A jury at Belfast Crown Court has convicted 36-year-old YouTuber Stephen McCullagh of the brutal murder of his pregnant girlfriend, Natalie McNally, after he allegedly used a pre-recorded gaming livestream as a sophisticated digital alibi.
McCullagh, who ran the YouTube channel Votesaxon07 (known for gaming content, particularly Grand Theft Auto, sci-fi, BattleBots toys, and Star Wars), was unanimously found guilty on March 23, 2026, following a trial lasting over four weeks. The jury of six men and six women deliberated for just over two hours before delivering the verdict. Cheers, applause, and tears erupted from Natalie’s family in the public gallery as the guilty verdict was read out. McCullagh showed little emotion, slowly nodding his head.
Mr Justice Kinney immediately imposed the mandatory life sentence. A hearing to set the minimum tariff—the number of years McCullagh must serve before becoming eligible for parole—is scheduled for May 15, 2026.
The Murder and Fake Alibi
On December 18, 2022, 32-year-old Natalie McNally, who was 15 weeks pregnant with the couple’s son, was beaten, strangled, and stabbed multiple times at her home in Silverwood Green, Lurgan, County Armagh. State pathologist Dr. James Lyness described dozens of injuries, including stab wounds to the neck, defensive wounds, heavy blows to the head causing brain bleeding, and signs of neck compression. Neighbors reported hearing screams around 9pm. Either the stab wounds or strangulation could have proved fatal.
McCullagh, from Woodland Gardens in Lisburn, County Antrim, had met Natalie via the dating app Bumble in August 2022. Their relationship progressed quickly, but prosecutors argued that jealousy over Natalie’s flirtatious WhatsApp messages with other men—including an ex-boyfriend—provided the motive. The couple’s relationship had shown signs of strain in the weeks before the killing.
To cover his tracks, McCullagh allegedly pre-recorded a roughly six-hour session on December 13–15, 2022 (mainly the 14th). In the footage, he wore a Santa hat, played Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and some Robot Wars, drank Guinness, vaped, ate snacks, swore, and chatted to the camera. He repeatedly claimed he was “not leaving the house tonight” and referenced the “current” time to reinforce the illusion of a live broadcast.
On the evening of the murder, he announced a “surprise” livestream titled “Violent Night” (or “Violent Night Christmas Live Gaming Stream”) starting at 6pm on his channel, which had around 37,000 subscribers at the time. The pre-recorded video was scheduled to play as if live from approximately 6pm to midnight. He disabled live chat, citing “technical issues,” to avoid real-time interaction. During the supposed stream—while he was allegedly committing the crime—he played a GTA mission involving killing a woman and made comments that prosecutors highlighted as incriminating, including phrases sounding like references to Natalie.
How the Alibi Unraveled
Digital forensics experts from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) cyber team later determined the footage was a pre-recorded file, not a live broadcast. Key evidence included lighting inconsistencies, camera shifts revealing sunlight at times that did not match an evening stream, and a lack of user activity on his devices during the broadcast window. McCullagh manually stopped the stream around 12:05am on December 19 and deleted the recording.
CCTV footage, phone data, payment records, bus and taxi evidence, and travel timelines placed McCullagh traveling the approximately 17-mile route between Lisburn and Lurgan on the night of the murder. A masked individual matching his description was seen near Natalie’s home around the time screams were heard. His phone went inactive during the critical period.
The next day, McCullagh returned to Natalie’s home, “discovered” her body, attempted CPR, and called emergency services. He initially appeared grief-stricken and even suggested her ex-boyfriend might be responsible.
Trial and Aftermath
Throughout the trial, McCullagh denied the murder and did not give evidence. The prosecution described the killing as “planned, calculated, and premeditated,” calling the fake livestream a “sophisticated” attempt at a perfect alibi in the digital age. The defense argued that the circumstantial evidence pointed to another perpetrator and noted the absence of direct CCTV showing McCullagh leaving his exact home. The jury rejected this.
Natalie’s family expressed profound relief and grief outside court. Her brother Declan said: “Natalie was our greatest joy we will ever have… having you in our lives was the greatest joy we’ll ever have.” They described her as an inspirational person and highlighted the three years of waiting for justice.
The case has shocked the gaming and YouTube communities due to the cold use of a pre-recorded stream to fabricate an alibi, ultimately undone by modern forensics, inconsistencies in the video, and physical evidence. McCullagh’s YouTube channels have since been taken down.
This tragic case of domestic violence ended the lives of Natalie McNally and her unborn child. While the conviction brings accountability, nothing can undo the immense loss suffered by her family.
