Belfast, Northern Ireland — On Monday, March 23, 2026, a jury at Belfast Crown Court found 36-year-old Stephen McCullagh guilty of murdering his pregnant girlfriend, Natalie McNally. The unanimous verdict was delivered by a jury of six men and six women after just over two hours of deliberation, concluding a five-week trial presided over by Mr Justice Kinney.
McCullagh faces a mandatory life sentence for the killing of the 32-year-old, who was 15 weeks pregnant at the time of her death. The court scheduled a tariff hearing for May 2026, which will determine the minimum number of years McCullagh must serve in prison before being considered for release.
The murder occurred on December 18, 2022. McNally was violently beaten, strangled, and stabbed at her home in Lurgan, County Armagh. During the trial, prosecutors demonstrated that McCullagh traveled from his home in Lisburn under a disguise to commit the attack.
The investigation drew attention from law enforcement around the world due to the perpetrator’s elaborate attempt to fabricate a digital alibi. Operating under the YouTube alias “Votesaxon07,” McCullagh broadcast a six-hour video gaming stream of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on the night of the murder, presenting it to his audience as a live event.
Police cybercrime analysts ultimately dismantled the alibi by proving the broadcast had been pre-recorded four days earlier on December 14, 2022.
Speaking to the press outside the court on Monday following the verdict, Natalie’s family delivered statements. Her brother, Declan McNally, paid tribute to his sister, stating, “You would have been an amazing mother to baby Dean.”
Her brother Niall McNally added that as their family receives justice, their hearts go out to all victims of violence against women and girls.