A migrant identified by Irish police as a person of interest in the murder of an American mother was in the country despite his asylum application being rejected, authorities reported.
The Jordanian national, allegedly involved in the attack on Jamey Carney, 43, remained in Ireland during the assault that occurred in Killarney, County Kerry. According to the Irish Mirror, he was appealing the asylum decision and retained his passport while staying near Carney’s residence before departing for Istanbul, Turkey, following her death.
Authorities confirmed he left Ireland via Dublin Airport shortly after Carney’s body was discovered by her 13-year-old daughter, complicating the international manhunt. Irish police have not publicly named the suspect or disclosed details of his asylum denial.
Investigators noted the suspect’s frequent visits to Carney’s home after a romantic relationship formed. His presence in Ireland since 2024, including a stay in a migrant shelter in Killarney, has drawn attention to gaps in Ireland’s asylum system. Social media posts linked to him indicate recent activity in the UK and Turkey.
Carney, a New York native residing in Ireland since 2021, had expressed her relationship with the suspect as a “mixed couple” on social media. Irish media outlets corroborated the suspect’s identity, though Garda Síochána has not publicly confirmed this. The State Department provided consular support to Carney’s family amid the investigation.
The case has sparked debate over Ireland’s handling of asylum seekers, particularly as the suspect initially entered via the UK and Northern Ireland before settling in Kerry. Detectives fear he may have traveled to Jordan, which lacks an extradition treaty with Ireland, despite alerts being issued at transport hubs after Carney’s death.
The murder, believed to have occurred around 11 p.m. Monday, remains under investigation. Police collaborate with international partners to locate the suspect, whose whereabouts are critical to the case.