Three Men Walk Free in Lyra McKee Murder Trial

A Belfast court acquitted all three defendants Thursday in the 2019 killing of journalist Lyra McKee, shot dead during rioting on the streets of Londonderry.

All three defendants were found not guilty of murdering journalist Lyra McKee.
McKee was shot and killed in April 2019 while observing rioting in the Creggan area of Londonderry.
The New IRA later claimed responsibility for the shooting.
No one has been convicted in connection with McKee's death.
The verdict closes a five-year legal pursuit that began with McKee's killing at age 29.

A Belfast court acquitted three men Thursday of murdering journalist Lyra McKee, leaving her 2019 killing without a conviction six years after her death.

McKee, 29, was shot while observing rioting in the Creggan area of Londonderry on 18 April 2019. The New IRA subsequently claimed responsibility for the killing.

The verdict lands after years of police investigation and a prosecution that failed to secure a guilty finding against any of the three defendants tried in the case.

McKee had been a rising figure in Northern Irish journalism, known for her reporting on the legacy of the Troubles. Her death drew an outpouring of grief from across political and community lines in Northern Ireland and the Republic.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland had faced sustained pressure to bring those responsible to justice. Thursday's acquittals leave that demand unanswered.

It is not yet known whether investigators will pursue further lines of inquiry. The PSNI has not publicly indicated whether additional charges remain under consideration.