Caroline Muirhead has been to hell and back after her fiancé revealed a dark secret he had hidden for years. In a new three-part Netflix series, she recounts her extraordinary and harrowing story.
A Whirlwind Romance
Caroline met Alexander 'Sandy' McKellar, and they quickly became inseparable, spending every spare moment together at the Auch Estate in the Scottish Highlands. Their romance in 2020, filled with partying and country pursuits, led to a swift engagement. But then Sandy confessed a secret that turned Caroline's world upside down.
'It was something so vile, it flipped my entire world upside down,' she says in the documentary. While driving over the limit near his estate, Sandy admitted he had 'hit a cyclist' and the man had 'flown over the car'. When Caroline asked if the man survived, Sandy chillingly replied that he had been hit at high speed and was buried beneath the clay pigeon shooting range.
The Victim
The man Sandy killed was Tony Parsons, a 63-year-old cancer survivor from Clackmannanshire, who vanished in 2017 while on a 100-mile charity bike ride. Caroline was forced into an impossible position: stay loyal to the man she loved or report him to the police. 'I knew I had to hand in the man I loved,' she says.
However, Caroline did not immediately go to the police. She allowed Sandy to meet her parents before eventually informing the authorities. Feeling 'like a rat', she continued communicating with Sandy while feeding information to the police, who arrested him and his twin brother Robert, who was also in the car.
Twisted Aftermath
The brothers were released without charge and did not suspect Caroline. Despite the danger, Caroline continued seeing Sandy, even marking Parsons' grave. Their relationship became more twisted, with heavy drinking and drug use during lockdown. She recorded a drunken confession from Sandy at her Glasgow flat.
Caroline felt unsupported by the police, and her actions appeared bizarre. Even after Parsons' body was found in January 2021 and Sandy knew she was responsible for his arrest, they still saw each other. Sandy admitted that Parsons did not die immediately; they waited for him to die, changed cars and clothes, and buried him a day later.
Justifying her continued involvement, Caroline says: 'I was so broken... Sandy would send little photos or videos saying he missed me. I had handed him in and ruined his life. He should hate me. It made me feel loved.' She recorded another conversation where Sandy called Parsons a 'stupid c***' for being there.
Justice and Aftermath
In December 2021, the twins were rearrested. They attempted to plead guilty to causing death by dangerous driving but were charged with murder. Caroline, due to testify, broke down and failed to appear in court, instead searching for more evidence in the Highlands. The Crown accepted a reduced plea of culpable homicide. Alexander McKellar was sentenced to 12 years, and Robert to five years and three months for defeating the ends of justice.
Judge Lord Armstrong said the brothers caused 'devastating loss and emotional ongoing harm' to Parsons' family. Caroline has since moved on, living by the coast, receiving psychiatric support, and starting a new relationship. She says of Sandy: 'He did take an innocent man's life. So for me he is a coward and a killer.'
Caroline is pushing for greater witness protection. 'When I came forward... I trusted that the system would stand by me... but that wasn't my experience. I hope by speaking out... we can start an honest conversation about greater protection for victims and witnesses.' She emphasises the need for trauma-informed approaches in police and court systems.
Making the documentary was cathartic, she says: 'For the first time in several years, I now have hope for the future.'
Should I Marry A Murderer? launches on Netflix on April 29.
