A YouTuber who staged a prerecorded livestream to create a false alibi has been sentenced to 31 years in prison for the murder of his pregnant partner. Stephen McCullagh, 36, was convicted of killing Natalie McNally, 32, at her home in Lurgan, Northern Ireland, on 18 December 2022.
Mr Justice Kinney described the murder as 'cold-blooded and calculated,' noting McCullagh's meticulous planning. The judge said he found it 'difficult to find words' to express his abhorrence at the brutal attack, which involved stabbing, strangulation, and bludgeoning. McCullagh had also placed McNally's face in a dog bowl after the attack, an act the judge said was intended to punish and humiliate her.
McCullagh had prerecorded a session of himself playing Grand Theft Auto four nights before the murder and broadcast it on his YouTube channel on the night of the killing. In the video, he wore a Santa hat, ate snacks, drank Guinness, and joked, saying, 'I am not leaving the house tonight.' The ruse initially led police to release him after his arrest.
Prosecutor Catherine Kierans called the case 'chilling' and the alibi an 'elaborate charade.' She noted McCullagh's forensic awareness, disguise, and attempts to frame an ex-partner. After the murder, McCullagh attended McNally's wake, appearing grief-stricken, and was allowed time alone with her coffin. He also left a recording device at the family home to spy on them.
McNally's father, Noel, said the family is 'serving a life sentence' since her murder but hoped the sentence would serve as a deterrent against violence against women and girls.
