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Day by day: How the first weeks of the manhunt to find cheese wire killer unfolded

Karen Roberts
A massive police investigation was launched after George Murdoch's murder, but the killer has never been found.

The hunt for George Murdoch’s killer began from the moment police arrived on scene and found him injured on Pitfodels Station Road.

First on the scene for the police was Allan Hendry, who found the taxi driver with severe injuries on his head, face and neck – but still breathing.

However, by the time he was transferred into the ambulance he was dead.

Police later confirmed a cheese wire was found close to the taxi.

His final journey began when he picked up a passenger on Queen’s Road on the night of September 29, 1983. He told his dispatcher at 8.35pm he was heading to Culter.

The Evening Express has followed the story of George’s murder from the start, here’s how the first few weeks of the hunt for his killer unfolded.

Police and police dogs examining an area of interest in Aberdeen after the George Murdoch murder
Police and dogs involved in the search following the murder of taxi driver George Murdoch.

Searches carried out around the area of the George Murdoch murder

The Evening Express front page, September 30, 1983, "Race to help the death fight cabbie"
The Evening Express September 30, 1983. Image: British Newspaper Archive.

The following day the hunt continued for the killer with searches conducted by a team of 30 police officers, dog handlers and detectives. Door-to-door inquiries were also carried out.

Roadblocks and bid to find fleeing man

The Evening Express front page October 1 1983 "Roadblock hunt for cabbie's murderer"
The Evening Express October 1 1983. Image: British Newwspaper Archive.

In the days after the cabbie’s death roadblocks were set up covering a 5-mile stretch at lower South Deeside.

The focus turned to the area after someone matching the description of the man who fled the murder scene, was seen running from South Deeside Road into fields.

Detectives also confirmed a cheese wire had been found at the scene, and asked anyone who had lost or sold one to get in touch.

the incident room for the George Murdoch murder inquiry at police HQ on Queen Street
A look inside the incident room for the murder inquiry at police HQ on Queen Street.

‘Where were your husbands and sons that night?’

 

The Evening Express front page October 3, 1983. "Police tell of murder enquries"
The Evening Express October 3, 1983. Image: British Newspaper Archive

Police revealed George died from head and neck injuries and said the motive for his murder was thought to be robbery.

Detective Superintendent Jim McLeod, who was leading the inquiry, said a sum of money was believed to be missing from George’s body.

Officers also made a plea to mothers and wives to think about where their husbands or sons were at the time of the killing.

A description of the man police want to speak to is issued – 20-30 years old, 5ft 7ins, thin with dark hair, clean-shaven and wearing dark clothes.

Plane journey to retrace George Murdoch’s last drive

The Evening Express front page, October 6, 1983. "E.E takes to air manhunt"
The Evening Express October 6, 1983. Image: British Newspaper Archive.

In the week after George’s death, the Evening Express joined Grampian Police to fly over areas vital to the investigation.

Reporter Alison Shaw and photographer Jim Love joined Detective Sergeant Alec Den to fly over what was believed to be the route of George’s final journey.

Meanwhile, two witnesses came forward with information about a pale blue Ford Cortina taxi double-parked on Queen’s Road at 8.28pm.

A man was seen getting into a pale blue Ford Cortina taxi outside either the New Marcliffe or Belvidere Hotel.

Det Supt Jim McLeod said he was convinced this was the suspect getting into George’s taxi.

Sighting of man in woods sparks search

Evening Express front page October 7, 1983. "Police swoop on woods as man is sighted"
Evening Express October 7, 1983. Image: British Newspaper Archive.

A mystery man matching the description of the suspect coming out of woods on South Deeside Road prompted officers to search the area.

The man was spotted by a milkman making a delivery to a Rudolf Steiner house.

He saw the man in the drive near East lodge. He had emerged from the woods but quickly disappeared back into the trees.

Roadblocks were also set up in three key areas of the investigation – Queen’s Road, North Deeside Road and Pitfodels Station Road.

Bid to find couple who passed taxi

Evening Express front page, October 8, 1983. "City couple may hold vital clue to murder"
Evening Express October 8, 1983. Image: British Newspaper Archive.

On October 8 the Evening Express told how police wanted to speak to a young couple who may have “vital information” about George’s final passenger.

The couple were passengers in a taxi that passed his car while it was double-parked on Queen’s Road.

Police along with the Evening Express reconstructed events on Queen’s Road on the night of the murder.

A reconstruction of the George Murdoch murder showing a man about to get in the back seat of a taxi
This is a reconstruction by police and the Evening Express of what happened in Queen’s Road at 8.28pm on the night George Murdoch was murdered.

Plea to speak to the ‘Silent 16’

Evening Express front page, October 10, 1983. "Plea to silent sixteen"
Evening Express October 10, 1983. Image: British Newspaper Archive.

On October 16 police made a plea to key witnesses – dubbed the “Silent 16” – to come forward, including:

  • The passenger George picked up before his final fare. The passenger went from King Street/St Machar Road to Bridge of Don.
  • A man matching the suspect’s description was ejected from the New Marcliffe Hotel on Queen’s Road just before George’s taxi left.
  • Just after the murder a man was seen running across North Deeside Road.
  • Another man was also seen running on North Deeside Road towards the city at 9.06pm.
  • Five minutes later four teens were waiting for a bus in Pitfodels.
  • Four of five joggers who were in the area at the time had also not gone to police.

Poster campaign launched

Evening Express front page, October 11, 1983. "New push to find a killer"
Evening Express October 11, 1983. Image: ritish Newspaper Archive.

The Evening Express launched a publicity campaign to try and help find the killer.

Along with the police the Evening Express distributed 1,000 posters that showed the starting point for George’s final journey.

Posters were to be displayed in places like pubs and bookies, as well as on newspaper delivery vans.

Det Insp Norman McCormack, Det Insp Warren Souden and Det Supt Jim McLeod holding a poster asking for information on the George Murdoch murder
Left to right: Det Insp Norman McCormack, Det Insp Warren Souden and Det Supt Jim McLeod look at the EE poster.

Appeal to speak to people in red car

Evening Express October 17, 1983. "Murder probe team seek red car owner"
Evening Express October 17, 1983. Image: British Newspaper Archive.

We reported on October 17 how police were looking to speak to occupants of a red car.

The car was seen travelling west from Cults to Culter between 8.30pm and 8.45pm on the night of the murder.

The man in the chip shop

Evening Express front page, October 19, 1983. "Police hunt man seen dripping blood"
Evening Express October 19, 1983. Image: British Newspaper Archive.

One of the most startling developments in the case came three weeks into the probe.

Police announced they were looking for a man who had arrived in a nearby chip shop apparently dripping in blood.

The information came from an assistant at Mr Chips on Great Western Road, Mannofield – a mile from the crime scene – who said the man arrived at between 9pm and 9.15pm on the night of the murder.

He was said to have had three or four scratch marks on his cheek and the side of his nose, and bruising on the lower lid of his eye.

It was also said he had cuts on his thumb and first three fingers of his hand which were bleeding.

Driver picked up ‘bleeding man’ after murder

Evening Express front page, October 21, 1983. "Did driver pick up a killer"
Evening Express October 21, 1983. Image: British Newspaper Archive.

The chip shop sighting gained further credibility several days later when a man came forward to say he picked up a bleeding man in the Mannofield.

Police said the man made an anonymous call to a taxi firm on October 20 to say he had collected a man matching the suspect’s description in one of the key search areas.

It was thought the man was reluctant to go to police as he had recently got a parking ticket.

Police check hands of fans at Pittodrie

Evening Express front page, October 22, 1983. "Murder hunt at the big match"
Evening Express October 22, 1983. Image: British Newspaper Archive.

Acting on the theory that the murderer’s hands may have been injured in the attack – possible through the use of cheese wire – detectives dispatched officers to Pittodrie to examine the hands of football fans at the Celtic match on October 22.

Det Supt Jim McLeod said he believed wounds on the suspect’s hands would still be visible three weeks on from the murder.

Police check football spectators' hands for cuts as they enter Pittodrie as part of their George Murdoch murder investigation
Police check spectators’ hands for cuts as they enter Pittodrie in their search for the killer of Aberdeen man George Murdoch in Oct 1983.

Four weeks on from murder and probe still ongoing

Evening Express front page, October 26. "Murder team in new chip shop probe"
Evening Express October 26. Image: British Newspaper Archive.

Customers at Mr Chips were to be interviewed again as part of the inquiry.

Police were set to speak to people frequenting the chip shop exactly four weeks on from Dod’s murder.

Appeal for hitchhiker to come forward

Evening Express November 3, 1983. "Murder squad chases new clue"
Evening Express November 3, 1983. Image: British Newspaper Archive.

Police renewed appeals for a hitchhiker seen near where Dod picked up his last passenger to come forward.

The hitchhiker described as 5″8, slim with dark brown hair, matched the description of the suspect seen running from the murder scene.

As the investigation continued on over the next weeks and months, and then years fresh appeals were made. However the trail went cold and the case remained unsolved.