Renee MacRae murder: Police hope for fresh clues in search for bodies

Police accidental they person not fixed up anticipation of uncovering the bodies of a parent and lad who were murdered astir 50 years ago.

William MacDowell, 81, was convicted past twelvemonth of sidesplitting his person Renee MacRae and their three-year-old lad Andrew successful the Highlands successful 1976.

MacDowell died successful situation successful February without revealing wherever helium disposed of their bodies.

Police anticipation a BBC Scotland documentary mightiness pb to caller information.

The find of Renee MacRae's BMW connected occurrence successful a lay-by southbound of Inverness connected Friday 12 November 1976 sparked 1 of the UK's longest execution inquiries.

There was a spot of humor successful the car's boot, but nary different motion of the 36-year-old mother-of-two oregon her youngest son, Andrew.

An extended constabulary probe astatine the clip progressive searches of moorland and a flooded quarry. The lawsuit has been reinvestigated respective times implicit the past 4 decades.

In 2019, MacDowell was arrested astatine this location successful Penrith, Cumbria. In September past twelvemonth helium was recovered blameworthy of the murders and disposing of Renee and Andrew's bodies.

The proceedings judge, Lord Armstrong, described the killings arsenic "executions". MacDowell, whose lawyers said helium was experiencing ill-health during the trial, denied each the charges against him.

He died astatine Forth Valley Royal Hospital little than 5 months aft his conviction.

"The information helium served truthful small clip successful jailhouse does rankle me," said Det Ch Insp Brian Geddes, who led the reinvestigation that resulted successful the lawsuit being brought to court.

"He had his full beingness arsenic a escaped antheral having taken the lives of Renee and Andrew."

The detective said the caller documentary offered the anticipation of caller accusation oregon witnesses coming forward.

Mr Geddes said: "Do I judge that anyone other knows wherever the remains are?

"I personally don't judge they bash and nary of the grounds contained wrong the reinvestigation would suggest that either.

"However, that doesn't halt america from trying to find retired wherever they are.

"Hopefully the TV accumulation volition punctual further clues from radical who whitethorn person an thought of wherever they mightiness be, oregon immoderate different accusation astir the case."

The elder serviceman said a reappraisal of investigative worldly was already ongoing successful an effort to place immoderate opportunities for a caller hunt to beryllium conducted.

"Because we person not recovered 2 bodies it remains unresolved arsenic acold arsenic I americium concerned," helium said.

MacDowell, who was married, had been the institution caput astatine a gathering steadfast owned by Mrs MacRae's estranged husband, Gordon.

His proceedings heard however the find of the burning car led to the matter being exposed. It was alleged helium had told Renee they would commencement a caller beingness with Andrew successful Shetland.

The tribunal heard that connected the nighttime of their disappearance, Mrs MacRae near her location successful Inverness with Andrew successful the content they would beryllium gathering with MacDowell.

Her sister, Morag Govans, said she recovered the murders harder to woody with arsenic she got older.

She told the BBC Scotland documentary that Renee had been precise clever.

"She was meant to spell to university, but nary of her friends were going truthful she didn't go.

"I privation her beingness had taken that path. Her beingness mightiness person been antithetic for her today."

Mrs Govans added: "As you get older it gets harder.

"Our families person grown up and we could person gone for a coffee, gone shopping.

"I don't person that and I miss that."

Made by Firecrest Films, the two-part Murder Trial: The Disappearance of Renee and Andrew MacRae volition beryllium shown connected BBC Scotland connected 22 and 29 August and BBC Two connected 28 August and 4 September. Both episodes volition beryllium disposable connected BBC iPlayer from 22 August.