The home of missing farmer Michael Gaine in Kenmare, Co Kerry, has been declared a crime scene, An Garda Síochána announced this morning, Saturday, May 17.
Gaine, 56, has not been seen since March 20.
Gardaí at Killarney Garda Station said in an update on Saturday that as part of their ongoing investigation into the disappearance and homicide of Gaine, operations resumed at lands in Carrig East, Kenmare, Co Kerry yesterday evening, "and a crime scene has now been declared."
Gardaí said the Garda Technical Bureau and the Office of the State Pathologist have been requested to attend the scene at Gaine's home.
"Pending examinations by both the Garda Technical Bureau and the State Pathologist, An Garda Síochána is not in a position to provide further information at this time," Gardaí said on Saturday morning.
"The investigation is ongoing and further updates will follow."
Gaine 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, Co Kerry on March 20. (An Garda Siochana)
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."
Michael Gaine was reported missing from his home near Kenmare, Co. Kerry on Friday 21st March 2025, he was last seen on Thursday 20th March 2025. Based on the entirety of the information available to the investigation team at Killarney Garda station, we have reclassified the missing person investigation as a homicide investigation. A formal criminal investigation has now commenced and we are seeking information from any person who can assist us in bringing Michael back to his family. An Garda Síochána appeals to any person who may have any information on what happened to Michael to contact the Garda investigation team. Information received will be treated with the strictest confidence. The Garda investigation team can be contacted at Killarney Garda Station on 064 667 1160, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or speak with any members of An Garda Síochána.
Posted by An Garda Síochána Kerry on Wednesday, April 30, 2025
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