Christopher McCullough found guilty in mother's beating death, judge sentences him to life
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A jury found Christopher McCullough, 31, guilty of first-degree murder in the beating death of his mother. He was sentenced to life without parole
Closing arguments from the prosecution and defense were presented Thursday morning, with jurors beginning their deliberations in the afternoon. The verdict was announced and decided Friday.
McCullough, adopted by the family at 3 months old, is accused of attacking his parents at their Raleigh home on Aug. 6, 2023. Raleigh police reported that both his mother, Mary McCullough, and his father were hospitalized following the assault.
The defense stated that McCullough admits to hitting his father but denies killing his 75-year-old mother. They said he was seeking gas money while under the influence of drugs and had been awake for seven straight days.
Assistant District Attorney Melanie Shekita told the court, "She could hardly sustain without walking around that oxygen that's around her neck. It was a life-threatening blow to the head to cause a deep brain injury."
"The most important thing is that he will not be able to hurt another person and that Mary and John ... get justice," Shekita said.
McCullough was originally charged with assault, but it was later changed to murder. He was also charged with felony second-degree kidnapping, assault, and misdemeanor domestic violence protective order violation.
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The jury found him not guilty of other charges of attempted murder of his father and larceny of a dog.
His father, John McCullough, spoke to the court about his son and wife in a victim impact statement.
"(Mary) She can't talk for herself. She loves him so much," John McCullough said. "She's spent her entire life and energy and everything else trying to get him straight, and she just couldn't do it. And now she, she's suffered the consequences."
