Fred McClenaghan, who murdered Marion Millican in a launderette where she worked, has died in prison seven years after the incident. During a lunch break on March 11, 2011, the 57-year-old fatally shot his former girlfriend point blank in her chest.

According to Belfast Live, McClenaghan is said to have died from natural causes after he was found lifeless in Magilligan jail in Northern Island. He died 11 months into his 13-year prison term after his sentencing in 2017. His death has been confirmed by the Northern Ireland Prison Service who have informed next of kin of the same.

While McClenaghan had previously denied the murder, he was twice convicted of the same, albeit both convictions were quashed on appeal. That said, during his third trial, he made a U-turn and admitted to Marion's murder. McClenaghan would serve a minimum of 13 years before he is considered eligible for parole, Justice Colton had said at the time. Marion's family had said they were "satisfied" with the verdict.

Ronnie Armour, Director General of the Northern Ireland Prison Service, said: "On behalf of the Northern Ireland Prison Service, I would like to extend my sympathy to the family of the prisoner.’’

Justice Colton said that the death of 51-year-old Marion Millican, a mother-of-four, would resound with her family and friends for the rest of their lives. During sentencing, he added: "I recognize that the loss of Mrs. Millican's life cannot be measured by the length of a prison sentence. There is no term of imprisonment that I can impose that will reconcile Mrs. Millican's family and friends to their loss, nor will it cure their anguish."

Marion had started a relationship with McClenaghan at the beginning of 2010 after separating from her husband. However, she ended the relationship after suffering at least two traumatic incidents of violence at his hands. Marion was already working on a reconciliation with her husband by the end of 2010.

But in March 2011, three months after the breakup, McClenaghan entered her workplace on Portstewart's Promenade and shot her at point-blank range. Responding authorities found her body lying face down in a pool of her own blood and pronounced her dead at the scene.

McClenaghan contacted a woman in Kilrea around an hour after the murder and told her "I shot a girl in Portstewart." A couple of hours later, police apprehended and arrested the killer, who told them he had intended to kill himself and make his former girlfriend watch.

Jason Murphy, a PSNI Detective Superintendent from Serious Crime Branch, said: “McClenaghan walked into the laundrette where Marion worked and murdered her in cold blood while she was on her lunch break. Before killing his ex-girlfriend, he terrorized her and a colleague by threatening them with his shotgun. When Marion refused to go outside and speak to him he fired a shot into the floor to intimidate her. Marion’s terrified colleague managed to escape the laundrette but sadly Marion died at the scene from gunshot wounds to her chest.

"Frederick McClenaghan inflicted further pain and suffering on the Millican family by subjecting them to a total of three trials after successfully appealing his murder conviction on two occasions. During the third trial — and after more than six years — he finally admitted his guilt. However, he has never given the Millican family the courtesy of an explanation as to why he killed Marion."