Irish police are searching for Ahmad Al-Saqar, a 28-year-old Jordanian migrant, who is considered a person of significant interest in the murder of his American girlfriend, Jamey Carney, 43. Carney, originally from Westchester County, New York, was found dead in her home in Killarney, County Kerry, on Tuesday. Authorities believe she died of suffocation and suffered significant head injuries. Local residents reported hearing a loud argument at the residence the night before her body was discovered.
Al-Saqar and Carney reportedly met approximately 18 months prior at a pro-Palestinian protest in Ireland. Al-Saqar arrived in Ireland in 2024 and subsequently applied for asylum. He is believed to have left Ireland on Tuesday, potentially traveling by bus to Dublin Airport and then by flight to Turkey, before Carney's body had been found.
Gardai, the Irish police, are cooperating with international law enforcement agencies to locate Al-Saqar, who has not been charged with any crime. The Irish Times reported that authorities are concerned that the killing could be exploited by the U.S. far-right and others seeking to incite racial tensions, given the backgrounds of the victim and the person of interest. Several Irish publications initially withheld Al-Saqar's name and image but have since identified him.
Social media activity from Al-Saqar was noted by the Irish Examiner after Carney's death, including the deletion of one post and the modification of another to limit its visibility. Carney, who held both American and Irish citizenship and moved to Ireland in 2021, had shared numerous affectionate posts about Al-Saqar on her social media accounts. She also posted AI-generated images, including one of herself and Al-Saqar in Times Square for Independence Day and another in front of Petra, Jordan, referencing his heritage. Her last shared photo included her daughter and Al-Saqar.
Carney's cousin, Ryan Fox, described her mother as being deeply distraught and struggling to speak about the incident. Fox stated that Carney had posted a smiling photograph two days before her death, indicating no apparent personal difficulties.