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Killer woman tells cops 'cheer up, you've caught the bad guy' after she told them what was upstairs
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Virginia McCullough has been sentenced to life in prison after murdering both of her parents in cold blood and keeping their bodies hidden in the family home for four years.
The 36-year-old killed her father, 70-year-old John McCullough, and her mother, 71-year-old Lois McCullough, in 2019. While living alongside their remains, she spent their pensions and ran up severe debts in their names.
The sentencing took place on Friday at Chelmsford Crown Court, where Mr. Justice Johnson handed McCullough a minimum term of 36 years behind bars.
Prosecutors outlined how the defendant built makeshift tombs inside the property to conceal her acts while maintaining an elaborate cover story. Authorities noted that the extent of her deceit, betrayal, and financial fraud was executed on a monumental scale.
When police forced entry into the residence in Great Baddow, Essex, in September 2023, McCullough immediately confessed to the double murder.
Body-worn camera footage captured her admitting to the crime, stating that she knew this day would eventually arrive and that it was proper for her to serve her punishment.
A calculated double murder
In June 2019, McCullough poisoned her father by crushing prescription medication and mixing it into his alcoholic drinks. The following day, she attacked her mother with a hammer and stabbed her to death.
Court records show that McCullough spent three months accumulating prescription drugs and purchased a knife along with tools to crush tablets in May 2019.
When describing the attack on her mother to police, McCullough admitted she had to "build up gumption" because "I knew I had to get it done."
She recalled her mother listening to the radio with her back turned, adding that "[Her mom] just looked so innocent with her back turned against the wall."
Hiding her parents' bodies
Following the killings, McCullough constructed a rectangular tomb made of stacked masonry blocks in a ground-floor room to hold her father's body.
She covered the structure with blankets, pictures, and paintings. She wrapped her mother's body in a sleeping bag and stored it inside an upstairs wardrobe.
Over the next four years, McCullough spent thousands of pounds from her parents' pensions, receiving £59,664.01 from state pensions and £76,334.58 from Mr. McCullough's Teacher's Pension.
She also spent £21,193 on online gambling while racking up credit card debts. Investigators found no evidence of luxury purchases, noting that the money was largely frittered away to cover up her financial distress.
Discovery and conviction
To maintain the fraud, McCullough repeatedly lied to relatives and medical professionals, claiming her parents were unwell, traveling, or on extended trips.
The deception began to unravel in September 2023 when a general practitioner raised concerns because John McCullough had missed appointments and failed to collect required prescription medication.
Essex Police initially launched a missing person investigation before forcing entry into the residence on September 15, 2023. Upon being arrested, McCullough famously told officers, "Cheer up, at least you've caught the bad guy," while adding, "I know I don't seem 100% evil."
Detective Superintendent Rob Kirby characterized McCullough as a cold-blooded and intelligent manipulator who chose to act without a thought for her parents or those affected by their loss.