Natalie McNally's parents say daughter's killer has stolen their family's future

ITV News Correspondent Rachel Younger speaks to the parents of Natalie McNally about how the tragic murder of their daughter has affected them

The parents of a pregnant woman who was murdered before Christmas has told ITV News the killer has stolen their family's future.

Natalie McNally, 32, who was 15 weeks pregnant, was stabbed in her home in the Silverwood Green area of Lurgan, Co Armagh in Northern Ireland, on December 18. Police have made two arrests but no-one has been charged. Despite amassing over 4,000 hours of CCTV footage, police are no closer to finding the killer and it's proven to be agony for Ms McNally's parents.

"I wonder did she plead for her life, did she plead for her baby's life?" her mother, Bernie, told ITV News.

"It doesn't seem any future at all for us," Ms McNally's father, Noel, added, as he issued a plea for anyone with any information to come forward.

They fondly remembered her as a "beautiful girl" who was "kind", "caring", "wise", "very smart" and "very talented".

Detectives have said the main line of inquiry was that Ms McNally, who was murdered with one of her own kitchen knives, was killed by someone she knew and was comfortable allowing into her home.

She had joined her family to watch the World Cup final between Argentina and France - and just four hours later, after heading home with her dog, she was dead.

"Natalie suffered severe injuries. She suffered multiple injuries," Det Chief Insp Neil McGuinness, from the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said.

"That level of ferocity didn't give Natalie or her baby boy a chance at all to survive the attack.

"And that is why it is absolutely vital that anybody that has any information, or believes that someone else has been behaving strangely in the aftermath of this attack, come forward and tell police."

He believes that someone - who may not even be from the Lurgan area - had been to Ms McNally's address before and had known her. Ms McNally's Christmas presents are still wrapped up at home, with her parents now questioning how much "joy" will be able to enter their lives in the absence of their daughter.

A 32-year-old man arrested on December 19 was released unconditionally and is no longer a suspect. A second man detained on December 21, also 32, has been released on police bail for further inquiries.

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