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Watch as friend of tragic Michael Gaine tells of grief and how 'kind' farmer offered suspect a home

Exclusive: In the second part of our Shattered Lives special documentary, Teddy OSullivan Casey describes his pal as a 'decent' and 'hardworking' farmer

A friend of murdered farmer Michael Gaine has told how he took in suspect Michael Kelley - and offered him work in exchange for a home.

In the second part of our Shattered Lives special documentary Who Killed Michael Gaine? Kenmare-based Fine Gael councillor Teddy OSullivan Casey paid tribute to his pal as a decent and hardworking farmer, and spoke about the sense of grief that is still in the community - over seven months on.

The dismembered remains of tragic Mike Gaine (56), a well known rallying enthusiast and farmer, were discovered over seven weeks after he vanished from his farm at Carrig East, Molls Gap on March 20 this year.

Speaking to us as part of our podcast, both parts of which are out on YouTube, Cllr Casey said: I would have known Mike well over the years. Mike was a nice, decent, hard working man, devoted to the farm and everything and a good neighbour to the people as well.

I suppose we try to get on as best we can, everyones trying to help one another out. Its still unbelievable what happened and hard to understand it like, hard to take it all in I suppose. People will rally as best they can and try and continue as normal. Mr Casey said people in the community still talk about the baffling case - and there is a huge outpouring of sympathy for Mr Gaines wife Janice and his two sisters.

People still talk about it. People are thinking of the family - Mikes wife and his sisters. Its so important to support them too because theyve gone through an extremely traumatic time altogether. You just couldnt believe what theyve gone through since last March, Mr Casey said.

Paying tribute to his friend, who liked to socialise in the Atlantic bar in Kenmare and was described by many who spoke to us as a character, Mr Casey said: Mike was a hard working farmer and he was big into his rallying as well. He was a rally driver in his earlier days. His farm above would have been the finishing line for lots of rallies over the years. He was a very knowledgeable man, you could talk to him on any subject really.

"He travelled extensively as well I believe. It was very fitting on the day of his funeral that they had his rally car restored. A group of his friends got together a few weeks beforehand and restored the rally car just for the day. It was a lovely touch.

Asked about his friends relationship with the mysterious American man Michael Kelley - who is referred to by most in the town as the yank Mr Casey agreed that the murder victim took him in and allowed him to live in an outhouse on his thousand acre farm - out of the goodness of his own heart. Oh that was Mike down and out yeah. This man (Kelley) was out camping in the forestry. I suppose Mike let him use the house. The American helped him out on the farm then as a kind of payment because Mike was trying to manage a lot of stock on his own.

Mr Caseys comments come as we also uncovered Michael Kelleys sophisticated campsite, nestled in a dense woodland just outside of Mr Gaines land. Locals told us that Kelley, who is originally from Maine in the US, lived in the forest for over a year before Mr Gaine took him in.

[Michael Kelly]

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Michael Gaine murder suspect, Michael Kelley. (Image: Mick O'Neill - The Irish Mirror)

Speaking to the podcast, Mr Casey outlined the feelings of many in Kenmare - that they now just want to see justice for his friend. People really would like to see justice served. I suppose we have to appreciate its going to take time. Theres a process involved with this kind of stuff. Like Ive been always saying from the start, if anyone does know anything they should come forward straight away to the guards. Its very important that they do that, he said.

Part two of our podcast also features never-before heard recordings of the chief suspect Michael Kelley discussing the case. In one clip he speaks about the last time he says he saw Mr Gaine on the morning of March 20th. Asked about when he last saw Mr Gaine he first responded: Well, the problem is I cant, I dont want to get caught out but I mean I think it was on the 20th right? This is just my memory but Id have to have a calendar in front of me.

[A photo of murdered Co Kerry farmer Michael Gaine on display during his funeral at the Holy Cross Church in Kenmare. ]

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A photo of murdered Co Kerry farmer Michael Gaine on display during his funeral at the Holy Cross Church in Kenmare. (Image: Niall Carson/PA Wire)

He subsequently went on to say that he believes he last saw Mr Gaine at around 10am that morning and that he told him he was going to meet a man about a tractor. He also spoke about his own theory about what happened to Mr Gaine - suggesting that the killer would have led him into a secluded area on the land at gunpoint. I mean, the only thing I would (surmise)is that it's possible that somebody could have used a firearm to, um, direct him to walk away into the, you know, cover of the surrounding copious amounts of trees and wilderness, Mr Kelley said.

The podcast also features an on camera phone call to Mr Kelley, in which he again denies any involvement in the murder of Mr Gaine.

You can watch both part 1 and 2 of our documentary by visiting the Irish Mirror Youtube page or you can listen to the Shattered Lives podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

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