IRA accused sent text to victim's wife's phone minutes before he was shot dead, trial hears

A trial at the Special Criminal Court has heard that a text message was sent to the wife of murder victim Peter Butterly minutes before he was shot dead in March 2013. Laurence Murphy, aged 62, of Bettystown, County Meath, and Ray Kennedy, aged 39, of Blanchardstown, Dublin, have pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the IRA on the date in question. Detective Garda evidence…