A woman has been sentenced to nearly 40 years in prison for murdering her parents and hiding them in the UK home she shared with them.
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According to the Essex Police, 36-year-old Virginia McCullough will be spending the next 36 years in prison. The woman was found guilty of murdering her parents by using poison and then concealing their bodies within the home she shared with them for years.
The Essex Police launched an investigation in Sept. 2023 after there were concerns for McCullough’s father John and Lois. The couple and their daughter lived in Pump Hill, Great Baddow before the murders.
Investigators paid a visit to McCullough and discovered human remains inside the home. they were later confirmed to be John and Lois.
It was later established the murders occurred in the summer of 2019. An autopsy confirmed that the method that McCullough used to murder her parents had been poisoned with prescription medication as well as blunt force and sharp force trauma.
John notably died as a result of the poisoning. However, Lois was struck with a hammer and fatally stabbed.
The Woman Took ‘Great Effort’ to Keep Friends and Family Away From Home After Murdering Her Parents
Meanwhile, Essex Police revealed how McCullough had made sure no one found out she murdered her parents for years.
“McCullough went to substantial lengths to conceal the bodies of her parents,” the Essex Police explained. “And took great effort to keep family and friends away from the property throughout the COVID pandemic and subsequent years.”
It was noted that McCullough would constantly lie about her parents’ whereabouts. She would also cancel family arrangements. The woman would tell doctors and relatives her parents were unwell, on vacation, or away on lengthy trips.
However, McCullough’s lies caught up to her. One of her parents’ doctors had contacted the Essex County Council’s safeguarding team. They were concerned about the husband and wife’s safety after not visiting them for some time. The safeguarding team then contacted the Essex Police about the situation.
When the officers visited McCullough, she had allegedly lied, claiming that her parents were traveling and would not return until the next month. “Due to our suspicions, a murder investigation was launched,” the Essex Police reported. “And we used our powers to enter and search the Pump Hill property.”
Along with discovering the bodies, the police found that McCullough had run up large debts on credit cards in her parents’ names. She had also spent their pensions.
Months after she was arrested, McCullough admitted two counts of murder. She was sentenced on Oct. 11. She will be up for parole in 36 years.