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.
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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.”