Three men were acquitted of the murder of journalist Lyra McKee, who was fatally shot during a riot in 2019 in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Paul McIntyre, 58, Peter Cavanagh, 38, and Jordan Gareth Devine, 25, faced a joint enterprise murder charge, accused of accompanying and aiding the gunman responsible for McKee’s death.

The incident occurred in the Creggan area of Londonderry, where McKee, 29, was reporting near police vehicles amid civil unrest. She was struck by a bullet to the head. The New IRA claimed responsibility for the killing.

The trial, conducted without a jury at Belfast Crown Court, involved a lengthy examination of evidence. Prosecutors relied primarily on circumstantial evidence linking the three defendants to the shooting. Judge Mrs Justice Smyth found the evidence against McIntyre, Cavanagh, and Devine insufficient to prove their involvement beyond a reasonable doubt and acquitted them of the murder charge.

At the time of reporting, the judge was continuing to deliver her verdict on other charges brought against the men. All three defendants are residents of Londonderry.

The case has attracted significant attention given McKee’s profile as a journalist and the circumstances surrounding her death in a period of heightened tensions in Northern Ireland. The verdict marks a significant development in a high-profile and complex legal proceeding.