- Police have introduced a “important” breakthrough in a homicide case involving a 58-year-old taxi driver who was killed in an assault involving a cheese wire in Scotland on Sept. 29, 1983
- Officers have confirmed 200 potential leads — none of that are being handled as suspects but — forward of the forty first anniversary of George Murdoch’s loss of life
- The replace is because of “developments in forensic science,” permitting police to do additional checks on DNA, per a Police Scotland Fb submit
Police looking for an individual who killed a taxi driver in 1983 — utilizing a cheese wire within the assault — have introduced “a major improvement within the case” 41 years later.
George Murdoch, 58 — often called “Dod” by family members — was killed in Aberdeen, Scotland “as he changed into the Pitfoldels Station Street space of the town” on the night of Thursday, Sept. 29, 1983, Police Scotland North East defined in a Facebook submit this week.
Officers confirmed “a cheese wire was used within the assault,” however have not said if that is how Murdoch died.
Because it nears the forty first anniversary since Murdoch’s loss of life, officers confirmed they’d compiled “an preliminary listing of 200 attainable genetic matches” to try to set up a household tie linking certainly one of them to the scene.
Nevertheless, police insisted that did not imply any of the 200 listed have been suspects presently. No one has been arrested in reference to the case as of but.
In accordance with the BBC, Murdoch’s cash and pockets have been stolen within the assault, however a motive for the homicide stays unknown.
Police Scotland North East/Fb
Within the Fb submit, Police Scotland mentioned that “developments in forensic science had led to a DNA profile from the scene being recognized,” and that officers have been now in a position to “seek for anybody associated to the DNA pattern, often called familial DNA,” together with figuring out “potential shut family members of a person when their DNA profile is just not on the [National DNA] database.”
“Familial DNA looking out is predicated upon the precept that DNA is inherited and all members of a household share sure facets of their DNA. Youngsters share half their DNA from their father and half with their mom,” the submit defined, including, “The extent to which siblings share their DNA is variable, however they may are inclined to share extra DNA than unrelated folks.”
“This new DNA information is important and can assist take us a step nearer to getting justice for Mr Murdoch’s household,” Detective Inspector James Callander mentioned, per the Fb submit.
“The familial DNA hyperlinks recognized will help in tracing individuals who might help with our enquiries. I wish to clarify, these people usually are not suspects, however we hope they can assist with our ongoing investigation,” Callander added.
He continued, “I might ask everybody to suppose again to when George was murdered. When you have any issues in any respect from round that point, please don’t dismiss them and call us.”
“The fixing of this horrific crime requires the assistance of the general public. I might urge anybody with info to please come ahead. We wish to give George’s household some much-needed closure,” Callander concluded.
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Police Scotland North East/Fb
The sufferer’s household added in a press release, “This newest improvement with the familial DNA is a large leap ahead and we thank the police for his or her continued endeavor in attending to this stage.”
“It is extremely encouraging and refreshes our hope that we will lastly determine who’s answerable for Dod’s homicide,” they continued, per the submit.
Murdoch was survived by his spouse Jessie, however she later died in 2004, in response to the BBC. The outlet said the sufferer’s nephew, Alex McKay — who was 26 when the homicide occurred — was “past delighted” by the newest DNA replace.
“Please be as open as you presumably can. It is the killer they’re concentrating on,” he urged the general public, stating he “daydreamed” about getting closure following his uncle’s loss of life.
Police are nonetheless trying to “determine a person who was seen carrying an Iron Maiden T-shirt in Wilson’s Sports activities Bar on Market Avenue in Aberdeen in 2015,” after launching a public attraction in 2022.
