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Three Men accused of Lyra McKee killing in 2019 are found not guilty after lengthy non-jury trial

Friday, 3 July 2026 15:42

Three men have been found not guilty of the 2019 murder of 29-year-old LGBTQ+ journalist Lyra McKee in a Northern Ireland court ruling today.

Paul Mcintyre, 56; Peter Cavanaagh, 35; and Jordan Devine, 23, all of Londonderry, were all handed not guilty verdicts by Judge Mrs Justice Smyth during the non-jury trial. The men were first charged in 2023.

Peter Cavanagh, Jordan Gareth Devine and Paul McIntyre. Pic: PA

Prosecutors said that all three men had assisted and/or encouraged the gunman, all three men denied the charge as well as a number of others which included possession of the handgun, which was recovered by Police Investigators three days later.

Days after her killing, the self-styled New IRA admitted responsibility for the incident, saying she was "tragically killed while standing beside enemy forces".

Lyra, who was Sky News Young Journalist of the year in 2006, was described as a “a hero to many in the LGBT Community” had written a letter to my 14-year-old self, in it she talked about facing challenging times at school and the moment she came out as gay to her mother.

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