Raleigh man faces death penalty after allegedly beating his mother to death
A man accused of beating his parents at their home in Raleigh is now facing a murder charge – after his mother died from her injuries on Monday.
Christopher McCullough, 29, could now get the death penalty after his mother's death and following a Tuesday court appearance.
McCullough is accused of attacking his parents at their home on Ingate Way on Aug. 6. Investigators say he beat his parents until they were unconscious, right in front of a young child. He then allegedly kidnapped the child and drove away.
Warrants charged McCullough with inflicting serious bodily injury. He appeared in court for two felony assault charges two weeks ago and was expressive, even offering smiles and twisted faces. On Tuesday, McCullough was more subdued and stood quietly in front of Wake County Judge Rashad Hauter.
Mary McCullough, his mother, was 75 years old.
"Any murder certainly is horrific but when it involves people in the same family, those are tragic situations," said Lorrin Freeman, Wake County District Attorney.
Records show McCullough has 17 prior arrests with past convictions for violating protective orders, assault, strangulation and drunk driving. He faced a charge of assault on a female in Knightdale in June and violated another domestic violence protective order in March.
Court records show Christopher's parents took out a protective order against him in October and that he had beaten and threatened to kill them before. Christopher McCullough's alleged actions on Aug. 6 violated the order.
People living in The Glen neighborhood in Raleigh are devastated over the loss of one of their own.
"He is facing pending charges involving his mother and we are not going to comment on the facts of it, but certainly there's a long history of domestic violence and domestic turmoil," Freeman said.
WRAL News was told the father who was attacked is still in the hospital.
"We look forward to bringing justice to this victim and her family," Freeman said.
Christopher McCullough is currently in jail with no bond. He could also be sentenced to life without parole. His defense will be handled by the Capital Defender Office and he will be back in court on Sept. 12.
