Born in 1968 in Scotland, Edith McAlinden led a tumultuous life marked by criminal activities and personal instability. Prior to the events of 2004, she had a history of convictions, including theft and prostitution. Her lifestyle was characterized by transient living arrangements and associations with individuals involved in criminal activities. In October 2004, McAlinden was released from prison after serving a nine-month sentence for a serious assault. Upon her release, she sought out her boyfriend, David Gillespie, who resided in a flat on Dixon Avenue in Crosshill, Glasgow. ​

On the evening of October 16, 2004, McAlinden joined David Gillespie and his flatmates, Ian Mitchell and Anthony Coyle, in a drinking session at their residence. An argument erupted between McAlinden and Gillespie, escalating to the point where McAlinden stabbed Gillespie multiple times in the thighs, severing a femoral vein and causing him to bleed to death. In a state of panic, McAlinden contacted her 17-year-old son, John McAlinden, for assistance. John arrived at the flat accompanied by his 16-year-old friend, Jamie Gray. Recognizing that Ian Mitchell and Anthony Coyle were witnesses to the crime, John and Jamie proceeded to murder them to eliminate any potential testimony. Mitchell was fatally stabbed and subjected to repeated blunt force trauma, while Coyle was beaten to death with a golf club after being forcibly removed from a locked room. 

The brutality of the murders led to the crime scene being dubbed the "House of Blood" due to the extensive bloodstains covering the walls and floors. The following morning, McAlinden alerted a neighbor, who subsequently contacted emergency services. Upon arrival, authorities discovered the three bodies and arrested McAlinden at the scene. John McAlinden and Jamie Gray were apprehended shortly thereafter. ​

In May 2005, the trio stood trial at Glasgow High Court, initially pleading not guilty. However, during the proceedings, each changed their plea to guilty for their respective roles in the murders. On June 29, 2005, Edith McAlinden was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 13 years. John McAlinden and Jamie Gray were each sentenced to life imprisonment with minimum terms of 12 years. ​