YouTuber Accused of Stabbing Pregnant Girlfriend Offers 'GTA Livestream' as Murder Alibi

YouTuber Stephen McCullagh allegedly killed his pregnant girlfriend while broadcasting a pre-recorded 'livestream' of himself playing Grand Theft Auto on 18 December 2022.

MCullagh, 36, is using his YouTube channel as alibi against murder charges in the stabbing and killing of Natalie McNally, 32. McCullagh's channel Votesaxon07, which currently has 42,000 subscribers, aired a six-hour livestream showing him playing Grand Theft Auto the night McNally was murdered in her home in Lurgan, Northern Ireland.

The case was opened to jury trial on 23 February at Belfast Crown Court, the BBC reported. Offering his then-livestreamed video as proof, Mcullagh denied murdering McNally, who was then 15 weeks pregnant.

Murder Suspect's Alibi Backfires

Mcullagh's alibi crumbled after cyber-experts confirmed the livestream was pre-recorded to air while McCullagh travelled to McNally's residence. At one point in the broadcast, which is still available on YouTube, McCullagh informed viewers that he could not interact with them in real-time due to technical issues.

The court also heard a recording of Mcullagh's 999 call from McNally's home on 19 December, a day after the murder. Mcullagh was pleading with the dispatcher to "please come as soon as you can, she's pregnant, she's cold." Responders later pronounced McNally dead with multiple blunt force injuries and stab wounds.

McCullagh was arrested at the scene as a primary suspect. He told investigators that he was livestreaming at the time of the murder. During his interview, he also hinted that McNally's 'abusive' ex-partner might have been responsible.

Brutal Murder and Court Revelations

Prosecutor Charles MacCreanor KC told the court that McCullagh committed 'a planned, calculated and premeditated murder,' something 'he hoped to get away with.' MacCreanor asserted that McCulagh's tearful 999 call was contrived, as was his distraught demeanour in the aftermath.

McNally's death sparked indignant outrage across Northern Ireland, which has one of the highest femicide rates in Western Europe. The brutality of the murder also prompted renewed appeals for increased police presence in one of Lurgan's quiet neighbourhoods.

CCTV captured a man carrying a rucksack near McNally's residence the night of the murder. 'He appears to be wearing white footwear, possibly trainers,' Detective Chief Inspector Neil McGuinness noted. A £20,000 ($27,000) reward was offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

Victim's Family Suffers Heartbreaking Loss

Noel McNally recounted her last memory of her daughter in a 2023 interview with The Irish Times. '[Natalie] was going out the door and said, 'Mummy, I'll see you Monday or Tuesday,' she said. 'We were very, very close. She was my best friend. We did everything, shopping, making crafts...she had her own wee life too and was fiercely independent.'

Noel McNally added that Natalie was also 'over the moon about being pregnant.' 'It was our first grandchild and she was due to go for a scan on the Tuesday,' she added. 'I just keep thinking, did she plead for her life or her baby's life.'

McCullagh referred to the same scan schedule in his 999 call. The court confirmed he was the father of Natalie McNally's unborn child.