Channel 4 documentary goes inside PSNI investigation into murder of journalist Lyra McKee

PSNI Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy, in Channel 4’s docuseries The Murder Detective

A major new three-part documentary offering an inside look at the seven-year police investigation into the murder of journalist Lyra McKee begins on Channel 4 tonight.

The Murder Detective follows the PSNI investigation from the night the 29-year-old journalist was shot dead during rioting in the Creggan area of Derry on 18 April 2019, through years of painstaking detective work and attempts to bring those responsible to justice.

The first episode airs at 9pm tonight, Wednesday 26 August, with the remaining episodes continuing at the same time on Thursday and Friday. The complete series is also available to stream on demand through Channel 4.

Seven years inside the investigation

Northern Ireland journalist and author Lyra McKee, who was shot dead during rioting in Londonderry in April 2019.

Filmed across seven years, the documentary was given extensive access to the detectives investigating one of Northern Ireland’s most high-profile murders.

At the centre of the series is former PSNI Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy, who led the major investigation into Ms McKee’s killing.

The opening episode follows Murphy and his team as they begin the hunt for the masked gunman who fired towards police during disorder in Creggan, fatally striking Ms McKee as she stood near police vehicles.

What initially begins as a search for one gunman develops into a much wider investigation involving those suspected of involvement with the New IRA, which claimed responsibility for the killing.

More than 150 witnesses – but a wall of silence

PSNI Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy, in Channel 4’s docuseries The Murder Detective

One of the central difficulties explored by the programme is the challenge detectives faced in securing witness evidence.

More than 150 people were reported to have been on the street when Ms McKee was killed, yet investigators struggled to persuade witnesses to come forward.

With the murder weapon initially missing and no eyewitness prepared to identify the gunman, detectives were forced to build their investigation through other evidence.

The series follows the team as forensic evidence, intelligence, CCTV and mobile phone footage gradually begin to provide new leads. The second episode sees the investigation enter a decisive stage after the recovery of a gun potentially linked to the murder and the emergence of a DNA lead.

Alongside the police investigation, the documentary also follows the devastating impact of Ms McKee’s death on her family, including her sister Nichola, as they wait for answers and justice.

Murder trial ended without murder convictions

The documentary arrives weeks after the conclusion of a lengthy trial arising from the investigation.

Three men accused of Ms McKee’s murder were acquitted in July following a non-jury trial at Belfast Crown Court. Seven defendants were ultimately acquitted, while others were convicted of lesser offences connected with events surrounding the disorder.

Former Detective Superintendent Murphy has subsequently spoken about the outcome of the case and difficulties with identification evidence used during the investigation.

The trial judge identified serious breaches of rules governing identification evidence, an issue Murphy discusses as part of the wider examination of why the investigation did not ultimately result in a conviction for Ms McKee’s murder.

‘Complex, high-risk police investigation’

The PSNI said the documentary provides an insight into the demanding work involved in a major murder investigation.

Promoting the series ahead of its first broadcast, the PSNI said:

“The series examines the murder of journalist Lyra McKee, and provides an insight into the complex and challenging work involved in a major investigation.”

Channel 4 describes The Murder Detective as a real-world thriller seven years in the making, telling the inside story of the complex and high-risk investigation into Ms McKee’s murder.

The series ultimately charts not only the search for the person who fired the fatal shot, but the extraordinary evidential and investigative challenges faced by detectives and the continuing consequences for a family still seeking justice seven years after Ms McKee’s death.

The Murder Detective begins tonight, Wednesday 26 August, at 9pm on Channel 4. Episodes two and three air at 9pm on Thursday and Friday respectively, while the full three-part series is available to stream on demand through Channel 4.