Dr. Caroline Muirhead recalls how her former fiancé Alexander McKellar made her “feel whole, and loved and special.” Then in 2020, McKellar dropped the most troubling of secrets: He was responsible for a hit-and-run killing and hid it from police.
Muirhead’s dilemma to protect her lover’s secret or sacrifice their relationship forms the central conflict of Should I Marry a Murderer?, the new documentary series premiering Wednesday, April 29, on Netflix. The three-part project features a new interview with Muirhead, who—spoiler alert—didn’t marry McKellar and even helped gather evidence of his crime for police.
However, Muirhead, now around 35 years old, is still wrestling with the aftermath of her involvement after McKellar’s arrest and conviction. Here’s everything we know about her life today.
Who Is Caroline Muirhead?
Little is documented about Muirhead’s childhood and educational background. She worked as a forensic pathologist in Glasgow, Scotland, in October 2020 when the pertinent events of Should I Marry a Murderer? began.
According to the Irish Daily Mail, Muirhead had joined dating site Tinder following a breakup with her previous partner of eight years. She swiped right on Alexander McKellar, a gamekeeper who was “looking for someone to keep him warm during cold nights on the farm.”
The pair immediately felt chemistry and began spending weekends together. Muirhead frequently visited him at the sprawling Auch estate in the Scottish highlands. She also met McKellar’s twin brother, Robert.
By the end of that November, McKellar proposed to Muirhead following a round of clay pigeon shooting. Everything seemed idyllic until Muirhead asked her new beau if he had any secrets that might affect their future together.
It turns out, McKellar did. Three years prior, he had hit and killed a cyclist—a 63-year-old cancer survivor named Tony Parsons—while driving over the speed limit on a county road with his brother. He also revealed Parsons’s body was buried on the estate.
How Did Caroline Muirhead Gather Evidence Against Alexander McKellar?
Completely shocked by the admission, Muirhead didn’t immediately contact authorities because “my brain was still not really accepting what I’d been told,” according to Irish Daily Mail.
However, McKellar soon asked Muirhead to help exhume Parsons’s body so that a new owner of the estate wouldn’t discover it. On December 27, 2020, she contacted police—who were unsure they could make an arrest without proof of the body.
So, Muirhead took matters into her own hands. Under the guise of needing to know the corpse’s location to help unearth it, she asked McKellar to show her the site. She placed a can of sugar-free Red Bull as a marker and contacted police again.
Both Alexander and Robert were arrested, but released on bail within three days with no body or corroborating evidence. Despite concern for her safety, Muirhead continued to see McKellar as if she were not involved. Eventually, she secretly recorded him making a confession. “He said it’s my life or theirs … it was an admission,” she recalled. She also claimed Robert told her Parsons was alive following the accident, implying they had murdered the cyclist.
Police exhumed Parsons’s body in January 2021, and the Red Bull marker was discovered by McKellar—making him aware of Muirhead’s efforts.
Did Caroline Muirhead Attend Alexander McKellar’s Trial?
It would be months—December 2021—before Alexander and Robert were again taken into custody and charged with murder.
In the meantime, Muirhead continued to see McKellar at the Auch estate as the police investigation continued. “I had handed him in and ruined his life, he should hate me, but he made me feel loved, made me feel wanted. I still had that toxic draw,” Muirhead said. Because Parsons’s body was brought to the mortuary where she worked, Muirhead was placed on leave because of possible conflict of interest. She also began using drugs and alcohol.
Ahead of McKellar’s trial, she panicked at the thought of testifying in person. On the first day—July 23, 2023—she instead attempted to find Parsons’s missing bicycle at the estate, hoping the evidence would be enough to prevent her from taking the stand. Instead, she was arrested for contempt.
With Muirhead apparently unfit to testify, prosecutors accepted a plea agreement to culpable homicide, a lesser charge than murder that didn’t require her testimony. McKellar was ultimately sentenced to 12 years in prison for culpable homicide and attempting to defeat the ends of justice, while Robert received 63 months for his role in the coverup.
Where Is Caroline Muirhead Now?
According to The Times, Muirhead was immediately fearful McKellar would find her upon his release from prison. She had security cameras installed at her Glasgow home. “You’re telling me that man is not going to come knock on my door when he gets out,” she told the Scottish Daily Mail.
Additionally, Muirhead lodged dozens of complaints against Scottish police in 2023. According to ThePress & Journal, she alleged she was pressured into spying on McKellar in order to gather more evidence after his initial arrest, and that she was threatened with legal action if she didn’t cooperate. Potential results from any of these filings haven’t been publicized.
However, per Irish Daily Mail, Muirhead has since begun a new relationship with an unidentified suitor. She moved to the coast and attended “extensive therapy” after her ordeal with McKellar.
Watch Should I Marry a Murderer? Starting April 29 on Netflix
Muirhead’s interview is featured prominently in the documentary trailer. She called participating in the project a “cathartic experience.”
“For the first time in several years, I now have hope for the future and the freedom to begin the next chapter of my life,” she added, according to Irish Daily Mail.
Get her full account of the case and her new life on Wednesday, April 29, when Should I Marry a Murderer? begins streaming on Netflix.
Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor and is now the News and Culture Editor. He previously worked as a reporter and copy editor for a daily newspaper recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In his current role, he shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows and profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he's not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams.
