The chief suspect in the killing of Jamey Carney was already in the air before her body was even found – and there are fears he may never face justice, Extra.ie has learned.
The man, aged 28, who is from the Middle East and had sought asylum in Ireland, is suspected of killing the American mother-of-one at her home in Killarney, Co. Kerry, on Monday night.
Her body was discovered by her teenage daughter shortly after 1.20pm the following afternoon.
At the same time, the alleged killer was on a plane which was making its descent into Istanbul in Turkey. Gardaí believe he is now en route to his home country in the Middle East.
The man, who was known to the 43-year-old US national, is thought to have killed her and immediately booked himself the earliest possible flight to Turkey, which was at 10.50am on Tuesday.
He took the 3am express bus from Killarney to Dublin Airport, which took four hours, meaning he was in Dublin Airport between 7am and 10.50am.
Gardaí are being assisted by Airport Police in harvesting CCTV footage of the man, who is suspected of bludgeoning the mother of one to death.
The man used his own passport for travel. All applicants for international protection must surrender their passports to the International Protection Office at the time of making their application.
It is understood this man’s passport had been returned to him as he had been granted subsidiary protection, which is a status given to asylum seekers who do not meet the strict legal definition of a refugee but who would face the risk of serious harm if they were sent back to their own country.
Ireland has an embassy in the suspect’s country of origin and authorities here are understood to have already been in contact with it since Ms Carney was killed, a source told the Mail.
The murder suspect chose Turkey as his first destination out of Ireland because his own national passport allows him visa-free travel to that country, officers believe.
Gardaí fear that he is making his way to his home nation, which does not have an extradition treaty with Ireland.
The Mail reported on Thursday that officers feared he had already left the jurisdiction.
However, in an unusual move, the Garda Press Office issued a statement which said they believed the man had left the jurisdiction.
Security sources familiar with immigration laws explained how the chance of the 28-year-old man ever returning to Ireland to face charges is slim if he manages to get home.
The source said: ‘Gardaí are saying this man is a suspect, but everyone knows there’s only one man in the frame for this and it’s him. His pictures are out on social media as well, and it’s only because of the laws here that the newspapers can’t print his face, which is unfortunate.
‘His chances of ever seeing the inside of an Irish courthouse are slim to none… There is no treaty with this man’s native country, and there is also no file yet to be sent to the DPP.’
They added: ‘That can change, of course, and the fact that it was a US citizen who was killed brings the Americans into the frame. They could put pressure on the man’s government.’
As per the motive for killing the New Yorker, gardaí are working on the theory that he flew into a jealous rage over another man she had been speaking with on her phone.
Neighbours reported hearing the row the night before she was killed.
Interpol and Europol have also been contacted by gardaí after a request for cooperation was made by the nation’s police force. Gardaí have continued to appeal for witnesses.
Residents in Killarney are still reeling from the horrific death of Ms Carney, who left the Westchester area of New York in 2021 to work in the tourist town. Ms Carney worked for RelateCare, a healthcare consulting company.
Ms Carney’s father, James, died in 2025. In his memorial, it said his parents, James Carney, from Mayo, and Julia Healy, from Kerry, emigrated to New York and met at an Irish dance event there in 1952.
