A new Netflix docuseries, 'Should I Marry a Murderer?', tells the story of Caroline Muirhead, a pathologist who helped police catch her fiancé after discovering he had killed a cyclist. Muirhead met Scottish farmer Sandy McKellar on Tinder and fell in love, accepting his marriage proposal after a whirlwind romance. However, McKellar later confessed to a hit-and-run accident that killed cyclist Tony Parsons, whose body he and his twin brother Robert buried in a peat bog.
Muirhead went to the police, who asked her to locate the body. She marked the burial site with a Red Bull can and continued her relationship with McKellar to gather evidence, despite being in a state of terror. The police promised to keep her identity secret, but she felt unable to leave safely. She recorded conversations and provided further information, including that Parsons was not killed instantly but left to die.
The series highlights the lack of support Muirhead received from police. She was not given protection or extra security, and when officers arrested the twins, a detective shouted her name in front of McKellar, revealing her role. Muirhead turned to drink and drugs, and her pleas for help were ignored. David Green, head of homicide and major crime in Scotland from 2019 to 2023, dismissed her situation, saying he 'would have run a mile' and noting she was 'a highly intelligent, fully qualified doctor'.
The documentary also features defence counsel Brian McConnachie KC, who appears dismissive of Muirhead's ordeal. The series serves as a stark reminder of the bravery of women like Muirhead, who risked everything to bring a killer to justice, only to be failed by the system meant to protect her.
