Killer daughter hid parents' bodies in makeshift tombs and pretended they were alive for years

Virginia McCullough's family paid an emotional tribute to elderly John, 70, and Lois, 71, after they were murdered in their family home in 2019

Cold-blooded Virginia McCullough is a calculated killer who deceived those closest to her so she could cash in on her slain parents' life savings, detectives believe.

The artist moved back in with her frail parents but took advantage of their goodwill by murdering John, 70, and Lois, 71, before constructing makeshift tombs to stash their remains in different parts of the end-of-terraced three-storey home. Debt-ridden McCullough is thought to have murdered her parents fearing they were about to expose the credit card fraud she had carried out in their names.

For more than four years she plundered their bank accounts, using the cover of Covid to conceal their murders from family and cash in their pensions as their bodies decomposed. Now, as she was jailed for life at Chelmsford Crown Court after admitting two counts of murder, her family have paid tribute to their "kind, caring and thoughtful" parents. And detectives from Essex Police revealed how they built-up a picture of McCullough, 36, who used "vast levels of deceit, betrayal and fraud" to conceal her harrowing crime.

Det Supt Rob Kirby, from Essex Police, said: “Virginia McCullough murdered her parents in cold blood. Her actions were considered, meticulous and carried out in such a way as to conceal what she had done for as long as possible. These were the actions of someone who had taken time to plan and carry out the murder of her parents in the interest of self-preservation and personal gain, before living within meters of the bodies of her two victims for a number of years.

"Throughout the course of our investigation, we have built a picture of the vast levels of deceit, betrayal and fraud she engaged in. It was on a shocking and monumental scale. McCullough lied about almost every aspect of her life, maintaining a charade to deceive everyone close to her and clearly taking advantage of her parents’ good will. She is an intelligent manipulator who chose to kill her parents callously, without a thought for them or those who continue to suffer as a result of their loss.

"The details of this case shock and horrify even the most experienced of murder detectives, let alone any right-thinking member of the public. It therefore follows that the wider family of John and Lois, understandably, could never have guessed or anticipated that McCullough would be capable of undertaking these murders before committing herself to this level of deceit. They have been left utterly devastated by the circumstances of this case and they continue to feel the loss of John and Lois each and every day.

"This process, from the finding of John and Lois’ remains, to the unravelling of McCullough’s web of lies, has taken a huge toll on the wider family network. With this sentence and with all that we have uncovered throughout our investigation, we hope they can now start to find a way forward with their lives."

McCullough used legally owned prescription medication to poison John before building a makeshift tomb with breezeblocks to hide his body under a bed. Just hours later, she used a kitchen knife to repeatedly stab Lois to death, and even bludgeoned her lifeless body with a rusty hammer. Police initially launched a missing persons investigation after the couple's GP raised concerns.

Officers visited the couple’s home in Pump Hill, Great Baddow, Essex, and found their body. Experts believe the murders had taken place at some stage in the summer of 2019. Cullough told lie after lie after lie throughout the Covid pandemic to hide her parents' murder. She told persistent lies about their whereabouts, cancelling family arrangements and frequently telling doctors and relatives her parents were unwell, on holiday or away on lengthy trips. But documents found at the property showed she had run up large debts on credit cards in her parents’ names. After their deaths, she continued to spend their pensions.

In a joint statement, the family of John and Lois said: “Our Dad was caring and hardworking and he had a passion for education and writing. He worked tirelessly in his career in university education, which spanned many years. Dad enjoyed lots of hobbies, with particular favourites being golf and snooker. As we think of Dad, we remember the numerous jokes he used to tell us and the laughs he gave us.

"Our Mum was kind, caring and thoughtful. Mum delighted in her grandchildren. She had friends from around the world through her penfriend hobby, many of whom she had written to for several decades. Mum had a passion for history, and maintained a keen interest in the royal family. Mum and Dad loved their trips to the seaside together, where they enjoyed many walks and visited lots of different attractions.

"Their love for the seaside was so great, they were hoping to move to the coast in their retirement years. Mum and Dad always enjoyed the time they spent with us, family was their pride and joy. Our family has been left devastated and heartbroken at the deaths of our parents who were taken from us so cruelly. As we try to move forward with our lives, we will remember the happy times we enjoyed with them. Our Mum and Dad are forever in our hearts, and are loved and missed beyond any measure."

McCullough entered guilty pleas to two counts of murder and was jailed for life today at Chelmsford Crown Court.