Man who was killed in west Belfast gun attack was murder accused and alleged gang member Kevin Conway, aged 26

Conway, who was aged 26, was murdered in his home in the Greenan area of the city, just off Shaws Road in the Andersonstown district, on Tuesday night.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil McGuinness said: “My thoughts are with Mr Conway’s family, who are left trying to come to terms with their loss.”

Police are appealing to anyone with information to contact detectives on 101, quoting reference 1714 09/01/2024.

Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org

On January 20, 2023, Conway was remanded in custody charged with murder (a charge he faced alongside two co-accused).

Conway, who had a prior record for drugs, was then aged 25 and had an address at Deeny Drive in Lurgan.

He had been accused of killing 39-year-old father-of-four Shane Whitla on January 12 last year, but his defence solicitor said he “had totally denied any involvement in this murder” adding that he was "anxious to apply for bail".

Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell said at the time that Mr Whitla "had been shot a number of times, including once in the back" and described the attack as "brutal" and "cowardly".

Mr Whitla was shot in an alleyway off Woodville Street, between the train line and Lord Lurgan Park, and then stumbled into the park itself where he was found.

Police believe the motive was a drug debt Mr Whitla owed.

Conway was allegedly a member of a gang called The Firm, which was said to be subject to dissident republican threat.

Conway was accused of phoning Whitla and luring him to his death.

A bail hearing in February 2023 was told Conway, while on remand in prison, had been made aware of a threat against himself, and was moved out of the general population and into a 23-hour lockdown regime in his cell.

Overruling police objections, judge DJ Kelly granted Conway bail, with conditions including wearing a tag, keeping off the internet, and not drinking alcohol.

A £4,000 surety was also put up by his sister to guarantee his co-operation.

Nonetheless, in June Conway absconded, fleeing from police in his socks when they turned up to arrest him after allegations that he was breaching his bail conditions – a move which meant his sister was in danger of forfeiting the surety money (though the court allowed her to keep it in the end).

Conway handed himself in two days later.

A few weeks after that, Mr Justice Fowler said Conway could be bailed again, but this time on a £10,000 surety.

Conway was also reportedly the son of Kevin Conway Senior, who had been killed in Lurgan on February 18, 1998, and had previously received a punishment beating from the IRA.

The book Lost Lives says that Conway Senior’s neighbours described him as “a dealer who traded in alcohol, cigarettes and other goods”, and that whilst the IRA had not claimed the killing, it was the group responsible.

Conway Senior had been aged 30 at the time of his death and had four children, one of whom was aged four months and had been left alone in his house when he disappeared.

His hands had been tied, and he was found shot in the head at a farmhouse.