Human remains have been discovered in a slurry tank in the search for a farmer who has been missing since March 21. Irish national police, the Garda, declared the site a crime scene on Friday evening after discovering remains on Michael Gaine’s farm outside Kenmare, Ireland.
The body parts will be subject to DNA analysis to confirm whether they are those of Mr Gaine, and searches are ongoing for further remains, the Garda confirmed. A family member and neighbours alerted police after they began spreading slurry that they had drained from a tank on 56-year-old Michael Gaine’s farm at around 6pm on Friday. A source said: “The belief now is that this tank was then emptied and spread across several fields,” reports the Irish Mirror.
They added: “All of these fields are being checked and a number of other body parts have been discovered.”
Garda immediately designated the slurry tank and two fields where the slurry was spread after the discovery.
State Pathologist Dr Sally Anne Collis and Forensic Anthropologist Laureen Buckley carried out preliminary examinations at the scene on Saturday afternoon, assisted by the Garda Technical Bureau.
Dr Collis and police appeared to investigate a large slatted cattle shed on the property, slurry spreaders, and a large slurry agitator — a metal mixer used to break up solids in slurry tanks so they can be spread.
A line of uniformed police were also seen searching one of the fields using metal pickers, and yellow evidence markers had been placed at various locations in the fields.
Michael Gaine, a sheep and cattle farmer, was reported missing from his home near Kenmare in a remote part of Ireland on Friday 21 March, after he was last seen in Kenmare the previous day.
His disappearance was deemed “totally out of character” by his wife, who described him as her best friend, and it triggered one of the biggest missing person searches in Ireland in recent memory.
Shortly after his disappearance, Mr Gaine’s vehicle was taken away for forensic tests and searches were conducted around the property and remote surrounding areas of natural beauty, as well as nearby lakes and a disused quarry.
A Garda statement said: “Gardaí at Killarney Garda Station continue to investigate the disappearance and homicide of Michael Gaine (56), who was reported missing from his home near Kenmare, Co Kerry, on Friday, March 21, 2025.
“As part of the investigation, operations resumed at lands in Carrig East, Kenmare, Co Kerry on Friday evening and a crime scene has now been declared.
“The Garda Technical Bureau and the Office of the State Pathologist have been requested to attend the scene.
“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. The investigation is ongoing and further updates will follow.”