Michael Gaine disappeared from his home in Kenmare, Co Kerry in March 2025.An Garda Síochána

American man Michael Kelley has been charged with the murder of Michael Gaine, the farmer who disappeared in Kenmare, Co Kerry, in March 2025.

Gardaí in Co Kerry announced on Tuesday that a man in his 50s had been arrested and detained for questioning under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

On Wednesday, Gardaí said that the man who was arrested had been charged in connection with the investigation into Gaine's disappearance and homicide.

That afternoon, Michael Kelley, who has an address at Chapel Street in Tralee, Co Kerry, appeared before a sitting of Tralee District Court in Co Kerry. He was charged with murdering Gaine between March 20 and 21, 2025.

A native of Maine in the US, Kelley previously lived and worked as a farmhand on Gaine's land in Co Kerry. He was arrested in relation to the investigation last year, but was released without charge.

Speaking with the Irish Mirror last year, the American described himself as an asylum seeker and, denying any involvement in Gaine's disappearance and murder, suggested that he was being framed.

On Wednesday, Gaine's widow Janice, as well as some of the late farmer's friends and family, were in attendance for the minutes-long hearing in Tralee.

Detective Sergeant Mark O'Sullivan of Killarney Garda Station gave evidence of charging at the brief hearing, noting that Kelley made no reply to the charge.

Legal aid was granted for Kelley, who, according to RTÉ News, is living on a €150-per-week welfare allowance.

There was no application for bail.

The case is to be sent forward for trial at the Central Criminal Court.

Judge David Waters remanded Kelley into custody, ordering him to appear before Tralee District Court via videolink on March 4 for the book of evidence.

Read more

The disappearance and homicide of Michael Gaine

56-year-old Michael Gaine was last seen in Kenmare town in Co Kerry on March 20 last year; he 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 was later found parked in his farmyard, just off the N71 at Carrig East.

CCTV footage of Michael Gaine in a Centra in Kenamre on March 20, 2025. (An Garda Siochana)

On April 29, Gardaí officially reclassified their missing person investigation to a homicide investigation.

They said at the time 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."

On May 17, lands at Carrig East in Kenmare - where Gaine's farmyard is located - were declared a crime scene by Gardaí.

Later that day, An Garda Síochána confirmed that "partial human remains" had been found following preliminary examinations at the scene by State Pathologist Dr. Sally Anne Collis and Forensic Anthropologist Laureen Buckley, assisted by the Garda Technical Bureau.

Gardaí said that DNA analysis would be required to carry out formal identification of the recovered human remains.

The following day, Gardaí announced that a man in his 50s - Michael Kelley - had been arrested on suspicion of the murder of Gaine. However, the man was released without charge the following day. Kelley later confirmed to the Irish Mirror that he was the man who had been arrested and released.

Gardaí confirmed on May 27 that the human remains found at farmland at Carrig East in Kenmare were identified as being the remains of Michael Gaine.

A funeral for Gaine was held at Holy Cross Church in Kenmare on June 7. The day before the funeral, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said the investigation into the disappearance and murder of Michael Gaine was set to be peer reviewed.