A YouTuber is on trial for allegedly stabbing his pregnant girlfriend to death and the prosecution claims he used pre-recorded Grand Theft Auto: Vice City footage as an alibi.
In December 2022, YouTuber Stephen McCullagh went “live” on YouTube to play GTA and at the same time, his girlfriend, 32-year-old Natalie McNally was killed at her home in Lurgan, Northern Ireland.
The stream, however, was all part of a ruse according to prosecutors. During the broadcast, McCullagh told his viewers that he couldn’t interact with them due to a technical issue, but cyber experts later determined that the GTA stream was pre-recorded, something McCullagh reportedly admitted in a written statement to police.
According to the authorities, while the fake broadcast, which had been recorded days earlier played, the YouTuber was on a bus going from Dunmurry to Lurgan where he stabbed his girlfriend to death and then returned home via taxi.
The case finally went to trial in February 2026, but the incident amassed widespread attention when it first happened on the night of the World Cup final. YouTubers like MoistCr1TiKaL also made videos reacting to the news.
Prosecutor claims YouTuber used fake GTA stream to “get away” with murder
At Belfast Crown Court, prosecutor Charles MacCreanor KC told jurors the death was a “planned, calculated and premeditated” killing, alleging the accused believed he could evade responsibility, the BBC reports.
“He hoped to get away with,” he added.
The court was also played audio from an emergency call McCullagh placed the following night, in which he is heard crying and urging responders to hurry.
In the clip, jurors reportedly heard McCullagh sob, “Please come as soon as you can, she’s pregnant, she’s cold… There’s blood everywhere.”
Prosecutors argued the call was staged and intended to create the impression of innocence and help him avoid suspicion.
McNally, who was 15 weeks pregnant, sustained several stab injuries along with blunt force trauma to the head and neck. Prosecutors said either the neck compression or the stab wounds could have been fatal.
Investigators first excluded McCullagh as a suspect due to the livestream alibi. He was later arrested and charged with murder.
The trial is ongoing and expected to last five weeks.
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