Michael Gaine was reported missing from Kenmare, Co Kerry on March 21.An Garda Síochána
An Garda Síochána have confirmed that a man, aged in his 50s, has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of Michael Gaine, the farmer reported missing from Kenmare, Co Kerry on March 21.
"The homicide investigation, led by a Senior Investigating Officer and the Serious Crime Unit Kerry Garda Division, is ongoing, supported by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI)," An Garda Siochana said in a statement yesterday, Sunday, May 18.
"This afternoon, Sunday 18th May 2025 a male (aged in his 50s) has been arrested on suspicion of murder.
"The male is being detained under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda Station in Kerry Division.
"An Garda Síochána continues to 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."
The arrest was announced the day after An Garda Síochána confirmed that lands at Carrig East in Kenmare - where Gaine's farmyard is located - were declared a crime scene.
Later on Saturday, An Garda Síochána confirmed that "partial human remains have been found" following preliminary examinations at the scene on Saturday by State Pathologist Dr. Sally Anne Collis and Forensic Anthropologist Laureen Buckley, assisted by the Garda Technical Bureau.
DNA analysis will be required to carry out formal identification of the recovered human remains, Gardaí said on Saturday evening.
Radio Kerry reported that on Sunday, a hearse brought the remains to University Hospital Kerry for a postmortem examination.
Gaine, 56, was last seen in Kenmare town in Co Kerry on Thursday, March 20, and was reported missing the following day.
CCTV footage from March 20 showed him buying phone credit in Centra in Kenmare at 9:48 am. He then left in his bronze-colored RAV4, registration 152 KY 366, which has since been found parked in his farmyard, just off the N71 at Carrig East.
CCTV footage of Michael Gaine in a Centra in Kenmare on March 20, 2025.
On April 29, Gardaí officially reclassified their missing person investigation to a homicide investigation.
They said at the time that throughout the investigation, they had undertaken over 320 formal jobs/enquiries, taken nearly 130 witness statements, recovered approximately 2,200 hours of CCTV/Dash Cam footage, and conducted extensive searches.
Gardaí added that despite the extensive enquiries carried out until that point, Gaine's remains had not yet been recovered.
The day after Gaine's case was reclassified, his wife Janice and sister Noreen issued an emotional appeal for information.
"We just want Michael to come home," Janice said. "We want to know what happened to him."