Crime scene declared at home of missing farmer in Kenmare, Co Kerry

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."