The heartbroken wife of a taxi driver brutally murdered in Aberdeen with a cheese wire endured two decades of torture as she searched for answers over her husband's death.
George 'Dod' Murdoch and his wife Jessie had been happily married for 37 years prior to his death on Thursday, September 29, 1983. The 58-year-old was working night shift and picked up a fare on Queen's Road in Aberdeen before he was pounced on by his attacker after he turned onto Pitfodels Station Road, on the outskirts of the Granite City, at around 8.35pm.
The cold killer fashioned the cheese wire into a garotte and left the weapon dumped near the scene of the crime. No arrests were ever made in connection with George's death, much to wife Jessie's dismay, and she died in 2004 without ever seeing anyone charged.
As part of a new appeal by Police Scotland, the case was featured on BBC's Crimewatch Live on Tuesday and George's nephew, Alec McKay, told how his uncle's murder tortured Jessie, whose wellbeing went drastically downhill following his death. Alec said: "They had a great marriage. Their relationship was very strong.
"She always said to him, 'I'm worried about you Dod, doing that job, particularly on the night shift'.
"He even said that if anybody tried to take his money, he'd just give it to them - my Uncle Dod was not a fighter. He was just an ordinary, working man."
Alec added: "Unfortunately after the death of Dod, Jessie's life changed remarkably. Her health went into decline and she never spoke about Dod's murder. She never felt safe, she always thought the killer was going to come back and harm her.
"She went to her grave not knowing who his murderer was. At times it makes me angry and sad not knowing she was able to see justice."
Last month, officers revealed they were looking to identify a man who was seen wearing an Iron Maiden t-shirt in Wilson’s Sports Bar on Market Street in Aberdeen on September 26, 2015 - three days prior to the anniversary of George's death. There were a group of people at the pub, with an indication emerging that someone within the bar may have had information relating to George's murder.
Alec has again made an emotional appeal to anyone who could provide key details in relation to the case. Breaking down in tears, he said: "It was brutal. Carrying a cheese wire with them, what kind of person would do that? They weren't using it for work, it had to be premeditated.
"It takes a callous individual to go out with something like that. For the family and for those that have passed, you can't take something like that to your grave.
"Even if it's a hunch or if it's a small piece of information, please share it. Small snips of information from you might actually help us with information from somebody else, we'd be able to start joining the dots.
"Closure to a family is like gold dust, it's something that you crave and that you need, we certainly do. Even after 40 years, we've always cared and we always will."
Detective Inspector James Callander, an investigating officer of George's murder, added: "On the back of previous appeals, we are aware of an individual that had been drinking in Wilson's Sports bar on September 26, 2015, three days before the anniversary date of the murder. There was a group of individuals and there was an indication that a gentleman within the bar may have information relating to the murder.
"He was wearing an Iron-Maiden t-shirt from the 2011 final frontier world tour in Germany. We are looking for anybody who has any knowledge of somebody wearing that t-shirt in Wilson's Sports Bar to come forward and anybody else who may have any further information."
A reward of £50,000 has been made by George's family and Crimestoppers for any information that could help to catch the notorious cheese wire killer.
Those with information are urged to contact Police Scotland on 101 or e-mail a dedicated inbox at SCDHOLMESAberdeen@scotland.pnn.police.uk.
Crimestoppers can also be contacted anonymously on 0800 555111.
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