Natalie McNally murder: Police hunting killer of pregnant woman in Northern Ireland seize car

Police hunting for the killer of a pregnant woman in Northern Ireland have seized a car, as officers are set to return to the murder scene.

Natalie McNally, 32, was stabbed to death in her home in Lurgan, County Armagh, on 18 December when she was 15 weeks pregnant.

Two men were arrested but one was freed unconditionally and the other was released on bail for further inquiries.

Ms NcNally’s parents told Sky News they fear the killer may have fled the country and that women in the community “must be terrified that there’s a monster still out on the streets”.

On Saturday, detectives investigating the murder seized a car from an address in the Lisburn and Castlereagh area for further examination.

Officers have also carried out house-to-house inquiries in the Lisburn area.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is due to revisit the murder scene on Sunday – three weeks after the killing – in a bid to encourage anyone with information to come forward.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil McGuinness said Ms McNally was “brutally murdered in her own home” and officers will be speaking to motorists and pedestrians “in a determined attempt to jog memories”.

“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.

“And, likewise, we remain absolutely steadfast in our determination to bring the killer to justice.”

Detectives have said the main line of inquiry was that Ms McNally was killed by someone she knew and was comfortable allowing into her home.

They also believe they have recovered the weapon used in the murder.

CCTV has been released of a man seen arriving at and leaving the street where Ms McNally lived, on the night of the murder.

Ms McNally’s mother Bernie told Sky News: “This was an innocent girl and her baby’s life and I have to think God, in her last few minutes, was she pleading for her life? Was she pleading for her baby’s life?

“This all comes into your head. What were her last few minutes like?”

The victim’s father, Noel McNally, said: “Somebody’s bound to know the killer and if you kill somebody that way, you can’t just go home and act normally.

“If they could just find it in their heart to give up loyalty and just go straight to the police.

“You can’t be loyal to someone that has done this to a wee girl because he could do it to someone else and you wouldn’t want that.”