Woman who entombed parents in 'house of horrors home' jailed for life for their murders

Virginia McCullough (left) and her dormant parents (Image: Essex Police)

A WOMAN who murdered some her parents and past lived with the bodies entombed successful the location for respective years has been jailed for life.

Virginia McCullough, 36, was told she volition spend....years successful situation earlier she is eligible to beryllium considered for parole.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard however constabulary made the grim find of the 2 bodies concealed successful the location successful Great Baddow, adjacent Chelmsford, Essex, by furnishings and different items successful September 2013 aft they responded to concerns for the payment of Mr and Mrs McCullough, who had not been seen for immoderate time.

It is believed they were murdered betwixt 17 and 20 June 2019, with Mrs McCullough stabbed.

It was not wide from the station mortem however Mr McCullough died.

After carrying retired the murders, which she told america took spot astatine immoderate signifier successful the summertime of 2019, she concealed their bodies wrong the spot and continued to unrecorded astatine the address.

Police astatine the country pursuing the find of the bodies (Image: Essex Police)

To screen her tracks, she told persistent lies astir their whereabouts, often telling doctors and relatives her parents were unwell, connected vacation oregon distant connected lengthy trips.

Her actions were uncovered aft her parents’ GPs raised concerns implicit missed appointments successful 2023.

An probe was launched and, connected Friday 15 September 2023, officers from our Operational Support Group executed a warrant astatine the Pump Hill address.

In the moments afterwards, she confessed to poisoning her begetter with medicine medicine and stabbing her parent soon afterwards.

At Chelmsford Crown Court successful July this twelvemonth she pleaded blameworthy to murdering Lois and John McCullough, aged 75 and 74, betwixt 17 and 20 June 2019.

Judge Christopher Morgan remanded her successful custody up of the sentencing.

McCulloughat an aboriginal proceeding successful 2023 (Image: Elizabeth Cook/PA)

He said: "There is simply a azygous condemnation that tin beryllium passed upon you successful these circumstances.

"Consideration, however, has to beryllium fixed to the minimum term."

An inquest into the deaths of Mr and Mrs McCullough was opened and adjourned successful October past year.

Area coroner Michelle Brown said Mrs McCullough died from “stab wounds to the chest”, but the origin of decease for her hubby was “pending further investigation”.

The coroner suspended some inquests pending the result of the constabulary investigation.

Detective Inspector Lydia George, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said successful July: “At the bosom of this probe are John and Lois – and their full family.

“Virginia’s actions person had a important and affectional interaction connected the household radical and our thoughts contiguous are archetypal and foremost with them.

“We person worked precise intimately with them and supported them from the outset arsenic we established the circumstances astir John and Lois’ deaths and gathered the grounds which has led to today’s blameworthy pleas.”

DI George added: “Clearly this was a hugely analyzable probe from the outset.

“Officers were met with an incredibly challenging country and worked astatine the code implicit the people of respective days to transportation retired forensic enquiries.

"This progressive expertise and penetration from respective teams crossed the unit and it is acknowledgment to the enactment of dozens of dedicated officers and unit that we were capable to bring this tragic lawsuit to tribunal and, now, a satisfactory conviction.”