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LAST UPDATE | 30 Apr
THE DISAPPEARANCE OF Kerry farmer Michael Gaine is “completely out of character” his wife Janice said in a video appeal following the reclassification of the case to a homicide investigation.
Michael, who goes by Mike, was reported missing from his home in Kenmare, Co Kerry on Friday 21 March. The 56-year-old farmer was last sighted in Centra in Kenmare at 9:48am on Thursday 20 March.
Gardaí affirmed that they had not located his remains despite extensive inquiries, and appealed to anyone with any information to come forward.
Gardaí addressed the media at a briefing in Kenmare, Co Kerry this afternoon.
Janice Gaine, Michael’s wife, appealed for anyone with information to come forward in a video appeal released by gardaí.
In the video, Janice says that the “whole thing has been devastating”, speaking of the “popular” farmer as someone who loved his animals and his home.
“We just want Michael to come home, we want know what happened to him,” she said.
His sister Noreen said that Michael was a “loving husband, brother, uncle”.
“We are absolutely heartbroken at what has happened. We devastated. Our lives are shattered. We want answers. We love Michael, we want him back.”
On the last day he was seen, Mike bought phone credit at shop and left in his car – the car later found parked in his farmyard.
“There are person or persons who know what happened on the 20th of March 2025,” a spokesperson said in a statement yesterday evening.
“If you have not been in a position to speak to An Garda Síochána about the information you have, or have already spoken to An Garda Síochána but have more information that you can provide – An Garda Síochána is appealing to you to come forward with that information.”
Information received will be treated in the strictest confidence.
When last seen, Michael was wearing an orange woolly hat, black fleece, blue jeans and black boots.
Gardaí confirmed that they were keeping Michael’s family fully informed on the investigation and proving them with support.
In the five-week-long investigation, gardaí have conducted extensive searches, taken almost 130 witness statements, undertaken over 320 formal enquiries, and recovered around 2,200 hours of CCTV/dash cam footage.
The Defence Forces have also helped with the investigation, assisting gardaí in conducting sweeps of mountainous land in search for the missing man.
With reporting by Emma Hickey
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