A lab technician who killed his coworker’s fiancée by strangling her at his parents’ house, then slashed her throat and dumped her corpse in a rural road, has been sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 23 years.
The moment Ross McCullam informed police where he had discarded the corpse of Megan Newborough, 23, was captured on police bodycam video that was shown before Leicester Crown Court on August 6, 2021.
McCullam, 30, previously created a complex cover-up for the murder, saying detectives he had “no clue” where his coworker was and even sent voicemails and text messages on her phone pretending to be worried about her absence.
Despite his admission of manslaughter and his explanation that he murdered Megan out of a “blind anger” brought on by undiagnosed PTSD brought on by unreported childhood sexual assault, the jury unanimously found him guilty of murder in less than an hour and a half.
The murderer was exposed by his own lies, including the one where he claimed to have waited up to 10 minutes before obtaining a carving knife and slitting her neck while speaking to officers during a police interrogation.
McCullam, who was on ADHD medication, said he only used a knife because he was afraid that Megan and other people would be “upset” and “cross” with him for having choked her.
However, the young woman’s defensive wounds and markings on her body from the attack at McCullam’s parents’ house were described to the jury as having “left clues” that pointed to the truth.
There were indications that Ms. Newborough had struggled mightily in the lounge to ward off McCullam.
From her shin to the top of her head, she was covered with wounds, according to Mr. Cammegh.
Her left arm and both shoulders had grip marks, perhaps from McCullam’s attempts to’silence’ her and indicating a’sustained, protracted, cruel fight.
Additionally stolen in the incident was her FitBit, which was subsequently found hidden behind a nearby television.
The prosecutor, John Cammegh KC, told the jury that McCullam’s vicious assault proved he was a “sadistic murderer” who had acted with “ruthless” purpose.
On August 6, no later than 8.49 p.m., the lab technician most likely killed Ms. Newborough of Nuneaton, Warwickshire, soon after she arrived at approximately 8.08 p.m.
The last time she was seen alive was when she went to her vehicle, according to footage taken by her parents’ Ring doorbell camera.
Three hours after killing Megan, McCullam tried to cover up his actions by leaving a cruel half-minute message on her phone, in which he smiled and claimed to love her.
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