UK - Lois and John McCullough, 70s, daughter accused of killing parents between 21 Aug 2018 and Sept 2023, Chelmsford, Essex, 15 Sept 2023

[Tortoise]

From the link above....

Ultimately it was his failure to attend for review appointments with his GP that triggered an enquiry and subsequent police involvement


but it seems to have taken 5 years for that trigger to occur ??

I wonder if covid played a part.

"Police involvement began when a receptionist at a local GP “became concerned” by the regularity of appointments being made and then cancelled. On September 1, 2023, a safeguarding concern was raised with Essex Police."
Daughter hid parents in 'makeshift tomb' for years after murders

 

[Alyce]

Heartbreaking statements from victims' children​

Another witness, identified as Child A, said: “We had no chance to say goodbye to our parents and tell them then that I loved them.”

They added: “There was nothing stopping Virginia from getting a job and living her life. Her prolific lies and greed are such senseless reasons for killing John and Lois.”

Another witness, Child B, describes feeling “sick to my core”. They add: “[I am] horrified and broken hearted because of Virginia.

“We have been robbed of time and the loving bonds with our mum and dad for years to come. How dare she [Virginia] rob our family of this right. We are orphans due to this abhorrent and heinous actions for which she is solely responsible.

“Mum and dad were kind and well-meaned people,” Child C adds. “You made up so many lies that nobody could see your cold blooded actions and murder.”

“It breaks my heart that you have painted them [John and Lois] in a different light. You robbed us of our mum and dad.”

Daughter hid parents in 'makeshift tomb' for years after murders

She lived in the house where their dead bodies were hidden

www.essexlive.news

Not trying to take away any of the blame from Virginia here but I do wonder why, over the course of those years, from 2018 to 2023, none of these sisters ever went to visit their parents ?

 

[Alyce]

Defence argue a whole life order is not necessary​

She added: “On behalf of Virginia McCullough this is not the case where imposition of a whole life order is necessary or justified.

“In particular it is submitted there are three relevant mitigating features.

“Firstly her admission and guilty pleas, second the expert evidence on her mental state and thirdly her remorse.

Virginia McCullough sentencing: Woman murdered parents and lived with their dead bodies

A woman who murdered her parents and then lived alongside their bodies for four years hid her mother’s body in a wardrobe and built a “makeshift tomb” for her father

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[Alyce]

Break for lunch​

The hearing has now broken for lunch and will resume at 2pm.

Virginia McCullough sentencing: Woman murdered parents and lived with their dead bodies

A woman who murdered her parents and then lived alongside their bodies for four years hid her mother’s body in a wardrobe and built a “makeshift tomb” for her father

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[TootsieFootsie]

DBM
Already posted.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I don't see much remorse at all.

 

[bobbymkii]

Looks like a still from the bodycam of her arrest. Can't see the actual video yet, but I'm sure it will be released at some point.

Great Baddow: McCullough to be sentenced for murdering parents

The bodies of Lois and John McCullough were found at home four years after they went missing.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Tortoise]

Prosecution applies for a whole life order​

12:46 BST​

Lewis Adams
Reporting from Chelmsford Crown Court

The prosecution has now turned to the sentencing guidelines.

They have told the judge a whole life order is appropriate in Virginia McCullough's case.

If this is granted, the judge will not have to set a minimum term of imprisonment and McCullough will never be released from jail.

"These were clearly pre-meditated killings... there was a plan B if plan A didn't work," prosecuting counsel says.

"This is a case of exceptionally high seriousness."

Great Baddow: McCullough to be sentenced for murdering parents



I haven't seen reference to a plan B in any of the reports. Wonder what it was.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

It was in one of the articles above.
The hammer and the knife were said by her to be Plan B.

 

[bobbymkii]

I haven't seen reference to a plan B in any of the reports. Wonder what it was.

RSBM. I think plan A was to poison Lois as well. When that didn't kill her, she chose Plan B - the hammer. And when that didn't work you could argue that there was a plan C - the knife.

At this stage it looks like she had more strategy plan [letter of the alphabet]s than the Ferrari Formula One team have during a Grand Prix!*

* I do hope someone reading this post follows Formula 1 and gets that last joke!

MOO

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Virginia McCullough sentencing: Woman murdered parents and lived with their dead bodies

A woman who murdered her parents and then lived alongside their bodies for four years hid her mother’s body in a wardrobe and built a “makeshift tomb” for her father

www.telegraph.co.uk

Judge to sentence McCullough at 3.05pm​