Natalie McNally should have been safe at home, says cousin

There is a huge deal of fear in the town of Lurgan and beyond while Natalie McNally's killer remains at large, her cousin has said.

Gemma Doran said Ms McNally should have been safe in her own home.

The 32 year old was 15 weeks pregnant when she was stabbed in her home at Silverwood Green in Lurgan on 18 December.

Two arrests have been made but no-one has been charged over the murder.

"The concern is huge - people are frightened," Ms Doran told BBC News NI.

Natalie McNally (middle) pictured with her cousin Gemma and her friend Jayne when they were children

"Not just the people of Silverwood Green, not just the people of Lurgan. People right across the island.

"Natalie was to be safe in her home and somebody came and took that from her."

Ms Doran said finding the person responsible for her cousin's murder would bring peace of mind to women across the community, adding that the murder had been "random and invasive".

Natalie McNally was expecting a baby boy when she was killed in December

'Ray of sunshine'

Ms McNally's childhood friend Jayne Doran said they wanted "to remind people that Natalie isn't just a statistic".

"She had such a fantastic life ahead of her," she said.

"The only thing that gets us through every single day is keeping Natalie's name in the media, on the radio, on the internet, making sure it's the first thing everybody sees and hears every single day.

"We have to make sure that Natalie remains at the forefront of everybody's mind."

She described her friend as an "effervescent ray of sunshine".

• Mother tells of grief after daughter's murder

• Police renew appeal over Natalie McNally murder

• Suspect seen in victim's street on night of stabbing

On Tuesday, Ms McNally's parents Noel and Bernie spoke of their devastation at her murder.

Her mother described her as "my best friend".

"We have to try to face our lives without her and I don't know how we're going to do it," she added.

Her father said his daughter was "so happy and so content with life".

"Then somebody came and took that away from us," he said.

Police have said Ms McNally may have known her killer.

A 32-year-old man arrested on Monday 19 December was released the next day and is no longer a suspect.

Another 32-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday 21 December and has been released on police bail while detectives continue their inquiries.

Natalie McNally with her parents Bernie and Noel during a day out last summer

Last week police renewed their appeal for information about Ms McNally's murder.

They had previously released CCTV footage of a suspect near her home.

It shows a man carrying a rucksack arriving at Silverwood Green on Sunday 18 December at 20:52 GMT.

The man is then seen leaving Silverwood Green at 21:30.

Police have appealed for Ms McNally's murderer to hand themselves in.

Investigation timeline

SUNDAY 18 DECEMBER

• 20:52 - Man carrying rucksack seen on CCTV arriving in Natalie McNally's street, Silverwood Green

• 21:30 - CCTV footage shows man leaving Silverwood Green

MONDAY 19 DECEMBER

• 22:00 - Emergency services called to Ms McNally's house. She is pronounced dead and a man in his 30s is arrested on suspicion of murder

TUESDAY 20 DECEMBER

• Suspect released. Cause of Ms McNally's death is not confirmed but police say they are treating it as "suspicious"

WEDNESDAY 21 DECEMBER

• 18:00 - Police say Ms McNally suffered several stab wounds, some of which were defensive, and are treating her death as murder

• 23:52 - 32-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder

THURSDAY 22 DECEMBER

• 15:45 - CCTV footage released of man with rucksack

• 19:50 - 32-year-old man released on police bail