A migrant wanted in connection with the brutal murder of an American mother in Ireland was in the country despite having his asylum application rejected, according to Irish media.
The man, described by Irish police as a “person of interest,” was in the process of appealing the asylum decision and was allowed to remain in the country when Jamey Carney, 43, was beaten and suffocated in her home in Killarney, County Kerry, the Irish Mirror reported.
Despite his status, the outlet said he was still in the possession of his passport and left Ireland on a flight to Istanbul, Turkey, before Carney’s body was discovered Tuesday, triggering an international manhunt and a murder investigation.
It is unclear when his asylum application was refused or why it was denied. Irish police have refused to name the man.
The reports are likely to intensify scrutiny of Ireland’s asylum system and why the man remained in the country after reportedly being denied asylum.
The Irish Mirror reported the Jordanian national had arrived in Ireland in 2024 and been living in a state-run migrant shelter in the idyllic town before spending increasing amounts of time at Carney’s home after they became romantically involved.
He first arrived in the United Kingdom before traveling through Northern Ireland and eventually settling in County Kerry, according to the Irish Mirror.
His social media accounts contain posts from the United Kingdom and Turkey in recent years.
Carney’s social media profiles described her as a “New Yorker in Ireland” and showed her with a man she identified as her partner and writing that they were a “mixed couple.” Multiple Irish media outlets have identified the man as the person police are seeking, though Irish police have not publicly confirmed his identity or reported immigration status.
Fox News Digital asked Irish police and the Department of Justice to confirm reports that he had been refused asylum and was appealing that decision. Neither agency confirmed the reports.
HERE’S WHY IRELAND IS AT BOILING POINT OVER MASS IMMIGRATION
Detectives believe Carney died around 11 p.m. Monday, roughly 14 hours before her body was discovered, according to The Irish Independent.
Her body was found on Tuesday at around 1:30 p.m. local time by her 13-year-old daughter.
By that time, the man had boarded a flight to Istanbul having traveled 200 miles by bus to Dublin Airport.
Despite the manhunt entering its sixth day, police have yet to name or provide any details about the person on the run, drawing criticism on both sides of the Atlantic. Irish police said that investigators are working with international law enforcement partners as the murder investigation continues.
Detectives issued alerts to airports, ports, train stations and bus stations within just over an hour of Carney’s body being discovered, The Irish Independent reported. However, by then, the man had already left Ireland.
According to the Irish Mirror, investigators now fear he may already have traveled onward to his home country of Jordan, which does not have an extradition treaty with Ireland.
A law enforcement source told Fox News Digital the search is expected to be difficult because the man had a significant head start before investigators were alerted to Carney’s death.
Carney, a New York native, moved to Ireland in 2021 and has family living in the Killarney area.
The State Department told Fox News Digital it was providing consular assistance to the victim’s family.
