Stephen McCullagh staged a fake gaming livestream as an alibi while he killed his pregnant girlfriend Natalie McNally. He then pretended to discover her body. He was sentenced to life with a minimum of 31 years.
A YouTuber who staged a sinister fake gaming livestream to cover up the murder of his pregnant girlfriend has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 31 years.
Stephen McCullagh, 32, killed Natalie McNally at her home in Lurgan, County Armagh, on December 18, 2022. The 32-year-old was 15 weeks pregnant with his child. McCullagh had pre-recorded a Christmas-themed livestream of himself playing Grand Theft Auto, titled No Time To Die, and broadcast it while he was actually at McNally's home beating, strangling, and stabbing her to death.
During the six-hour stream, he repeatedly told viewers it was Sunday and claimed the live chat functionality was malfunctioning, both lies to cover his absence. McNally had logged in to watch the stream shortly before he arrived, believing he was at home. He was at her house for just 40 minutes, during which he inflicted three stab wounds to her neck, multiple traumatic blows to the head, and injuries consistent with strangulation.
He left her face down in a dog bowl. The following day, McCullagh returned to the house and made a mock-hysterical 999 call, pretending to discover her body. He sobbed to the operator: No... she's cold. There's blood everywhere.
McCullagh had 37,000 YouTube subscribers and sought to frame McNally's ex-boyfriend for the murder. He even attended her wake on Christmas Day at her parents' home and a public rally in her memory on January 28, where he was described as her loving partner. Police initially ruled him out as a suspect after arresting him on December 19, but at the end of January, they arrested him after deducing the livestream was fake and charged him with murder.
The fake stream remained available on his channel until he was found guilty in March. At his sentencing in Belfast Crown Court, McCullagh, wearing a grey t-shirt and tracksuit bottoms, showed no emotion as he was handed a life sentence with a minimum tariff of 31 years. Trial judge Mr Justice Kinney described the livestream as an integral part of his plan to murder McNally. He said the attack was brutal and frenzied, but also cold-blooded and calculated.
The judge noted that McCullagh had never given any explanation for his actions and had even been comforted by the victim's family at her wake. In a social media post weeks after the killing, McCullagh wrote: I don't think I ever will fully be myself again. I've just lost too much. But I'm still here.
The judge said his culpability was extremely high. Outside court, McNally's father, Notel, expressed hope that the sentence would act as a deterrent to others. He said: Over the past three and a half years, our family have been through unimaginable pain and grief from the loss of our beautiful Natalie. The case highlights the deadly intersection of domestic violence and digital deception, as McCullagh used his online persona to construct an alibi for a premeditated murder.
The court heard that McNally had slept with a former boyfriend in October 2022, two months after starting a relationship with McCullagh, and had been in contact with other men. Prosecutors suggested this may have been a motive. McCullagh had previously assaulted an ex-girlfriend after she shared intimate images with another man. The sentence was welcomed by women's rights advocates as a step toward justice for victims of intimate partner violence
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YouTuber Who Faked Gaming Livestream to Cover Up Pregnant Girlfriend's Murder Gets 31 YearsStephen McCullagh was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 31 years for the murder of his pregnant girlfriend, Natalie McNally. He faked a six-hour gaming livestream as an alibi, then beat, strangled, and stabbed her in a frenzied attack. He later attempted to frame her ex-boyfriend and attended her wake.
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YouTuber Who Murdered Pregnant Girlfriend During Fake Livestream Sentenced to 31 Years MinimumStephen McCullagh received a life sentence with a minimum of 31 years for killing his pregnant girlfriend, Natalie McNally, while using a pre-recorded gaming stream as an alibi. The judge called the murder brutal, frenzied, and calculated.
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