The man, aged 28, who is from the Middle East and had sought asylum in Ireland, is suspected of killing the American mother-of-one at her home in Killarney, Co. Kerry, on Monday night.
Her body was discovered by her teenage daughter shortly after 1.20 pm the following afternoon.
At the same time, the alleged murderer was on a plane that was making its descent into Istanbul, Turkey. Gardaí [police] believe he is now en route to his home country in the Middle East.
The man, who was known to the 43-year-old US national, is thought to have killed her and immediately booked himself the earliest possible flight to Turkey, which was at 10.50 am on Tuesday morning.
He took the 3 am express bus from Killarney to Dublin Airport, which took four hours, meaning he was in Dublin Airport between 7 am and 10.50 am.
Gardaí are being assisted by Airport Police in harvesting CCTV footage of the man, who is suspected of bludgeoning the mother of one to death.
The man used his own passport for travel. All applicants for international protection must surrender their passports to the International Protection Office at the time of making their application.
It is understood this man’s passport had been returned to him as he had been granted subsidiary protection, which is a status given to asylum seekers who do not meet the strict legal definition of a refugee but who would face the risk of serious harm if they were sent back to their own country.
Jamey Carney.
Ireland has an embassy in the suspect’s country of origin, and authorities here are understood to have already been in contact with it since Ms Carney was killed, a source told Extra.ie.
The murder suspect chose Turkey as his first destination out of Ireland because his own national passport allows him visa-free travel to that country, officers believe. Gardaí fear that he is making his way to his home nation, which does not have an extradition treaty with Ireland.
Extra. ie reported yesterday that officers feared he had already left the jurisdiction.
However, in an unusual move, the Garda Press Office issued a statement which said they believed the man had left the jurisdiction.
Read more
Security sources familiar with immigration laws explained how the chance of the 28-year-old man ever returning to Ireland to face charges is slim if he manages to get home.
The source said: "Gardaí are saying this man is a suspect but everyone knows there’s only one man in the frame for this and it’s him. His pictures are out on social media as well, and it’s only because of the laws here that the newspapers can’t print his face, which is unfortunate.
"His chances of ever seeing the inside of an Irish courthouse are slim to none… There is no treaty with this man’s native country and there is also no file yet to be sent to the DPP."
They added: "That can change, of course, and the fact that it was a US citizen who was killed brings the Americans into the frame. They could put pressure on the man’s government."
Jamey Carney.
As per the motive for killing the New Yorker, gardaí are working on the theory that he flew into a jealous rage over another man she had been speaking with on her phone.
Neighbors reported hearing the row the night before she was killed.
Interpol and Europol have also been contacted by gardaí after a request for cooperation was made by the nation’s police force. Gardaí have continued to appeal for witnesses.
Residents in Killarney are still reeling from the horrific death of Ms Carney, who left the Westchester area of New York in 2021 to work in the tourist town. Ms Carney worked for RelateCare, a healthcare consulting company.
Ms Carney’s father, James, died in 2024. In his memorial, it said his parents, James Carney, from Mayo, and Julia Healy, from Kerry, emigrated to New York and met at an Irish dance event there in 1952.
Following her death, Ms Carney’s cousin has spoken of his family’s heartbreak following her death, describing the news as "a shock and a nightmare".
Read more
Speaking on RTÉ’s "Prime Time", Ryan Fox remembered Ms Carney as "the sweetest, most caring, most humanitarian" person he had ever known.
He said the family was left devastated after learning she had died, recalling receiving a distressing phone call from her mother.
"It’s something that nobody expected because, two days before, there was a picture posted, everybody’s smiling," he said.
Mr Fox said the family had never been given any indication that Ms Carney feared for her safety while living in Ireland.
He also spoke of her love for her adopted home, saying she had worked hard to build a life here with her teenage daughter after moving to Ireland in 2021.
"Jamey loves Ireland so much. Her friends were like her second family out there. She could not love the land of Ireland more, and she was so happy to be there," he said.
Mr Fox urged people not to let his cousin’s death become a source of division or prejudice.
"Do not use this to become bigoted or racist or prejudiced in any way. Bad people are in every group, and it is not the people who look like them who deserve to be blamed," he said.
Watch the RTE "Prime Time" report below:
* This article was originally published on Extra.ie.
Comments