialist equipment as part of their search. But sources told the Mirror that gardai did not expect any major developments in the coming days. 'It is a complex investigation and a slow burner,' a source said. 'This could go on for some time yet.' The warning came as gardai confirmed that the businessman suspect had been released without charge – and that the investigation would continue. The force said in a statement: 'Gardaí continue to investigate the disappearance and murder of Annie McCarrick in March 1993. 'The male aged in his 60s who was arrested on the morning of 12th June, 2025 and detained under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 has been released without charge. 'The searches in relation to this investigation remain ongoing and are being supported by a cadaver dog from an external agency. 'Searches will continue over the weekend. Updates will be provided as appropriate. 'Investigations ongoing.' Fern is one of three cadaver dogs used by the PSNI that are occasionally lent to the Garda force as they don't have their own. The same dog indicated the remains of Tina Satchwell, 45, buried under the stairs of her home in Youghal, Co Cork in October 2023 – more than six years after she was last seen alive. Her husband Richard, 58, murdered her at the house in March 2017 – before burying her there. He was last month convicted of Tina's murder – and Fern played a key role in bringing him to justice. Satchwell is now serving a life sentence – and is likely to spend more than 20 years behind bars. That case was a long running missing person's case – like that of Annie McCarrick and gardai are now determined to also bring the New Yorker's killer to justice. Thursday's arrest was the first in the long running probe into her disappearance – and comes two years after the case was upgraded from a missing person's hunt to a full blown murder inquiry, Sources have also told us that the suspect, who is now in his 60s, had an infatuation with Ms McCarrick. He has been interviewed by gardai at least twice – but as a witness and who had an alibi. But gardai always viewed him as a person of interest in the case and he became a suspect when the probe was upgraded to murder in March 2023 – the 30th anniversary of her disappearance. The man knew Annie, had an obsession with her and had even stalked and assaulted her. As well as searching for Mrs Satchwell and Ms McCarrick, PSNI dog Fern was also used in the initial investigation into March's disappearance of Kerry farmer Michael Gaine, 56. That case was upgraded to murder in April and last month Mr Gaine's remains were found chopped up in a slurry tank at his farm near Kenmare. Mr Gaine's former tenant Michael Kelley, 53, was later arrested on suspicion of murder. Mr Kelley vehemently denies any involvement in Mr Gaine's murder and was released without charge by gardai. That investigation is ongoing.
Daily Mirror
26-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Police issue update on remains found in slurry after farmer reported missing
Last week Irish police confirmed human remains had been found on farmland owned by Mr Gaine in Kenmare, Co Kerry following DNA testing the police now know who the remains belong to Police have issued an update on the human remains found in the search for missing Co Kerry farmer Michael Gaine. Last week Gardaí (Irish police) confirmed human remains had been found on farmland owned by Mr Gaine in Kenmare, Co Kerry. Police had been searching for Mr Gaine for weeks when the breakthrough discovery was made. The 56-year-old sheep farmer was reported missing more than two months ago and was last seen alive at a Centra Shop in Kenmare, approximately 8km from his farm, on March 20. CCTV from the shop showed him buying phone credit at about 9:48am where he was wearing an orange woolly hat, black fleece, blue jeans and black boots. The farmer was reported missing from his home by his wife Janice on March 21. He was missing for several weeks until police upgraded their investigation to a homicide case. The investigation to find Mr Gaine was one of the largest in Ireland's recent history. The area around his farm was cordoned off and his vehicle was taken away for forensic tests. Mr Gaine's farm was searched by police and on May 17 specialist officers from the Technical Bureau and the Water Unit, found human remains after thoroughly searched extensive tracts of land and every part of the large slurry tank. On Sunday last week Michael Kelley, aged in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of Mr Gaine's murder. He was held for questioning for one day before being released without charge from Killarney Garda Station. He is "absolutely revolted" by what allegedly happened to him. Michael Kelley, who maintains his innocence in the Kenmare farmer's murder, admitted he is heartbroken after dismembered remains were found in slurry on his land. When questioned about his feelings towards the alleged crime, Kelley stated: "Yes, yes absolutely revolted. Heartbreaking." Originally from Maine in the US, Kelley revealed that he had been taken in by Gaine three years prior, allowing him to work on the 1,000-acre farm in Kenmare, County Kerry. "About three years. I was between jobs and I was looking for work and I was already in the neighbourhood and I was canvassing different farms just knocking on doors and looking for jobs," he explained. On Sunday, May 25, the Garda confirmed that the remains were those of the farmer. A spoksperson said: "Human remains found at farmland at Carrig East, Kenmare have been identified as being the remains of Michael Gaine. Gardai continue to appeal to the public for assistance in this investigation."
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
Human remains identified as missing farmer Michael Gaine
Human remains found at farmland in County Kerry have been identified as being those of missing farmer Michael Gaine. Mr Gaine, 56, had been missing for more than eight weeks and he was initially treated as a missing persons case before it was upgraded to a homicide. The confirmation comes nine days after human tissue was discovered in fields on Mr Gaine's farm, near Kenmare. The discovery led to the farmyard and several fields being sealed off and declared a crime scene. Since then, the area has been searched by specialist teams, including members of the Garda (Irish police) Technical Bureau, assisted by local garda search teams and the Irish Defence Forces. A man in his 50s, who was arrested last Sunday on suspicion of Mr Gaine's murder, was later released without charge. He has denied any involvement in the farmer's disappearance. On Sunday evening, gardaí confirmed the identification of Mr Gaine's remains in a statement. They have further appealed to the public for assistance in this investigation. Mr Gaine, a sheep and cattle farmer, was reported missing from his home near Kenmare on 21 March. He was last seen in the County Kerry town the previous day. He lived in the remote Carrig East area, close the Molls Gap beauty spot, along the renowned Ring of Kerry. Last month, Michael Gaine's wife Janice told Irish broadcaster RTÉ that he "loved his home, he loved his farm, he loved animals" adding that his disappearance was "totally out of character". According to RTÉ, in-depth investigations by gardaí ruled out "innocent" explanations, such as a medical event, an accident, or that he left the area voluntarily. A missing person's investigation operates on the basis of consent, but when gardaí announced the re-classification of their investigation, it meant the range of options in front of the investigation team significantly increased. They could then get search warrants, clear areas of interest and seize and examine certain items like phones and laptops. Police searching for missing farmer find partial human remains Searches continue at farm where human remains were found Kerry farmer disappearance upgraded to homicide
Daily Mirror
23-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
'I was framed by gangsters' – man arrested in farmer's murder probe speaks out
Michael Kelley, a self-described asylum seeker from the US, has denied any involvement in the alleged murder of Irish farmer Michael Gaine after he says he was arrested by Gardaí - claiming he was framed by gangsters A farmworker from the US who admitted he was arrested over the alleged murder of Irish farmer Michael Gaine claims he was framed by gangsters. Michael Kelley, a self-described asylum seeker from Maine, admitted he was arrested by Gardaí but denied any involvement, claiming: '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.' Farmer Michael Gaine, 56, was reported missing from his home near Kenmare on March 21 before neighbours alerted Gardaí to human remains found while spreading the contents of a slurry tank around his farm last week. Kelley, who lives an hour away in Tralee, told the Irish Mirror he was being treated as a suspect after the remains were found. He said he was arrested and interviewed by Gardaí before being released without charge earlier this week. Asked if he was being treated as a suspect, Kelley said: 'Well that is a matter of record,' before adding: 'Do you know who I am? Well then, why do you ask? Whether or not I'm a suspect is not a matter of perspective. It's a matter of public record.' When asked if he said anything to Gardaí, Kelley replied: 'Well of course, but that's all stuff that is privileged between the guards, the solicitor and myself.' He further denied any involvement and refused to explain what he believed had happened to Mr Gaine, saying: 'It would be incautious for me to comment on that on the advice of my solicitor.' Kelley said he was upset about Mr Gaine's death. When asked why he believed Gardaí were looking at him as the suspect, he said: 'Because I lived there.' He then said 'the obvious deduction' is that somebody is involved. Kelley was asked if he accepted that this was a murder, to which he replied: 'No, it's an alleged murder. What it is is a missing persons case in which a man is missing and in which body parts have been found. So those are Michael Gaine's body parts in that tank. Belonging to him, maybe not of him, but they are his property. So you understand those body parts in that tank are Michael Gaine's property.' Investigators believe Mr Gaine's killer spent hours cutting his body into tiny pieces before squeezing the remains through gaps between wooden slats that were being used to cover a huge slurry tank on his farm. Sources told the Irish Mirror that investigators also believe the killer used water and disinfectant to wash away forensic evidence into the same slurry tank on the Carrig East farm - where specialist officers from the Technical Bureau and the Water Unit have reportedly recovered almost all of his remains. It was revealed yesterday that Gardaí are satisfied the remains are those of Mr Gaine, who was last seen in a Centra Shop in Kenmare, around 8km from his farm, on March 20.
Daily Mirror
23-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Killer 'cut body into small parts pushed through gaps inches wide'
Officers in Ireland believed the killer of beloved farmer Michael Gaine, 56, spent 'hours' dismembering the man's body, possibly with a chainsaw - before pushing it through tiny gaps on his farm Investigators believe the killer of farmer Michael Gaine cut his body into pieces so small that the remains were able to fit through tiny gaps just a few inches wide. The 56-year-old was reported missing from his home near Kenmare on March 21 before neighbours alerted Gardaí (Irish police) to human remains they had found while spreading the contents of a slurry tank around his farm last week. Officers believe the murderer spent hours cutting up Mr Gaine's body before squeezing the remains through tiny gaps between wooden slats that were being used to cover a huge slurry tank on his farm. Sources told the Irish Mirror that investigators also believe the murderer used water and disinfectant to wash away forensic evidence into the same slurry tank on the Carrig East farm - where gardai have reportedly recovered almost all of his remains. "Almost all of the body has been found now," a source said. "There may be a tiny amount unrecovered, but in effect the remains have been recovered." A significant amount of the remains are believed to have been found in fields across the 1,000 acre farm that had been spread with slurry taken from the tank - while most are thought to have been recovered from the tank. The discoveries were made by specialist gardai from the Technical Bureau and the Water Unit, who combed large areas of land as well as every inch of the large slurry tank. While they have not yet been formally identified, sources say Gardai are satisfied the remains are that of Mr Gaine, who was last seen in a Centra Shop in Kenmare, around 8kms from his farm, on March 20. The Mirror has contacted Garda HQ for comment. A spokeswoman told the Irish Mirror: "As these questions would pertain to the specific operational activity undertaken by Gardaí as part of an ongoing criminal investigation, we are not in the position to comment." Officers beleive Mr Gaine may have been killed at the farm on the day he was last seen, before his body was moved to the slurry tank, where the killer spent hours dismembering it - possibly with a chainsaw. A number of tools were recovered from the farmland in recent days, including one that appeared to have been hidden. Police have sent these off for forensic testing. The wooden slats that cover the slurry tank are also being examined to see if any of them show signs of strike marks from a tool like a chainsaw. Experts reportedly combed through the thick sludge with poles in the search for his body in case he had accidentally fallen in. But the search would not have been able to detect small body parts. A subsequent search of the slurry tank and farm was ordered on Friday after partial human remains were found in at least two fields. Neighbours who were spreading slurry - taken from a tank on Mr Gaine's farmyard - made the discovery. Pieces of remains got stuck in the spreader and when the neighbours examined them, they quickly called in gardai. It led to the arrest of a suspect on Sunday. He was detained on suspicion of murder for 24 hours, but released without charge from Killarney Garda Station late on Monday night. The suspect, who is in his 50s, was known to Mr Gaine. Gardai say the investigation is ongoing.
