Woman charged with murdering her parents in Essex
Virginia McCullough, 35, is accused of murdering John and Lois McCullough between 21 August 2018 and 15 September 2023 in Chelmsford, Essex, according to a court charge sheet.
Essex police said she had been charged with the murders of a man and a woman aged in their 70s. It is understood they are the defendant’s parents.
McCullough, from Chelmsford, was not asked to enter pleas during a two-minute hearing at Chelmsford magistrates court on Monday.
She spoke only to confirm her personal details. No details were opened in court. She was accompanied by a custody officer as she stood in the courtroom’s secure dock.
McCullough is next due to appear before Basildon crown court on Tuesday for a bail application hearing.
Essex police said they began an investigation after receiving reports of concern for the wellbeing of the two people aged in their 70s. The force said it believed the pair had died.
An Essex police spokesperson said: “A woman has been charged with two counts of murder following an investigation by detectives and staff from our serious crime directorate.
“On Wednesday September 13, we received reports of concerns for the welfare of two people aged in their 70s. As a result of the extensive work carried out by a dedicated investigative team, our strong belief based on all the evidence available is that the two people in question are no longer alive.
“The Crown Prosecution Service is in agreement with this assessment.”
The force said it had been authorised by the CPS to charge McCullough with two counts of murder.
Virginia McCullough, 35, appears in court over the deaths of a man and woman in their 70s from Chelmsford
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