This afternoon Janice Gaine described her husband as her best friend and said she and his family want answers.
“We just want Michael to come home. We want to know what happened. If we can’t find Michael I don’t know what we are going to do,” she said in a video appeal released this afternoon.
She said he was ‘her best friend and her husband’ who loved farming, his animals and rallying and she said this situation has been ‘devastating’.
“His disappearance is totally out of character for Michael but we knew that from the first day.”
She pleaded for anybody who knows something to come forward.
“If there is anybody with information about Michael to please come forward and take it to the gardaí.”
She was joined in her plea by Mike’s sister Noreen who said the family are ‘shattered’ by what has happened.
“We are absolutely heart-broken…We are devastated, our lives are shattered. We want answers. We love Michael and want him back,” she said in a moving plea to help discover what happened to her brother.
She said he was “a loving husband, brother and uncle and his nieces and nephews loved him.”
We want anyone with any information on what happened to Michael to come forward. He went to the farm on March 20, it was his routine to his animals and he never returned home. We are devastated and want him back.”
The family plea came as gardaí officially upgraded the missing persons case into Mike Gaine to a homicide investigation.
Gardaí now believe he now died at the hands of another person.
The community is also now praying that answers will finally be found as to what happened to the popular Kerry farmer.
“This is a big development in the case but is also a devastating blow that we now know something happened. It is unbelievable that something sinister could happen to Mike,” said Cllr Teddy O’Sullivan Casey.
Cllr O’Sullivan Casey said the community’s thoughts are for the family who have gone through a “torturous six weeks and now they have to face this.”
“It is unimaginable what they are going through but hopefully this new investigation will lead to some answers.”
In an update on Wednesday afternoon, Superintendent John Ryan said that in view of all the information they had gathered so far, they had upgraded their investigation to one of homicide.
“Michael Gaine was reported missing from his home near Kenmare, Co Kerry on Friday, March 21 2025 and was last seen in Kenmare town on Thursday, March 20 2025,” he told the media.
“Based on the entirety of the information available to the investigation team, An Garda Síochána can confirm that this missing person investigation has now been reclassified as a homicide investigation, and a formal criminal investigation has now commenced,” gardaí said.
They said that so far investigating gardaí, based at Killarney garda station, have undertaken 320 formal enquiries, taken nearly 130 witness statements, recovered around 2,200 hours of CCTV and dashcam footage, and conducted extensive searches.
“An Garda Síochána continue to keep Michael’s family fully informed and they have been updated as to the change in status of this investigation to homicide.”
He said the family including his wife Janice have appealed for privacy during this difficult time.
A homicide investigation covers both murder and manslaughter investigations meaning that what happened to Mike could have been intentional or unintentional but means gardaí believe another person is involved in his death.
Gardaí however have said they have still not located Michael’s remains and they are seeking assistance in bringing Michael back to his family.
Gardaí have also said there are people out there that know what happened to Mike on that day and they appealed for them to come forward.
“There are person or persons who know what happened on March 20, 2025.
“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.”
The last official sighting of Mr Gaine was when he bought phone credit in his local Centra shop on March 20. He was officially reported missing on Friday, March 21.
He left the shop in his bronze-coloured Toyota RAV 4, with the registration 152KY366. The car was found in his farmyard just off the N71 at Carraig East, Kenmare, along with his phone and wallet.
Since then – almost six weeks ago – gardaí have led an investigation into his disappearance but despite one of the most extensive searches ever carried out in Kerry his disappearance remains a mystery.
Mr Gaine was an avid motorsports fan and former competitor, and all cars taking part in this week’s Rally of the Lakes around Killarney will bear stickers appealing for information. They also plan to beep as they pass his farm during the event in honour of Mike.
The Garda Investigation Team can be contacted at Killarney garda station on 064 667 1160, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or speak with any member of An Garda Síochána at any garda station nationwide.
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