Cold-blooded, ruthless, and filled with bizarre excuses—if Stephen McCullagh’s plan to murder his pregnant partner had been part of a video game storyline, it might have been dismissed as too unrealistic.
But when he first appeared in court in early 2023, it became clear that—according to authorities—he not only murdered Natalie McNally but also constructed an intricate and carefully planned web of lies to escape justice.
His tears when police arrived, the 999 emergency call, and his claim that Natalie’s ex-partner was responsible—all were part of the plan.
In the days and weeks after her death, he even stayed close to her family, going so far as to secretly try to monitor their private conversations.
And he had an alibi: a six-hour YouTube gaming “live stream” broadcast the night before Natalie’s body was discovered—later proven to be a pre-recorded deception.
For more than a month after the murder, 36-year-old McCullagh believed he had been removed from the list of suspects.
But three years later, during a five-week trial, all his lies were exposed before the jury.
What Happened on the Night of Natalie’s Death?
On December 18, 2022, at around 16:00 GMT, McCullagh told his thousands of subscribers he would go live on YouTube at 18:00.
The stream was titled “Violent Night.”
It showed him playing games like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Robot Wars, drinking alcohol, vaping, and talking to the camera.
Unusually, he told viewers he wouldn’t be able to respond to comments due to technical issues—something uncommon for live streams.
In reality, the stream wasn’t live at all.
A digital forensic analyst told the court that evidence showed the six-hour stream had been recorded four days earlier. It was later shut down and deleted shortly after midnight on December 19.
During the time it was supposedly airing, McCullagh was committing the murder.
“I Have to Finish Her”
Clips from the stream played during the trial included references to violence, crime, and their relationship.
At the time Natalie was believed to be under attack, McCullagh was playing a mission in Grand Theft Auto that involved killing a woman.
During this, he was heard singing aggressively: “I have to finish her.”
About ten minutes later, he verbally abused Natalie—his only direct reference to her in the stream.
Minutes later, the stream cut to a strange, unrelated image of a James Bond film poster (No Time to Die).
He never explained these moments, as he refused to testify in court.
A Brutal Murder
Hours before the stream was posted, Natalie had been at her parents’ home watching the World Cup final and having dinner.
She later drove back to her home around 19:00.
Meanwhile, McCullagh traveled from Lisburn to Lurgan, dressed in black, wearing gloves, and covering part of his face, carrying a green shopping bag.
He had already studied bus and train schedules beforehand.
After arriving, he walked to Natalie’s home and carried out a brutal attack between 20:50 and 21:30.
She was stabbed, strangled, and struck on the head at least five times with a heavy object.
His return journey was largely captured on CCTV.
Before leaving, he changed his clothes. Later, he tricked a taxi driver into taking him back to his home in Lisburn.
Once home, he ended the stream and deleted the pre-recorded file.
The Fake Grief and Arrest
After the murder, McCullagh sent messages from Natalie’s phone and contacted a friend to strengthen his alibi.
He suggested Natalie was upset with him and hinted at health issues.
That same evening, he went to her home and made a 999 call, crying and claiming she was dead, even attempting CPR.
Prosecutors said it was all staged.
He blamed Natalie’s allegedly abusive ex-partner and mentioned his live stream as proof of innocence.
He was arrested at the scene but later released, as police initially accepted his alibi and even told him he was no longer a suspect.
The ex-partner he accused was also arrested but released after providing a verified alibi.
A Chilling Deception
For weeks, McCullagh posed as a grieving boyfriend.
He attended Natalie’s funeral, visited her grave, and stayed in touch with her family.
He even created a tribute video for her.
In one disturbing act, he left his phone at her family’s home to secretly record their private conversations, later claiming it was accidental.
Evidence showed he had previously recorded a former partner’s private counseling session as well.
Motive Remains Unclear
The exact motive was never definitively established.
McCullagh denied the murder, offered no explanation for the fake live stream, and refused to testify.
However, the court heard that Natalie had been messaging other men in the months before her death and had considered ending the relationship.
It is believed McCullagh may have accessed her phone and read those messages.
He had also previously been arrested for assaulting a former girlfriend after reading her messages.
Still, jealousy alone does not fully explain the complexity of the plan.
It was a meticulously crafted scheme—but one that ultimately collapsed completely under scrutiny.