WTF?
Forensic examinations are being conducted on partial human remains believed to have been found on a slurry spreader and fields of missing farmer Michael Gaine in Kerry.
The scene at Carrig East, near Moll’s Gap in Kenmare, has been sealed off as a crime scene after a friend of the Gaine family, operating a slurry spreader, stopped to check the machinery when it became clogged and discovered suspected human tissue.
The grim find resulted in the gardaí being immediately notified and fields where the machinery had spread slurry being sealed off for technical and forensic examination.
The Garda Technical Bureau arrived on-site around 2pm Saturday, followed shortly after by the Office of the State Pathologist.
State Pathologist Dr Sally Anne Collis, and forensic anthropologist, Laureen Buckley, assisted the Garda Technical Bureau in their examinations at the scene.
An Garda Síochána later confirmed that partial human remains had been found.
Sources said that the next step is to take DNA samples and compare them to reference samples of Mr Gaine.
Forensic teams began photographing the area and deploying drones to capture aerial images of the farm, while detectives examined a location near the front of the farmhouse.
Yellow evidence markers were later seen placed around fields close to the farmhouse where slurry had recently been spread.
Shortly before 5pm, State Pathologist Dr Sally Anne Collis, accompanied by Gardaí, returned to the large slatted cattle shed on the property.
The shed contains two slatted units. Locals who observed the initial investigation said the main unit was emptied at that time, but the smaller secondary unit was not fully cleared.
According to those present, slurry remained in the second unit and was agitated, pumped into slurry tanks, and spread on Friday. It is understood that the alarm was raised when the spout of the slurry spreader became blocked.
Earlier in the afternoon, a large slurry agitator — a metal mixer used to break up solids in tanks — along with a pump and gutter system feeding into the slatted unit, appeared to be the focus of examination by Dr Collis and investigating Gardaí. Slurry spreaders are also being forensically examined.
A truck carrying two large metal skips arrived at the scene and placed them outside the slatted unit.
Meanwhile, Gardaí have returned to one of two fields where slurry was spread yesterday. Up to twelve uniformed officers, equipped with metal litter-picking tools, were seen walking in a line across the area, moving slowly and methodically as they combed the ground.
Gardaí continue to guard all access points to the land.
The site remains largely quiet, with little visible movement aside from investigators and a steady stream of press photographers gathered at the entrance.
Michael Healy-Rae says suspected remains found on Michael Gaine’s Kerry farm could finally answer the questions haunting the community
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