The body of an American woman was discovered in her home in a popular Irish tourist town, sparking a murder investigation and an international search for a person of interest who has fled the country.
The victim, identified as Jamey Carney, was found dead on Tuesday at a home in Killarney, County Kerry, according to Irish police. Carney was 43 years old and originally from Westchester County, just north of New York City, before moving to Ireland in 2021 with her young daughter.
A person of interest, described as an asylum seeker, is believed to have left the jurisdiction in the early hours of Tuesday, before Carney's body was discovered to authorities. Police have launched a murder investigation and are engaging with international law enforcement partners.
Carney was a devoted mother who loved living in Killarney, according to local councillor Martin Grady, who said he knew her personally. Grady described Carney as "a loving, caring mother" and "always happy and smiling."
The investigation is ongoing, with police coordinating with airline and transport officials and British authorities to establish the person of interest's identity and movements. Detectives believe the person of interest first arrived in the United Kingdom before traveling to Ireland.
Carney's social media profiles showed her as a "New Yorker in Ireland" and featured a man she identified as her partner. In one recent post, she referred to them as a "mixed couple." The couple marked the Fourth of July just days before Carney's death, according to her social media account.
The news has rattled the picturesque southwest Irish town, a gateway to Killarney National Park and the famed Ring of Kerry, two of Ireland's biggest draws for American visitors. Carney's LinkedIn profile indicated she moved to Ireland in 2021 to work for a healthcare outsourcing company after previously working as an insurance agent and real estate salesperson in the New York metropolitan area.
Carney's social media accounts are filled with selfies and content with her daughter as well as her partner. It shows she also supported the Free Palestinian movement, and her bio included criticism of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Carney is being remembered locally as a devoted mother who loved living in Killarney.
