The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has reopened two sectarian murder cases from the 1980s and 1990s.
Detectives from the PSNI’s legacy investigation branch, which reinvestigates unsolved Troubles-related killings, have appealed for information about the murders of Catholics John Devine and John O’Hara in 1989 and 1991.
The murders were carried out by loyalist paramilitaries and remain unsolved, although the PSNI said they had reopened the case after new information was received by detectives.
DI Neil McGuinness, from the branch, said: “On 23 July 1989, John Benedict Devine was shot dead in his home in the Fallswater Street area of west Belfast. At around 2pm, the 37-year-old married father was sitting in the living room of his home with his 13-year-old son when three men forced their way in and fired shots at him before escaping in a blue Vauxhall Cavalier taxi.
“On 17 April 1991, John Joseph Gerard O’Hara was shot in the Dunluce Avenue area of south Belfast. The 41-year-old married father was working as a temporary taxi driver for the night.
“He had gone to the area at approximately 10.15pm to pick up a passenger when he was approached by two masked men who fired several shots at the vehicle, fatally injuring him. The men then fled on foot down an entry between 124 and 126 Dunluce Avenue. “
McGuinness described the victims as innocent Catholics who were murdered for no other reason than their religion.
He added: “As a result of information we have recently received, we believe we are now in a position to progress both these investigations – however, we need the help of the public.
“I am appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time of either of the murders, or anyone who has information in relation to the activities of loyalists in the area in the late 80s and early 90s to come forward.
“Many years have now passed since these tragic events and no-one has ever been charged in relation to them. However, we believe there are still people out there who can help us find those responsible and I would urge them to contact detectives.”
An unspecified loyalist terror group killed John Devine while gunmen from the Ulster Defence Association’s South Belfast Brigade murdered John O’Hara.
The Devine murder in 1989 took place in the year when both loyalist paramilitary groups, the UDA and the Ulster Volunteer Force, started to intensify attacks on the nationalist community and within two years started to out-kill the IRA.
