A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a missing farmer after human remains were found in a field.
Michael Gaine vanished from his remote hometown in County Kerry, Republic of Ireland, on March 21.
Human remains were found on his land this week, eight weeks after he was reported missing, with police officials saying they suspect the farmer was killed then dismembered.
Irish police, the Gardaí, arrested a man on suspicion of murder on Sunday afternoon. The suspect is in his 50s.
Mr Gaine was last seen as he bought phone credit in his local shop on March 20.
He left the shop in a bronze-coloured Toyota RAV 4 before he went missing.
The car was found in his farmyard alongside his phone and wallet.
The police search for Mr Gaine became a homicide investigation more than a month later on April 29.
A local farmer found human remains in the area earlier this week.
He had been distributing slurry on Gaine’s land when the human remains stopped the mechanisms from functioning.
The Gardaí were notified, and were reportedly ‘perplexed’ that the suspected human remains were not discovered sooner, according to the Irish Independent.
An area of land close to the farm has now been cordoned off.
The area’s local representative Michael Healy-Rae visited the farm and said: ‘It’s obviously a very sensitive time for the family and for the community. Everybody wants this to come to a conclusion.
‘The most commonly asked question by all of us all along is “my goodness, what happened?” The other question is, “my goodness, where is he?”
‘How do you disappear in the modern world today? How could such an event happen?’
On Sunday, Mr Healy-Rae said the local community of Kenmare were ‘all horrified’ and ‘upset’ by Gaine’s death.
A Gardaí spokesperson said: ‘This afternoon a male (aged in his 50s) has been arrested on suspicion of murder.
(Picture: Noel Sweeney/PA Wire)
‘The homicide investigation, led by a Senior Investigating Officer and the Serious Crime Unit Kerry Garda Division is ongoing, supported by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI).
“The male is being detained under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda Station in Kerry Division.
‘An Garda Síochána continue to carry out searches and technical examinations at lands at Carrig East, Kenmare, Co. Kerry.
‘The family of Michael Gaine have been informed of this arrest and An Garda Síochána continue to support Michael’s family through a Family Liaison Officer. The family have requested privacy at this time.’
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