Billy Wright was a prominent figure in the loyalist paramilitary community, known for his leadership of the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF). His actions during the Troubles, a period of conflict in Northern Ireland from the late 1960s until the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, were marked by violence and controversy. Wright was convicted of several murders and was serving a life sentence at the time of his death. On December 27, 1997, he was shot dead by INLA members while in the Maze Prison, an institution notorious for housing many of the region's paramilitary prisoners.

Wright's assassination was not merely the death of a militant; it symbolized the deep-seated violence that characterized Northern Ireland during the Troubles. The INLA, a group committed to ending British rule in Ireland, targeted Wright as part of the ongoing long-standing feud between loyalist and republican factions. Following his death, there were significant repercussions, including reprisals by the LVF and escalated tensions within the prison and broader community.

The aftermath of Wright's assassination further complicated the peace process that was ongoing at the time. His death brought about fears of a resurgence in militant activity from loyalist groups, demonstrating the fragility of the peace negotiations that were being pursued. The fact that he was killed while incarcerated indicated the extent to which paramilitary rivalries persisted, even among those behind bars, and foreshadowed ongoing conflict and violence in Northern Ireland over the following years.