Woman Sentenced for Murdering Parents and Concealing Bodies for Four Years

Virginia McCullough, a 36-year-old woman, has admitted to murdering her parents, John and Lois McCullough, in 2019 and keeping their bodies hidden for four years. The grim details of the case were revealed during her sentencing at Chelmsford Crown Court.

McCullough was reported to have poisoned her father, aged 70, with a mixture of prescription drugs and fatally stabbed her 71-year-old mother with a kitchen knife. Her actions were described by prosecutor Lisa Wilding KC as “pre-meditated,” underpinned by a motive of financial gain.

The court heard that after committing the murders in their home in Great Baddow, Essex, McCullough constructed a “makeshift tomb” for her father’s body in a ground floor room and concealed her mother’s body in a wardrobe wrapped in a sleeping bag.

Over the four years, McCullough continued to live in the house while stealing a substantial amount of money, nearly £150,000, from her deceased parents’ pensions and benefits. These criminal activities remained undetected until a GP’s concern about missed medical appointments led to police involvement.

Christine Agnew, defending McCullough, argued against a whole-life order citing mitigating factors including McCullough’s mental state and her expressions of remorse. Agnew mentioned that McCullough had pled guilty at the earliest opportunity and had shown a degree of remorse by providing a detailed confession upon being confronted by police.

Psychiatrist Professor Nigel Blackwood, who assessed McCullough, highlighted traits consistent with psychopathic personality, noting her “callousness” and “lack of emotional empathy.” The prosecution asserted that McCullough had displays of deceptive behavior throughout her life, which intensified in the wake of her parents’ murders.

Richard Butcher, the brother of Mrs. McCullough, delivered a victim statement expressing fear of McCullough potentially targeting other family members if released. He detailed the emotional turmoil and manipulation he faced over the years, being led to believe his sister was still alive through McCullough’s lies.

McCullough’s sisters also described themselves as orphans due to her actions and spoke of enduring trauma from the crimes. McCullough benefited financially from her parents’ death, profiting from their pensions while fabricating situations to cover up her deceit, such as pretending her parents were on holidays or away from home.

Police investigations revealed McCullough had forged relationships with numerous financial institutions, billing fraudulent activities as external hackers or scams to deflect suspicion from her own involvement.

Mr. Justice Johnson, presiding over the case, is set to sentence McCullough following the conclusion of the hearings. The legal debates continue regarding the appropriate minimum term for her life sentence, with considerations of her psychological profile and criminal acts taken into account.