£20,000 on offer to catch killers of murder suspect Kevin Conway who had priors for attacking policewomen, dealing cocaine, and launching spurious legal fights over his prison time

Crimestoppers (a charity independent of the police) has stumped up the cash to help catch the killers of Kevin Conway, aged 26.

The News Letter can also reveal that Conway has a history of attacking police and dealing cocaine as well as launching spurious legal challenges over the time he had to spend in jail, despite the leniency of his sentences.

Conway was believed by police to be a member of the drug gang The Firm and stood accused of murdering Shane Whitla in Lurgan in January 2023 over a drug debt, but was let out of prison on bail in February last year while awaiting trial.

In spite of breaching his bail terms and then absconding for two days (something which left his sister potentially forfeiting a £4,000 surety guaranteeing his cooperation), Conway was again admitted to bail a few weeks later.

Then last Tuesday, January 9, night he was shot dead in a house in west Belfast.

The police in charge of the investigation lamented Conway's death, with Detective Inspector Gina Quinn describing him as a father, son, and brother who was brutally murdered in his own home.

“He was shot multiple times and, sadly, was pronounced dead at the scene,” she said on Wednesday.

“My thoughts are with Kevin’s family and loved ones, who are today left trying to come to terms with their loss. And I know the wider community remains in shock.

“This isn’t about what Kevin may or may not have been linked to... this is about trying to find his killers."

The News Letter has unearthed some of Conway's previous convictions.

In Craigavon courthouse in November 2020 he was sentenced after being caught dealing class A, B and C drugs - namely (in order) cocaine, cannabis, and pregabalin.

Pregabalin is a legitimate medicine used to treat anxiety and epilepsy, but it is also prone to being abused.

He was given eight months in jail, plus another 12 on licence.

Later that same month he was sentenced at the same court for assaulting a policeman, resisting another, and assaulting two policewomen, causing criminal damage to a van, a police cell, and committing public disorder in Portadown Road, Lurgan.

In that case, he was given a four-month jail sentence.

However, this was to run concurrently with the jail term he was already serving – meaning that his net prison time for the assaults, damage, and disorder was effectively zero.

In March 2021 he was sentenced for cannabis possession and cannabis dealing at the same court, and given seven months in jail and 14 months on licence.

This was to be served concurrently with his existing sentence so, once again, the net result of this latest conviction was more-or-less zero.

Later on in 2021, Conway sought a judicial review of his sentences.

His lawyers – two barristers and a firm of solicitors – argued that whilst he was due to be released from jail on October 15, 2021, the authorities had miscalculated this, and in fact his release date should have been earlier.

Mr Justice Colton considered the arguments and rejected them in December 2021.

This rejection was then appealed, and two more judges – Mr Justice Treacy and Humphries – threw out the appeal in March 2022.