Paranoid criminal murdered teen after becoming ‘spooked’ as he delivered pizza to him

Conor O’Brien was just 19 years of age when he was gunned down by criminal Earl McKevitt outside his home in rural Co Meath in August 2021.

Yesterday, Dubliner McKevitt pleaded guilty to murdering Mr O’Brien on a date between August 26 and August 27 2021.

The 19-year-old was discovered with a gunshot wound to his chest outside the property where he was living on the Trim Road, Enfield.

The horrific events unfolded 18 months ago when Mr McKevitt armed himself with a gun whilst doing his delivery rounds after gardai warned him about a threat to his life.

It’s reported McKevitt’s life was at risk from a crime gang when he carried out the killing.

He is known to gardaí for involvement in serious crime and has previously served prison terms both here and in the UK.

This includes a lengthy prison sentence over an attack on a State-linked body.

It is believed the completely innocent teen was shot after ordering food on the Thursday evening.

Neighbours reported hearing a loud bang around 8.30pm.

Conor's body was discovered lying in the driveway of the house around 7am the next morning.

He had been staying in the property for only a matter of months.

Originally from Gorey Co. Wexford, he was due to start an apprenticeship course in Limerick the following week and family members were due to help him move his belongings that weekend.

McKevitt, arraigned before the Central Criminal Court on Thursday morning, McKevitt pleaded guilty to the single charge of murdering Mr O'Brien.

The judge remanded McKevitt, of Avondale Park in Blanchardstown in Dublin 15, in custody until March 3, when he will be sentenced.

He was also charged with five firearms offences relating to an incident at a Carlow hotel in the days after the murder.

This week before he pleaded guilty to murder, the court heard that McKevitt could be arraigned on count one on the indictment. It also heard that further counts may be required in due course.

The Sunday World previously that Conor's mother and father were alerted to the tragedy by a relative living in the main house attached to Conor's apartment.

That neighbour told the Sunday World they heard the bang from the gunshot but simply hadn't attached any importance to it.

"We did hear a bang, it was like a shot, at about 8.30pm,” he said.

"It was before it was dark because when we looked out, we saw all the birds flying from the trees.

"I said: 'What the hell was that?'

"It was just like a loud bang. We didn't think any more of it and we just sat back down and started watching the telly again."

Another neighbour at the time said the thoughts of everyone in the area were with Conor's family.

"God help the poor people. It's just unbelievable … why would anyone do that to a 19-year-old. He's just a child,” she said at the time.