Man appears in court charged with murder of Shona Stevens in Irvine over 30 years ago
A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of Irvine mum Shona Stevens over 30 years ago.
Fraser Kilpatrick, 67, appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Monday, July 28.
Kilpatrick, of Glasgow, made no plea and was remanded in custodywhile the case was committed for further examination. He will be expected to reappear in court within the next eight days.
Shona, 31, died after she was found with serious head injuries on a footpath in a wooded area near the Ayrshire town's Bourtreehill Park on November 10, 1994.
The alleged attack happened just 200 yards from the mum's home, as she walked to the Co-op shop in Bourtreehill shopping centre.
She was last seen alone just ten minutes before she was found in a critical condition. The mother sadly died in hospital three days later.
The police investigation into her death came to a standstill after evidence from the crime scene was feared to have been blown away by the rescue helicopter.
Her body was laid to rest five days later in her mum's hometown of Portree on Skye.
Shona's death was the third murder recorded in the town in 1994, leaving many local residents in fear - especially as Shona's killer was never brought to justice.
Last year, after nearly three decades, Police Scotland announced they were " determined" her killer would be caught.
Her death was being re-investigated as part of a cold case review. At the time, officers were hopeful that advancements in science could lead to a break through.
Shona's case was featured on BBC's Crimewatch Live in 2021. A £10,000 reward was offered for any information leading to the arrest of the killer.
As part of the appeal, viewers were told about an unusual object which was recovered at the crime scene. A novelty keyring was recovered, despite other evidence potentially being destroyed.
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