Natalie McNally: Police seize car in murder investigation

Detectives believe Natalie McNally was the victim of a targeted attack

Police investigating the murder of Natalie McNally have seized a car from an address in the Lisburn and Castlereagh area.

They have also carried out a number of house-to-house inquiries in Lisburn in their search for the killer of the 32-year-old in County Armagh last month.

Ms McNally was 15-weeks pregnant when she was stabbed on 18 December at her home in Silverwood Green in Lurgan.

Detectives plan to revisit the scene of her murder on Sunday.

Officers will speak to motorists and pedestrians and hand out leaflets in the Lurgan area.

Hundreds of house-to-house enquiries have been carried out and over 3,000 hours of CCTV footage has been seized, police said.

Police will leaflet members of the public in Lurgan

On Friday, detectives conducted a search of the council-owned Silverwood Golf Club grounds beside Ms McNally's home.

Earlier this week, a weapon believed to be used in the murder was recovered by police and is said to have come from her home.

• Police search golf club grounds over Natalie murder

• Natalie McNally 'should have been safe at home'

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

Officers believe Ms McNally knew her killer, that they had a pre-existing relationship and she felt comfortable inviting them into her home.

Unimaginable heartache

Det Ch Insp Neil McGuinness said the PSNI remained "absolutely steadfast" to bringing Ms McNally's murderer to justice.

"The deaths of Natalie and her unborn baby have left unimaginable heartache to a loving family, whose world has been turned upside down," he said.

"Amidst their pain, Natalie's devoted family have, somehow, found the strength to appeal publicly for anyone with information to do the right thing and speak up."

CCTV footage of a suspect in Ms McNally's murder was released previously by police.

It shows a man entering Silverwood Green at 20:52 GMT on Sunday 18 December and leaving again at 21:30.

The charity Crimestoppers have offered a £20,000 reward for information about Ms McNally's killing.

Natalie McNally's parents said losing her had caused unimaginable pain

Two arrests have been made in connection with her murder but no-one has been charged.

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.

Ms McNally's parents have previously spoke about their grief at losing their daughter a week before Christmas.

Her father Noel appealed for her killer to "find it in his heart to give himself up to the police".

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

THURSDAY 5 JANUARY

• Police say they have recovered the weapon used in the murder and that it came from Ms McNally's home

FRIDAY 6 JANUARY

• Police carry out searches in the grounds of Silverwood Golf Club in Lurgan

SUNDAY 8 JANUARY

• Police revisit the murder scene in Lurgan three weeks after Ms McNally's death