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The Maine man who allegedly killed and dismembered an Irish farmer last year has two weeks to present the court with an alibi.
Michael Kelley, 53, returned to Tralee District Court on Wednesday, when he was presented with the book of evidence against him, according to the Irish Independent.
The book of evidence is effectively prosecutors’ case against him. It includes a statement of charges, witness statements, exhibits and other supplementary evidence. Under Irish law, the target for presenting the book of evidence to the defense is 42 days, though it can take much longer for more complex cases.
That marks a crucial step in the Irish legal system for a case to go to trial.
Wednesday’s hearing, which lasted just minutes, was attended by a throng of reporters, as well as Michael Gaine’s widow, Janice Gaine, who was accompanied by friends and family, the Independent reported.
During the hearing, the judge asked Kelley whether he knew what an alibi was, to which he responded, “Yes, sir,” and “Yes, your honor,” according to the Irish Examiner.
He has 14 days to produce any alibi.
His case now goes to Ireland’s Central Criminal Court, which tries the most serious crimes, including murder, sexual assault, genocide and piracy.
Kelley was arrested in February, nearly a year after the disappearance of 56-year-old Michael Gaine, who was last seen alive on March 20, 2025, in a local shopping center, according to An Garda Síochána, the Irish national police and security service. He was reported missing the next day.
Police made a grisly discovery on May 16, 2025, when Gaine’s dismembered remains were found in a slurry spreader on his farm after the machine jammed. His DNA was found in nearby fields, where the slurry was spread.
Police detained a suspect in his 50s on May 18, 2025, but released him the next day without charge.
Although Irish police didn’t publicly identify the suspect at the time, Kelley told numerous Irish media outlets that he was the suspect questioned in Gaine’s disappearance, but denied any involvement in his death. Instead, he proposed a slew of theories that organized crime was involved and that he was being framed.
Before Gaine’s death and disappearance, Kelley had been living in Ireland for seven years, including three years on Gaine’s 1,000-acre farm in Carrig East in Kenmare, where Kelley lived in exchange for working the land.
Before moving across the Atlantic, Kelley lived in Waldo County, according to the Irish Times.
Kelley was a private in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany as a guard. He later left the military as a conscientious objector during the first Gulf War, according to the Irish Mirror.
Kelley, who has been jailed since his arrest, was ordered Wednesday to remain in custody until his trial.
BDN writer Kasey Turman contributed to this report.
