'Significant development' in notorious Cheese Wire Killer cold case as police identify 200 possible DNA matches
26 September 2024, 12:52 | Updated: 26 September 2024, 12:54
Detectives working on one of Scotland's most notorious unsolved murders say there's been a "significant development" in their investigation linked to DNA evidence recovered at the scene.
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The 'Cheese Wire Killing' saw 58-year-old taxi driver George Murdoch brutally attacked in Aberdeen on the night of September 29th 1983.
He had told his control room he was taking a passenger to the Cutler area on the outskirts of the city but never arrived.
It's believed his car stopped en route before he was attacked by a man with a cheese wire which was later found nearby.
But police have never managed to find the killer or make any arrests despite a large scale investigation.
Recent developments saw officers revealing in 2022 they wanted to speak to a man they believed could help with the inquiry who had visited Wilson's Sports Bar in Aberdeen in 2015 wearing an Iron Maiden T-shirt.
Last year it was also announced investigators had identified what they believed to be the DNA profile of the murderer through advancements in forensic analysis.
And today we're told that profile has been "further enhanced to allow officers to search for anyone related to the DNA sample, known as familial DNA".
The DNA evidence has now led police to "200 possible genetic matches" in the case.
A Police Scotland spokespersons said: "In a public appeal last year, Police Scotland revealed that advancements in forensic science had led to a DNA profile from the scene being identified.
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"We can now confirm this profile has been further enhanced to allow officers to search for anyone related to the DNA sample, known as familial DNA.
"This involves a search of the National DNA Database to identify potential close relatives of an individual when their DNA profile is not on the database.
"Familial DNA searching is based upon the principle that DNA is inherited and all members of a family share certain aspects of their DNA. Children share half their DNA from their father and half with their mother.
"The extent to which siblings share their DNA is variable, but they will tend to share more DNA than unrelated people.
"Working with our partners at the National Crime Agency, an initial list of 200 possible genetic matches to the profile from the scene has been compiled. Officers will now attempt to contact these people to establish any family link," they added.
In a statement, George Murdoch's family said: “This latest development with the familial DNA is a huge leap forward and we thank the police for their continued endeavour in getting to this stage.
“It is very encouraging and refreshes our hope that we can finally identify who is responsible for Dod’s murder.”
Police Scotland can be contacted via 101 or e-mailed through our dedicated inbox at SCDHOLMESAberdeen@scotland.pnn.police.uk.
