The unsolved murder of Aberdeen taxi driver George Murdoch is to feature on the BBC’s Crimewatch Live.
Producers from the daytime show have been in the north-east to film a reconstruction of the 1983 killing and to interview George’s family.
The case will feature on Monday’s programme and comes six months after Aberdeen Journals doubled the reward to £20,000 for anyone with information leading to the confirmed identification of George’s murderer.
George, 58, was found dying on the ground outside his sky blue Ford Cortina taxi on Pitfodels Station Road having picked up a fare on the city’s Queen’s Road.
Witnesses saw a man struggling with George on the secluded street, just off North Deeside Road, and raised the alarm.
When a police officer arrived George was close to death and a key piece of evidence was found nearby – the cheese wire. This would lead to the murderer being dubbed the Cheese Wire Killer.
George’s wife Jessie died in 2004 without seeing justice done but nephew Alex McKay, along with his wife Robina, have continued to keep the case alive and hope this latest development might provide the break they need.
Alex said: “At the time of the murder, Aberdeen had a large transient working population, due to the oil and gas industry.
“The Facebook Appeals team started to think about how best to widen its reach to people who were in the region at the time, but no longer lived here.
“Hence, the family asked Police Scotland if they could help get this case on to Crimewatch Live, in order to help with this.
“We’re delighted that Crimewatch Live has agreed to feature our case and hope that the nationwide coverage will finally provide the breakthrough our family have been longing for.”
In September The Press & Journal and Evening Express doubled the reward to £20,000 – something Detective Inspector James Callander hoped might convince someone to provide a key piece of evidence.
At the time he said the investigation into George’s murder has been one of the largest ever conducted in the north-east.
He said: “We’ve got a catalogue of archive material. In excess of 10,000 houses were visited and 8,000 witness statements were taken. We firmly believe the answers are contained within there.
“This reward will maybe help somebody to come forward and put that little piece together that will hopefully get this over the line.”
Alex said despite the murder being almost 40 years ago, tips and information hasn’t dried up.
He said: “We have been, and continue to be, extremely grateful for the help and support of the police as well as the media.
“In particular to Aberdeen Journals, who generously doubled the family’s original reward to £20,000, as well as publishing numerous articles regarding this case.
“In addition, a Facebook appeals page was set up which has attracted significant interest and following.
“The various appeals since 2018 have seen well over 100 tips and pieces of information submitted to the police.
“Our gratitude to those who have shown an interest and taken time to come forward.
“A number of these are still actively being followed up at the present time. They have come in from people who are still in Aberdeenshire, as well as other parts of Scotland and around the world.”
The George Murdoch murder will feature in Monday’s Crimewatch Live on BBC One at 10am.
Can you finally solve the mystery? Call Police Scotland on 101 with any information or private message the George Murdoch Murder Facebook page
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