A man who used a prerecorded gaming livestream as an alibi has been convicted of murdering his pregnant girlfriend. Stephen McCullagh, 36, was found guilty at Belfast Crown Court of killing Natalie McNally, 32, in December 2022.
McCullagh had uploaded a six-hour video of himself playing Grand Theft Auto to his YouTube channel, telling subscribers he would not leave the house. In reality, he travelled 17 miles to McNally's home in Lurgan, County Armagh, where he stabbed, strangled, and beat her. The prosecution described the plot as 'sophisticated, calculated and cool-headed'.
The court heard that McCullagh had been controlling with a former partner and that his relationship with McNally had become strained after she became pregnant. On the night of the murder, he wore a disguise and took a bus to her home, later returning by taxi.
After the killing, McCullagh appeared grief-stricken at McNally's wake and even left his phone recording at her parents' home to monitor their suspicions. Police eventually discovered the livestream was prerecorded, leading to his arrest.
McNally's family described her as kind, generous, and fiercely independent. She had type 1 diabetes but lived a full life, working in marketing. McCullagh will be sentenced at a later date.
