John McCullough, a retired business studies lecturer who had worked at Anglia Ruskin University, was 70 at the time of his death, while his wife, Lois, was 71.
[2][3][4][5] In 2019, Virginia McCullough had been living rent free at her parents' property on Pump Hill, Great Baddow, and had told them she was studying to become an artist, claiming the career would be financially rewarding to the family.
In reality, McCullough ran up large credit card debts in her parents' name, and told them they had lost money to scams.
[6] McCullough began planning her parents' murder in March 2019, accumulating a large amount of prescription drugs, and in May 2019 bought a knife, along with implements to crush up the medication.
She later drove into Chelmsford to purchase plastic gloves and sleeping bags using her father's credit card, then returned home, where she set about concealing their remains.
[5] She went on to construct a series of elaborate stories to explain her parents' absence to relatives and doctors, including that they were on lengthy holidays, were unwell, or had retired and moved from the area.
[6] She continued to live in the house alongside her parents' remains, while claiming their State Pensions, and gambling £21,193 of their money away through online betting sites, as well as selling assets from the property.
[7] In September 2023, after their daughter had cancelled a number of medical appointments on their behalf, John and Lois McCullough's GP contacted the safeguarding team at Essex County Council to raise concerns about the couple's welfare.
Initially treating the case as a missing persons' investigation, officers then spoke to McCullough, who told them her parents were travelling and would be returning in October.
[14] On 19 September she appeared at Basildon Crown Court via videolink from Peterborough Prison, where judge Samantha Leigh set a plea hearing for 1 December.
[16] On 1 December, McCullough appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court, again via videolink from prison, but did not enter a plea, with her defence arguing more time was needed to prepare reports from expert witnesses.
The hearing was told that McCullough "continued to receive John's teacher's pension and spend it" and that "transcripts from calls even show her masquerading as her father.
[24] Johnson also ruled that her mental health conditions did not "substantially" reduce her culpability and that she had committed "murders done for gain" after prolonged "economic abuse" of her parents.
[10] Following the sentencing, Detective Superintendent Rob Kirby of Essex Police described McCullough as "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.
"[25] Nicola Rice of the Crown Prosecution Service said the case was "truly disturbing" and had "left behind it a trail of devastation", adding "I can only hope that the sentence passed today will help those who loved and cared for Lois and John begin to heal.