Gardaí believe Mike Gaine was killed with a sword-type weapon, not a chainsaw

Sunday World

13 hours ago

Detectives had earlier seized three chainsaws from Kerryman's farm
Gardaí investigating the murder of Kerry farmer Mike Gaine are working on the assumption he was killed with a sword-type weapon rather than a chainsaw.
Sources said 'all the forensic indications' point to his death and dismemberment being the result of a blade rather than chainsaw injuries.
Detectives had been exploring a theory that the 56-year-old was dismembered with a chainsaw, with three seized from his farm after his disappearance.
However, it is understood that an examination of his remains indicates a 'non-chainsaw type blade' was used.
In terms of the implement or implements, they could be anywhere
'Gardaí do not believe at this stage that a chainsaw was used in this case,' a source said.
'Some form of large knife, blade or sword is what has been indicated was used. There is an issue in that gardaí do not have in their possession the blade-type implement used in this murder.
'Michael Gaine's murder happened on his farm, which is on 1,000 acres of land, so in terms of the implement or implements used to end his life, they could be anywhere. A significant amount of that area is marsh and swamp land.'
Mr Gaine was last seen in Kenmare on Thursday, March 20, and was reported missing the following day. His bronze Toyota Rav4 was found in his farmyard — off the N71 at Carrig East — with his wallet and phone inside.
Michael Gaine was reported missing in Kenmare in March
Today's News in 90 Seconds - June 30th
On April 29, Mr Gaine's disappearance was upgraded by gardaí from a missing person case to a homicide investigation.
Human remains were discovered on Mr Gaine's farm on May 16, when one of his nephews and a neighbour were spreading slurry on fields. The farm was sealed off and declared a crime scene.
More human remains were later found in a slurry spreader and in a slurry tank on the farm in the following days. ­Gardaí later confirmed DNA tests proved the remains were those of Mr Gaine.
The piece of land where parts of Michael Gaine's body were discovered
A specialist examination of the slurry tank on Mr Gaine's hillside farmyard days after he disappeared did not uncover his dismembered remains. Questions have since been asked as to how they went undetected by gardaí.
However, sources have said Mr Gaine's remains had been dismembered to such an extent that the small pieces of his body somehow went unnoticed during a specialist search by gardaí and members of Kerry County Fire Services on March 24.
On May 18, Michael Kelley (53), from Maine in the US, was arrested over the murder.
He was questioned for 24 hours before being released without charge. He has denied any knowledge or involvement in the murder to gardaí as well as in a series of media interviews.
Michael Kelley
Mr Kelley has outlined how he was living and working on Mr Gaine's farm at the time of his killing.
A family member of Mr Kelley living in the US previously told this newspaper: 'The Michael I knew was not capable of murder, but we haven't spoken in years.'
They described him as a 'gentle lion', and said he is 'highly intelligent' and is 'always generous with people in need'.
Separately, court documents obtained regarding a case in the US several years ago detail how a judge said Mr Kelley has 'questionable ability' to 'determine fact from fiction'.