Michael Kelley appears in court charged over murder of Michael Gaine, 56, as ex-US soldier, 54, stays silent in hearing

A FORMER US soldier has been charged with the murder of Michael Gaine.

Michael Kelley, 54, sat silently as Tralee District Court heard he is accused of killing the popular Kerry native, 56, at his farm outside Kenmare last year.

Kelley was remanded in custody following a four-minute hearing to appear again next Wednesday.

The accused had been held and questioned in a series of interviews at Castleisland Garda Station ­following his arrest at 7.40am in Tralee town on Tuesday morning.

Shortly before 3pm today, Garda headquarters confirmed that he was to appear before court.

As the news emerged, dozens of people gathered around the vicinity of the Tralee courthouse waiting for Kelley’s arrival.

He pulled up at 4.26pm in a marked Garda van flanked by two unmarked jeeps and a car.

At the side of the courthouse, detectives took Kelley from the back of the van and brought him into the building.

The accused — dressed in an orange top, beige trousers and brown boots — was led in and put in the dock.

Moments later, the court registrar told the room to rise for Judge David Waters.

Det Sgt Mark O’Sullivan, from Killarney Garda Station, was sworn in to provide evidence of arrest, charge and caution.

He told the court that at 2.23pm today he arrested Kelley for the purpose of charge at Castleisland Garda Station.

Kelley is accused of murdering Mr Gaine on dates between March 20 and 21 last year at his Carrig East farm.

Det Sgt O’Sullivan said Kelley made “no reply” when charged at 3.06pm after being cautioned.

Kelley will appear again by video link for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

There was no application for bail, as with the charge of murder defendants must do so through the High Court.

Kelley’s solicitor Pat Mann said he had no questions for Det Sgt O’Sullivan.

And he said he explained the bail matter to his client.

Mr Mann handed in a statement of means to the court as part of his application for legal aid.

Judge Waters read aloud from the sheet, stating Kelley was in receipt of €150 supplementary allowance per week but has no other income or savings.

He then granted the legal aid application after hearing there was no objections before the short hearing ended.

Kelley was brought from the courtroom and out a side door to the Garda van before it was driven away.

Maine native Kelley served in the US army in the early 1990s and later worked a number of jobs in his home state before coming to ­Ireland in 2017.

He first lived in woods in the National Park in Killarney and later spent a winter camping in woods in Kenmare before finding work as a farmhand.

Mr Gaine was reported missing by his wife, Janice, on March 21, last year.

The case was initially treated as a missing persons investigation.

And hundreds helped in a major search operation after an appeal by Janice, Michael’s sister Noreen O’Regan and other family members

However, after nothing was found, the case was upgraded to homicide at the end of April.

Speaking then, Janice declared: “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. 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 am going to do.”

Just two weeks later, Mr Gaine’s remains were found on his land.

With the case garnering huge interest, officers were forced to place parking cones at the farm’s entrance to keep vehicles away, such was the number of people trying to get photos and videos.

Michael’s funeral was held in early June, at which widow Janice told how her husband was “a true man”.

She added: “He was soft and loving. Caring and affectionate. Kind and considerate.”

Cousin Eoghan Clarke told the service how Mr Gaine was known for his “incredible work ethic, personality and humour, and was a loving son, sibling and uncle”.

He added: “He was not afraid to show his emotions. He was also brave, fearless and strong.

“He was strong mentally and — as anyone who ever tried to follow him up the mountain in wellies will know — he was strong physically too.”