In April 2019, 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee was shot dead while observing a riot in the Creggan area of Derry, Northern Ireland. The gunman was a member of the New IRA, a small republican paramilitary group opposed to the peace process. More than seven years later, in July 2026, three men were found not guilty of her murder. The verdict, delivered by a judge sitting without a jury, left her family and friends in “complete and utter shock”, and highlighted the enduring difficulties of securing convictions in cases linked to Northern Ireland’s paramilitary groups.
Lyra McKee was a rising star in investigative journalism, known for her work on the legacy of the Northern Ireland conflict and for championing LGBTQ+ rights in a deeply conservative society. On the night of 18 April 2019, she was standing near police vehicles during a disturbance in the Creggan estate when a gunman opened fire. The bullet struck her in the head. The New IRA – the New Irish Republican Army – quickly issued a statement claiming responsibility, saying they had been targeting police officers and expressing “sincere apologies” for the death of a civilian. The killing sparked widespread condemnation across the UK and Ireland, with then-Prime Minister Theresa May calling it “shocking and senseless”.
“An explainer on the Lyra McKee murder case and the not-guilty verdict for three accused men.”
The trial of three accused men took place at Belfast Crown Court. Because of concerns over jury intimidation in cases involving paramilitary groups, the judge alone heard the evidence. After weeks of proceedings, he ruled that the prosecution had not proved beyond reasonable doubt that the three men had assisted or encouraged the murder. The McKee family said the verdict was a “complete and utter shock” and that they would continue to seek justice. The judge’s decision underlines a broader problem: even when a group admits responsibility, securing convictions against individual members can be extremely difficult, partly because of the code of silence maintained by such organisations.
For UK readers, especially those in England, Scotland and Wales, this case is a stark reminder that the peace built by the 1998 Good Friday Agreement remains fragile in parts of Northern Ireland. Paramilitary groups like the New IRA have not disbanded; they continue to control territory, run criminal rackets and occasionally mount attacks. The failure to convict anyone for the murder of a prominent journalist also raises questions about the rule of law and the ability of the justice system to hold violent groups to account. For journalists in particular, the case highlights the risks faced by those covering conflict and unrest, even in a part of the United Kingdom.
Q: Who was Lyra McKee? Lyra McKee was a 29-year-old journalist from Belfast who wrote for outlets including the Atlantic, BuzzFeed News and the Belfast Telegraph. She was known for her investigations into paramilitary activity and for her essay “Letter to My 14-Year-Old Self”, which went viral and became an anthem for LGBTQ+ young people. She was killed in April 2019 while covering a riot in Derry.
Q: What is the New IRA? The New IRA is a republican paramilitary group that emerged in 2012 from a merger of several dissident factions. It opposes the Good Friday Agreement and seeks a united Ireland through armed struggle. While much smaller than the original IRA, it remains capable of carrying out attacks and is considered the most active of the dissident groups.
Q: Why were the three men found not guilty? The judge ruled that the evidence presented by the prosecution did not meet the standard required for a conviction. The men were accused of assisting or encouraging the murder, but the judge said the case against them had fallen short. The verdict was not a finding of innocence but a decision that the legal burden of proof had not been satisfied.
What happens next is unclear. The McKee family has vowed to continue their fight for justice, but without a conviction, the case may now be closed unless new evidence emerges. The verdict is likely to be seen as a setback for efforts to tackle paramilitary violence in Northern Ireland, and a reminder of the deep challenges that remain more than a quarter of a century after the Good Friday Agreement.