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Murder investigation launched after woman's body discovered

Eimear FlanaganBBC News NI
News imageRTÉ A blue and yellow Garda (Irish police) car is parked sideways across the walled entrance to a housing estate on a bright sunny day. A male officer in a blue uniform stands close to the wall behind the car. There is another parked Garda car in the background. The estate contains a small number of large detached houses. Two yellow traffic cones are positioned on either side of the first patrol car. RTÉ
Gardaí (Irish police) were called to the Homeland housing estate in Killarney on Tuesday where Jamey Carney was pronounced dead

The investigation into the death of a woman at a house in Killarney, County Kerry, has been upgraded to murder.

Gardaí (Irish police) said they responded to an incident at an address on Muckross Road on Tuesday where a woman in her 40s was pronounced dead at the scene.

The victim has been named locally as Jamey Carney who was originally from New York, but moved to Killarney around five years ago and lived with her daughter, according to Irish broadcaster RTÉ.

On Thursday, Gardaí said a man they were seeking to speak to about the murder has already left the Republic of Ireland.

The man, who is understood to be known to the victim, has not been named publicly by gardaí but they have described him as a "person of interest" in their investigation.

Officers have now confirmed he left the jurisdiction in the early hours of Tuesday, before her body was discovered.

They said they are "engaging with international law enforcement partners" as they continue to investigate the murder.

RTÉ has reported that the man took a bus to Dublin and then took a flight to the Middle East "where he is originally from".

A post-mortem examination on the victim's remains was completed by the state pathologist on Wednesday.

The scene was preserved by gardaí who appealed for witnesses to contact the investigation team.

"Anyone who was in the Muckross Road area of Killarney between the evening of the 6th and the afternoon of the 7th of July 2026 and who may have camera footage, including CCTV or dashcam, is asked to provide this footage to investigating Gardaí," Wednesday's statement said.

News imageCouncillor John O'Donoghue being interviewed by a TV crew in front of a wall surrounding the Homeland estate in Killarney. He has short dark hair and is wearing a red top and beige trousers. There is a blue and yellow garda car and yellow traffic cones in the foreground. Two officers in blue uniform are standing further into the estate, which consists of large detached houses.
John O'Donoghue spoke to media near the cordon at the Homeland estate on Tuesday while gardaí guarded a house further into the housing development

'We're devastated'

Councillor John O'Donoghue told BBC News NI a "dark cloud" was hanging over the town and Killarney has "descended into a complete malaise" since the killing.

O'Donoghue, who is also cathaoirleach (mayor) of Killarney, said he did not know Ms Carney personally but had often seen her walking in the area.

He said he understood she was mother to a young teenager and lived in a house in the Homeland estate on Muckross Road.

He explained it was a small and relatively new housing development in a "very desirable" part of the town which is sometimes referred to as the "Golden Mile".

Speaking about how the mood in the local community had changed, O'Donoghue said the town had been "covered in glorious sunshine" over the past few days.

"There was a real almost festival atmosphere," he said, adding local residents and tourists had been out in the streets enjoying the warm weather.

"When this news broke yesterday, it was just like a dark cloud came over the town," he said.

Another councillor, Niall O'Callaghan, told BBC News NI: "We're devastated, we send deepest sympathy to the family."

"I'm really sad and disappointed that this has happened to someone who was living in our community," he added.

O'Callaghan expressed hope that people would come forward to assist the gardaí with their investigation.

Gardaí said they have set up an incident room at Killarney Garda station and a senior investigating officer has been appointed to lead the investigation.