An ex-American soldier has been reapprehended on suspicion of the killing of a farmer in Ireland. Irish authorities have taken Michael Kelley into custody in connection with the murder of Michael Gaine, a 56-year-old farmer residing near Kenmare in County Kerry. Gaine was reported missing from his home in March last year, and his remains were identified in May after human tissue was discovered on his property.

Kelley, who had previously acknowledged being a suspect in Gaine’s death, was apprehended at his home in Tralee, Co Kerry, early Tuesday by officers from the Kerry Division and specialized detectives from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation. This recent arrest follows Kelley’s initial detainment on suspicion of murder last year when parts of Gaine’s dismembered body were found on his land.

The former soldier, who had been residing on Gaine’s farm, is currently being held at a Kerry garda station and can be detained for up to 24 hours. The ongoing investigation is being led by the Serious Crime Unit Kerry Division with support from the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, while family liaison officers are assisting and supporting the Gaine family.

Initially treated as a missing person’s case, Gaine’s disappearance was reclassified as a homicide on April 29 last year. The authorities have not officially named the arrested individual, but sources have confirmed it to be Michael Kelley, originally from Maine. The arrest closely followed the discovery of Gaine’s remains on his farm, leading investigators to determine that he was murdered before his body was dismembered and disposed of on the property.