Wife of missing Kerry farmer says she just wants him to come home

By Jonathan McCambridge, PA

The wife of a missing Co Kerry farmer has issued an appeal for information, stating she just wants him to come home.

Michael Gaine, 56, was reported missing from his home near Kenmare on Friday, March 21st.

Gardaí said this week their probe into his disappearance had been upgraded to a homicide investigation.

His wife Janice Gaine and sister Noreen O’Regan have recorded a video statement, issued through the gardaí.

We appeal to any person who may have any information on what happened to Michael Gaine to the Garda investigation team.

The investigation team can be ed at Killarney Garda Station on 064 667 1160, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station. pic.twitter.com/EuCnC1L9ba

— Garda Info (@gardainfo) April 30, 2025

Ms Gaine said: “He was my best friend, my husband.

“This whole thing has been devastating.

“He loved his home, he loved his farm, he loved farming, he loved his animals. He loved rallying.

“He had lots of friends. He was a very popular guy and his disappearance is totally out of character, we knew that from day one.”

She added: “If there is anybody that has any information about Michael, do please come forward and talk to the gardaí.

“We just want Michael to come home. We want to know what happened to him because if we can’t find Michael I just don’t know what I’m going to do.

“I just want Michael to come home.”

His sister Ms O’Regan said he was “a loving husband, brother, and uncle”.

She added: “His nieces and nephews loved him. We are absolutely heartbroken at what has happened. We are devastated, our lives are shattered.

“We want answers. We love Michael, we want him back.

“I’m appealing to anyone with any information about what happened to Michael.

“He went to the farm on March 20th, it was his routine to check his animals, but he never returned home. We are devastated and we want him back.”

In the five weeks since his disappearance, gardaí said they had gathered around 2,200 hours of CCTV and dashcam footage, taken nearly 130 witness statements and carried out more than 320 formal jobs/inquiries.

Irish troops and the Garda Water Unit were also involved in search efforts in recent weeks, and checkpoints were held a week after his disappearance to help gather information that would aid the investigation.

A gardaí statement said: “Extensive searches utilising specialist equipment by state and other agencies have been carried out over the past five weeks which have failed to locate Michael.

“The disappearance is completely out of character and entirely at odds with Michael’s pattern of behaviour established by the investigation to date.

“Based on the entirety of the information available to the investigation team at Killarney Garda station on Tuesday April 29 2025 An Garda Síochána reclassified the missing person investigation as a homicide investigation.

“A formal criminal investigation has now commenced and gardai are seeking information from any person who can assist us in bringing Michael back to his family.

“An Garda Síochána continues to keep Michael’s family fully informed on the status of the investigation and ed through a family liaison officer, as they come to with this update.”