Veronica Guerin – Status: Solved – Targeting Journalists is a Crime

Miguel Ángel López Velasco – Status: In Progress & Under Investigation

August 25, 2025

Veronica Guerin was murdered on June 26, 1996, in Dublin when two men on a motorcycle shot her while she sat at a traffic light. She had been reporting fearlessly on Ireland’s powerful drug gangs. Her killing shocked the nation and led to major anti-crime reforms.

Veronica Guerin’s last words/work: “I did very well. Ah, fined a maximum of £150. Alt…”

Journalist Information:

Name: Veronica Guerin

Age: 37

Gender: female

DOB: 05/07/1959

Nationality: Irish

Last company worked for: Sunday Independent

Family: She left behind her husband Graham Turley and their young son Cathal, who was just six years old at the time.

Incident Information:

Date of incident – June 26, 1996

Location of the incident – Dublin, Ireland

Offense victim of: Assassination

Weapons included – Gun

Suspect(s) Information:

Name: Brian Meehan & John Gilligan

Proof of Targeting the Journalist: Veronica Guerin had been shot in the leg, her home attacked, and repeatedly threatened for exposing Dublin’s drug lords. She defiantly said, “If I was intimidated, then they’ve won.” These threats and her public assassination proved she was deliberately targeted.

Reason for Killing: Veronica Guerin was killed because her fearless reporting in the Sunday Independent exposed Dublin’s powerful drug gangs, threatening their operations and profits. Her investigations named and shamed key figures, and the gangs ordered her assassination to silence her and intimidate other journalists from digging into their criminal networks.

Progress of the Case: Brian Meehan, convicted for Veronica Guerin’s 1996 murder, is still serving a life sentence but has recently been allowed unescorted day releases as part of rehabilitation. He continues to appeal his conviction, while gang leader John Gilligan, acquitted of her murder, remains linked to organized crime.

Success Factor in the Case: The key success factor was massive public outrage after her murder, which drove new anti-gang laws, the Criminal Assets Bureau, and Brian Meehan’s conviction.