Gardaí looking for a man in connection with the death of an American woman following a violent assault in Killarney, Co Kerry, have officially launched a murder inquiry.
Jamey Carney (43), was originally from Westchester County, north of New York City, and moved to Killarney in 2021. It is believed that two of her grandparents were from Co Kerry.
A family member who found her body at her home in the Muckross Road area raised the alarm shortly after 1pm on Tuesday.
On Wednesday evening, gardai said a post-mortem examination had been completed by State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan, the results of which were not being released.
“This investigation has now been upgraded to a murder investigation,” they said in a statement.
The scene remained preserved on Wednesday night and a technical examination was continuing.
Gardaí and paramedics attended the scene at the house on Tuesday where Carney was pronounced dead a short time later.
Gardaí have issued alerts to ports and airports for the man they are looking for, in the event he may try to leave the State before gardaí have had the opportunity to speak to him. Gardaí have also been in contact with the PSNI in the event the man being sought has crossed the Border in the North in a bid to leave Ireland, possibly to the UK.
Jamey Carney lived in a rented house with her 13-year-old daughter in the new-build Homeland estate.
Gardaí believe she suffered severe head injuries in an attack that occurred on Monday night or in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The scene was preserved for a technical examination.
Jamey Carney: found dead in the Muckross area of Killarney, Co Kerry. Photograph via Facebook
The Garda Press Office has said it “cannot comment on the details of an ongoing investigation”.
However, it is understood gardaí are attempting to track down a Middle Eastern man in his late 20s who was known to the deceased. The man has lived in the Killarney area for more than a year.
Jamey Carney was employed by a healthcare consulting company and was well known and liked in the local community.
The entrance to the estate of eight houses remained sealed off by gardaí on Wednesday morning.
A hearse removed the woman’s body at 11.15am to University Hospital Kerry for a postmortem later on Wednesday.
The death comes as a shock to the town in the middle of its busiest tourist season with the Summer in Killarney festival in full flow.
The Muckross Road was busy with jarveys and buses carrying tourists to the nearby lakes. A single bunch of flowers was left at the entrance to the estate.
Jamey Carney’s father died 11 months ago. Her mother and sister still live in the United States.
She had worked in Tralee for RelateCare for the last 4½ years.
A family liaison officer has been appointed to assist the family.
The case is expected to be formally upgraded to a murder investigation following the completion of the postmortem.
A senior officer has been appointed to lead the investigation. An incident room has been established at Killarney Garda station.
Local Independent councillor Martin Grady described Jamey Carney as a “loving mother of her child who as always smiling. She made Killarney her home.
“I would plead with people with information come forward. If there is foul play involved, no sentence is long enough for that person.”
Local Labour Party councillor Marie Moloney told Radio Kerry that it was “shocking” to hear of the death.
“Everyone I have spoken to in the town and outside the town are deeply disturbed by the tragic news. All I can offer is my heartfelt sympathy to the family of this woman and in particular to her young daughter at this sad and tragic time.”
The Mayor of Killarney Cllr John O’Donoghue said there was a “sense of huge shock and huge sadness that something like this has happened.
“It’s such a busy tourist spot with the fine weather, like much of the rest of the country. There was a real festive atmosphere in the town over the last couple of days. Everybody was happy, they were out enjoying the sunshine, and when this news broke yesterday, it was just like a cloud had descended over the town,” he said.
“Everybody is in a state of disbelief that something like this would happen on our doorstep.”
Cllr O’Donoghue expressed his condolences to Carney’s daughter who plays GAA with Dr Croke’s in the town.
“It’s very often in kind of the darkest door, when you see the darkest side of humanity, the people can also kind of reveal the best of themselves,” he added.
“I know that Killarney is a very tight knit community, a very resilient community. We will rally behind the family and support them in any way that we can.”
The National Women’s Council of Ireland said: “Our hearts are so heavy this morning as we mourn the death of Jamey Carney, another woman killed in violent circumstances on our island.
“We extend our deepest sympathies to her friends, family and wider community at this unimaginably difficult time. Women everywhere deserve to live free from fear and violence.”
Gardaí have appealed for any witnesses to come forward to assist in the investigation, in particular those who were in the area of Killarney between the evening on July 6th and afternoon of July 7th and who may have any video footage such as CCTV or dash cam.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Killarney Garda station on 064 667 1160, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.
