A new three-part documentary on Netflix, Should I Marry a Murderer?, tells the harrowing story of Caroline Muirhead, a pathologist who helped police catch her fiancé after he confessed to killing a cyclist. The series, directed by Josh Allcott, explores Muirhead's ordeal and the toxic love story that unfolded.
The Crime and Confession
In 2023, Scottish brothers Alexander and Robert McKellar were convicted in connection with the death of Tony Parsons, who disappeared while cycling between Bridge of Orchy and Tyndrum in 2017. Alexander McKellar pleaded guilty to culpable homicide and attempting to pervert the course of justice after hitting Parsons with his car, leaving him to die, and burying him on the hunting estate where he worked. However, for a long time, he did not know that his fiancée, Muirhead, played a key role in his arrest.
A Risky Act of Justice
Muirhead alerted police to the location of Parsons' body by leaving a Red Bull can at the site during a visit with McKellar, risking her life as he was carrying a gun. Director Josh Allcott said, "When I first heard the story, I couldn't believe that this was the real-life experience of a living person." Muirhead's actions turned her life upside down, leading to a complex and dangerous situation.
The Aftermath
After going to the police, Muirhead began secretly recording conversations with McKellar. However, the investigation took over a year, leaving her isolated and devastated. She lost her job, rekindled her romance with McKellar, and turned to drugs. Allcott noted, "It's a terrible, toxic love story that she found herself in." The brothers were eventually arrested, but Muirhead faced threats of arrest if she did not testify, leading to her own arrest when she panicked and failed to appear in court.
Legal Outcome
The prosecution reduced the murder charge to culpable homicide, and Alexander McKellar was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Robert McKellar received five years and three months for attempting to defeat the ends of justice. Tony Parsons, a 63-year-old former Navy officer, was on a charity bike ride when he was killed. His wife Margaret expressed pride in his charitable work.
Allcott hopes the documentary raises questions about how witnesses are treated in the justice system. "Perhaps if she had been treated differently, they would have been able to secure a different level of justice for Tony Parsons' family," he said. Should I Marry a Murderer? is now streaming on Netflix.
