Update in hunt for Cheesewire Killer 41 years after notorious unsolved murder
DETECTIVES have issued a major update amid their hunt for the mysterious 'Cheesewire Killer' who murdered a taxi driver 41 years ago.
George Murdoch, 58, was battered and choked to death in a quiet street in Aberdeen back in 1983.
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George Murdoch, 58, was attacked on a dimly lit street in Aberdeen
Credit: PA
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An identical replica of the cheese wire believed to have been used to kill George
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DI James Callander in the two-part documentary Forensics: Murder Case
Credit: Viacom
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George Murdoch's taxi was left abandoned after the brutal 1983 murder
Credit: Viacom
The cabbie was violently attacked after he turned onto Pitfodels Station Road, on the outskirts of the city, on Thursday, September 29, at around 8.45pm.
The killer wrapped a cheese wire around his throat, but George fought for his life, managing to break free and escape the cab.
Tragically, his assailant caught him and strangled him in the street.
Over the years, detectives followed several lines of enquiry and checked a number of different leads.
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They also conducted 10,000 house-to-house inquiries and recorded 7,000 statements, but the killer was never found.
In September 2023, police investigating the decades-old murder revealed that they made a major DNA breakthrough.
Dod was a gentle, likeable and kind-hearted man, who usually had a smile on his face. We all miss him terribly and hope for some closure
George Murdoch's family
Advancements in forensic analysis enabled a DNA profile of a man to be identified from crime scene material, which would help police with their investigation.
The profile was referred to as Male Z after it did not match the samples of anyone on the national DNA database.
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However, it did help officers rule out certain suspects who gave the force a sample of their DNA.
The force has been working with the National Crime Agency to create a list of 1,000 people who have a possible genetic match to the profile.
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While they are not considered suspects, they all have a strong genetic link to the DNA profile of Male Z.
And this has prompted cops to approach them and ask them for DNA samples, according to the Liverpool Echo.
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Over the last 18 months, officers have been visiting people in Liverpool, Wirral, Manchester and Yorkshire who have a similar DNA to the suspect and asked them to provide a sample.
This new line of enquiry was explored in Channel 5's new documentary called Forensics: Murder Case.
The two-part show, which aired on Monday and Tuesday this week, showed police speaking to various members of the public.
George Murdoch's family have dealt with his loss with a great deal of dignity over the years since his senseless murder. They deserve answers
Detective Inspector James Callander
Detective Inspector James Callander, from Police Scotland, said this was key to taking them one step closer to finding the killer.
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Speaking on the documentary, he said: "Because we know that the Male Z profile is not on the DNA database, we can't search for him.
"So we need to search for family members. There are around 5 million people on their DNA database vs about 66 million in the UK.
'Out of the 5 million, we've got over 1,000 names most similar to the Male Z DNA profile.
"It's physically impossible to meet or identify every single person. But we will do as much as we can.
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FAMILY'S PLEA
THE latest update comes after George's family previously appealed to the public in 2023 to come forward with any information about his death.
The slain cabbie's wife Jessie never got over the horror and died in 2004, while some of George's closest relatives have also passed away.
But George's nephew Alex McKay has never stopped looking for answers about what happened to his beloved uncle.
In a statement through Police Scotland, his family said: "Our family was rocked by what happened to Dod, and it continues to affect us today.
'Forty years is a long time to go without all of the answers to what happened to him, but it's never too late to see justice served.
"We urge anyone with any information that could assist the investigation, no matter what it is, to contact the police.
'Dod was a gentle, likeable and kind-hearted man, who usually had a smile on his face.
"We all miss him terribly and hope for some closure.'
'The family has hopes and expectations. Nobody has ever been brought to justice for this crime. Familial DNA is the key to solving this.'
Adam Gregory, a behavioural expert at the National Crime Agency, added: 'There's something really criminally ingrained in this individual.
"Those individuals are more likely to have criminal family members, and therefore more likely to have relatives that are on the national criminal database.'
DC Rachel Polson, who was one of the police officers who travelled to Merseyside, said: "Their DNA is similar to that of the killer. It's not the same DNA; it's not the exact match.
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"It could be a relative, could be a very distant relative, or it could be the fact that they have very similar DNA.'
Detective Inspector James Callander, from Police Scotland's Major Investigation Team, told the Scottish Sun: 'George Murdoch's family have dealt with his loss with a great deal of dignity over the years since his senseless murder.
The family has hopes and expectations. Nobody has ever been brought to justice for this crime. Familial DNA is the key to solving this
Detective Inspector James Callander
"They deserve answers about what happened to him.
'We are continuing to focus on familial DNA links which have been identified which may assist us in tracing people who can help with our enquiries.
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"I want to make clear again, these individuals are not suspects, but we hope they may be able to help with our ongoing investigation.
"I would like to thank everyone who has provided their DNA for their help so far and would urge anyone who hasn't yet done so, to contact officers.
"We also continue to receive information from the public about what may have happened to George and any new information we do receive is thoroughly investigated.
'Anyone with any information is asked to please come forward. We want to give George's family some much needed closure.'
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The force has urged anyone with any information to contact Police Scotland via 101 or e-mail a dedicated inbox at SCDHOLMESAberdeen@scotland.pnn.police.uk.
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