A popular YouTuber is being investigated for allegedly using a live stream to conceal a murder. Allegations that Stephen McCullagh had filmed the incident in advance were presented to a court in Northern Ireland. The prosecution claims he murdered Natalie McNally, who was pregnant at the time, as the tape was playing.
When Did Stephen Mccullagh Disappear?
On the night he is suspected of killing a pregnant woman in Lurgan, a 32-year-old man is said to have broadcasted a gaming session live online. When 32-year-old Natalie McNally was stabbed on December 18 at her Silverwood Greenhouse, she was already 15 weeks along in her pregnancy. Woodland Gardens resident Stephen McCullagh was arrested and charged on Thursday.
During his court appearance via video connection in Lisburn, he remained silent throughout. According to the court, Mr. McCullagh, who maintains a YouTube channel, faked a six-hour session of Grand Theft Auto gameplay on the night of the murder and broadcasted it live. The defendant was reportedly first detained after the murder but released as a suspect once his purported alibi from the livestream was discovered.
So, What Do the Authorities Say?
A senior investigator claims that cyber specialists who examined Mr. McCullagh’s equipment found evidence that the film had been captured in advance and only played back in real time.
Det Ch Insp Neil McGuinness of the PSNI said that the defendant explains to viewers that he is unable to communicate with them in real time because of technical difficulties. McCullagh claims he had nothing to do with McNally’s death, although he did disclose to authorities that he had taped the supposed webcast days in advance.
Detective claims that in the weeks that followed, Mr. McCullagh, a local media professional, had contact with the McNallys. It was stated that the accused had left his phone at Ms. McNally’s parents’ house and recorded 40 minutes of conversation. Mr. McCullagh may have been trying to ascertain whether or whether his family accused him of murder, according to Det Ch Insp McGuinness.
The Murder Trial of Natalie McNally’s Alleged Killer, Stephen Mccullagh:
The court also heard that the defendant was located in Lisburn and that police believe they can trace him back to his home. Despite Mr. McCullagh’s denial that he was live streaming on the night of the murder, the witness said that McCullagh was drinking alone in his apartment before passing out. To support his bail application, the defendant’s attorney raised doubts about the validity of the police’s case.
He elaborated, saying that “essentially, the evidence all appears to hinge on the fact that the individual did not livestream when he said he did.” The court found it to be “one of the most difficult cases” it had ever dealt with. Mr. McCullagh was remanded to police custody and is scheduled to appear in court again on February 24.
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