Michael Gaine: Partial human remains found at Kenmare crime scene

Partial human remains have been found in Kenmare, Co Kerry, amidst the investigation into the homicide of missing farmer Michael Gaine, An Garda Síochána confirmed on Saturday evening, May 17.

Lands at Carrig East in Kenmare - where Gaine's farmyard is located - were declared a crime scene by Gardaí earlier on Saturday. 

An Garda Síochána have now 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.

Searches are ongoing to recover any further human remains, Gardaí added.

The homicide investigation, led by a Senior Investigating Officer and the Serious Crime Unit Kerry Garda Division, is ongoing and supported by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI).

"Updates will be provided as appropriate," Gardaí said on Saturday evening.

Earlier on Saturday, Gardaí at Killarney Garda Station said that as part of their ongoing investigation into the disappearance and homicide of Gaine, operations resumed at lands in Carrig East, Kenmare, Co Kerry on Friday evening, "and a crime scene has now been declared."

Gardaí said the Garda Technical Bureau and the Office of the State Pathologist had been requested to attend the scene at Gaine's home.

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. 

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CCTV footage of Michael Gaine in a Centra in Kenmare, Co Kerry on March 20, 2025. (An Garda Síochána)

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."