Virginia McCullough jailed for 36 years for murdering parents
Woman Sentenced For Killing Parents, Hiding Bodies
"You apprehended the culprit": McCullough's admission captured on police body camera.
A woman described as "manipulative" has been sentenced to life in prison after killing her parents and living with their bodies in their family home for four years.
In September 2023, the bodies of Lois and John McCullough, who were 71 and 70 years old, were discovered in sleeping bags at their home in Great Baddow, Essex.
Virginia McCullough, 36, confessed to killing her father by poisoning him and then putting his body in a makeshift tomb. She also admitted to stabbing her mother to death in June 2019.
The accused, who remarked to the police, "Don't worry, at least you've caught the culprit," is mandated to serve at least 36 years in prison before being eligible for parole.
She accumulated significant credit card debt using her parents' names, and after they passed away, she kept using their pension funds.
Essex Police stated that the documents found at the couple's residence revealed that the woman was intensely trying to hide the extent of her financial troubles from her parents, all while misleading them about her job and her future opportunities.
McCollough, who had earlier confessed to two murder charges, received her sentence at Chelmsford Crown Court. She remained expressionless as she was taken away.
Det Supt Rob Kirby, who leads the major crime unit at Essex Police, stated that the case had "shocked and horrified" even the most seasoned murder detectives in the force.
He stated that McCullough had spun an intricate web of deceit "on an astonishing and massive level" and characterized her as "a clever and skilled manipulator."
In September 2023, a search was initiated for Mr. and Mrs. McCullough after their doctor expressed worry about not having heard from them.
Authorities grew wary of the couple's daughter because she frequently provided excuses for where her parents were. This led them to obtain a search warrant and visit the family's residence.
Source of the image: Provided by the family.
Lois and John McCullough's bodies were found in various locations throughout their home, wrapped up in sleeping bags.
The body camera footage captured McCullough confessing to the murders to the officers who were arresting him. He even said, "Don't be so down; at least you've caught the real criminal."
She admitted to the authorities that she mixed together a "combination of drugs" to harm her parents on June 17, 2019, just a few days after trying out the mixture on her father as a "test subject."
According to prosecutor Lisa Wilding KC, McCullough secretly poisoned her father by crushing prescription medication and mixing it into his drinks containing alcohol.
Mr. McCullough suffered deadly consequences, while Mrs. McCullough received a milder dose and was just put into a state of sedation.
Photo credit: Essex Police
Virginia McCullough spent four years living with the bodies of her parents.
The next morning, while her mother was listening to the radio in bed, McCollough attacked her with a hammer and subsequently stabbed her several times in the chest with a kitchen knife.
Driven by the fear that her mother might uncover the truth about what happened to Mr. McCullough, she made the drastic choice to take her mother’s life.
The court was informed that Mr. McCullough's body was concealed in a "makeshift tomb" built from masonry blocks in his office.
Mrs. McCullough's remains were discovered inside a sleeping bag, hidden in a closet on the upper floor.
Photo credit: Essex Police
John McCullough's body was hidden in a makeshift grave created in his office on the lower level.
McCullough informed the police, "As I was striking her, it felt as though someone was awkwardly playing a xylophone, just haphazardly."
After the killings, the accused headed to Chelmsford city center, where she bought disposable gloves and sleeping bags using her father's credit card.
After hiding the bodies, McCullough continued to repeatedly deceive others about her parents' location. She canceled family plans and told doctors and friends that her parents were either sick or away on vacation, according to Ms. Wilding.
"The prosecutor remarked that the Covid restrictions turned out to be fortunate for this defendant as she continued to pretend that her parents were still living."
Photo credit: Essex Police
Virginia McCullough has been sentenced to at least 36 years in prison.
The court was informed that McCullough gained £149,697 from the killing of her parents. This amount came from their pensions, charges made on their credit cards, and the sale of their belongings.
Ms. Wilding noted that the funds seemed to have been squandered rather than invested in costly or extravagant purchases, mentioning that £21,000 was spent on online gambling from 2019 to 2023.
Richard Butcher, Lois McCullough's brother, expressed in a victim impact statement that his niece posed a significant threat and that the events had shaken his belief in humanity.
Image credit: Family contribution
Lois and John McCullough were misled by their daughter, who painted an optimistic picture of her future possibilities.
During the sentencing, Mr. Justice Jeremy Johnson told McCullough, "You value money more than you value people."
Your parents had the right to feel secure in their own beds and at home, as well as to have a sense of safety when it came to their daughter.
"However, you intentionally and thoughtfully chose to take the lives of both of your parents."
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