Stephen McCullagh Found Guilty of Natalie McNally's Murder
Stephen McCullagh has been found guilty of the murder of Natalie McNally, who was killed on December 18, 2022, at her home in Silverwood Green, Lurgan. The verdict was delivered at Belfast Crown Court on March 23, 2026, following a trial that revealed a harrowing sequence of events.
Timeline of Key Events in the Natalie McNally Case
Here is a comprehensive timeline detailing the critical moments leading up to and following the murder, based on evidence presented during the trial.
August 7, 2022: Stephen McCullagh sent his first WhatsApp message to Natalie McNally after they connected on the dating app Bumble. His initial message read, "Hey Nat, it's that robot weirdo from Bumble," and they arranged their first date for that week. Over the next 133 days, they exchanged hundreds of messages. The prosecution noted that McCullagh had accessed Ms. McNally's phone and seen messages she had with other men.
October 2022: McCullagh met Ms. McNally's family for the first time, marking a significant step in their relationship.
November 2022: The McNally family was informed that the couple were expecting a baby, adding a layer of complexity to the case.
December 14/15, 2022: McCullagh pre-recorded a six-hour and four-minute gaming session titled "The Violent Night Christmas Live Gaming Stream." During this session, he played Grand Theft Auto while drinking alcohol, swearing, and repeatedly shouting at a character in the game to die. He mentioned multiple times that the broadcast would be live on Sunday, December 18.
December 16/17, 2022: McCullagh told friends he would broadcast a gaming session live on Sunday evening, further establishing his alibi.
December 18, 2022: This day marked the tragic murder of Natalie McNally. Ms. McNally was at McCullagh's home in Woodland Gardens, Lisburn, while he searched for bus and train timetables from Dunmurry to Lurgan. She later left to watch the World Cup final at her parents' home before returning to her house in Lurgan.
- 4:00 PM: McCullagh posted an advert on YouTube about his "live" gaming session.
- 5:57 PM: He messaged Ms. McNally, saying, "Off to stream the night away." She replied, "Good luck, I might have a peek at your livestream later."
- 6:00 PM: The pre-recorded livestream began, and McCullagh's phone became inactive.
- 6:36 PM: A man, identified by the prosecution as McCullagh, was captured on CCTV walking with a bag near his house.
- 7:36 PM: Bus CCTV showed the man with his face covered traveling from Dunmurry to Lurgan. He was tracked on multiple cameras moving toward Silverwood Green.
- 8:24 PM: Ms. McNally logged into YouTube to watch part of McCullagh's livestream.
- 8:51 PM: McCullagh entered Ms. McNally's house.
- 9:31 PM: He left her house.
- 9:49 PM: A man was seen on CCTV getting into a taxi near Fa Joe's bar in Lurgan.
- 11:12 PM: The taxi arrived at McCullagh's house in Lisburn, where he was seen throwing two items over a hedge.
- 11:16 PM: McCullagh's phone was unlocked and became active again.
December 19, 2022:
- 12:05 AM: The gaming broadcast recording was manually stopped.
- 12:08 AM: McCullagh messaged Ms. McNally.
- 5:05 PM: He messaged, "Are you ok?"
- 5:25 PM: He followed up with, "Getting a little worried, let me know you are safe."
- 6:55 PM: McCullagh ordered a KFC meal.
- 9:07 PM: He messaged, "Very concerned now."
- 9:59 PM: McCullagh arrived at Ms. McNally's house and made a 10-minute 999 call. He told emergency services, "Please come as soon as you can, she's pregnant, she's cold." When asked if the patient was breathing, he responded tearfully, "No, she's gone," adding, "there's blood everywhere." He revealed she was 15 weeks pregnant.
The trial heard that Ms. McNally suffered a "horrendous beating," with three stabs to the neck, multiple traumatic blows to her head, injuries consistent with throttling and choking, and was left with her face in a dog bowl. McCullagh was questioned by police, initially claiming he was livestreaming at the time and suggesting her ex-boyfriend might be responsible. He repeatedly answered "no comment" to key questions.
December 20, 2022: McCullagh was released by police at 7:34 AM.
December 24, 2022: The McNally family was told McCullagh was no longer a suspect.
December 25, 2022: McCullagh attended a wake for Ms. McNally at her parents' home on Christmas Day.
January 26, 2023: McCullagh visited the McNally family home again, leaving his phone behind and recording a 39-minute conversation of the family speaking before returning to retrieve it.
January 28, 2023: Over 1,000 people attended a rally in Lurgan in memory of Ms. McNally. McCullagh was present, and a video montage he created was played, describing him as "Natalie's loving partner."
January 31, 2023: McCullagh was arrested again by police.
February 1, 2023: During police interviews, McCullagh continued to answer "no comment" but was confronted with evidence that his gaming session had been pre-recorded. He later admitted in a statement that it was pre-recorded, claiming the true killer had framed him.
February 2, 2023: Stephen McCullagh was charged with the murder of Natalie McNally.
February 23, 2026: The trial began at Belfast Crown Court.
March 23, 2026: The jury found Stephen McCullagh guilty of murder, bringing a measure of justice for Natalie McNally and her family.
