Sixty-six-year-old Edward Byrne, a retired father-of-three and devoted grandfather, lived a simple life in Knotty Ash, Liverpool, England. He spent his days pottering in his garden and enjoying time with family. Described by loved ones as a “lovely man,” Edward had no known ties to crime or violence and no known enemies.
On the fateful night of January 3rd, 2003, after spending the day drinking with relatives, he decided to pop into his local, the Yew Tree Pub on Finch Lane, to see if any old friends were around for a New Year drink.
Shortly after eleven twenty-five p.m., Byrne was standing by the bar when a lone gunman entered the pub. Witnesses reported that the assailant walked purposefully toward Edward, screamed obscenities and a “personal insult” at him, and fired a single shot to the head from about five feet away. Edward collapsed in a pool of blood as frantic patrons tried to help him. He was rushed to Whiston Hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
The gunman fled the scene immediately, escaping into the night. No arrests were ever made, and the motive remains a mystery.
From the outset, police and Edward’s family believed the shooting may have been a tragic mistake. His daughter publicly stated she thought the gunman had targeted the wrong person, possibly confusing Edward for someone else involved in a dispute.
Investigators explored the possibility that the killer intended to hit someone else in the pub—or even went to the wrong establishment altogether. Despite interviewing everyone present that night and pursuing numerous leads, no clear suspect emerged. The case highlighted the chilling randomness of gun violence in early 2000s Liverpool, a period marked by occasional gang-related incidents, though Edward himself appeared entirely unconnected to such worlds.
Merseyside Police have repeatedly appealed for information, revisiting the case as part of broader efforts to solve cold cases. As recently as 2024, the Liverpool Echo highlighted Edward Byrne’s killing in a feature on unsolved murders, noting detectives’ continued determination to crack it. Despite their efforts, however, the killer remains unknown more than twenty-three years later.
Crime Immemorial 