Renee MacRae murder trial weekly round-up

By The crime and courts team

October 1 2022, 6:00 am

Renee and Andrew MacRae's remains haven't been found since they were murdered in November 1976

This is the last week of key evidence which led to a jury convicting William MacDowell, 80, for the murders of Renee and Andrew MacRae in 1976.

Thursday September 29

Day 12: Guilty OAP jailed for “planned execution” of pair

William MacDowell had denied killing his biological son Andrew MacRae and the three-year-old’s mum Renee

A pensioner has been convicted for the murders of Inverness mum Renee MacRae and their toddler son Andrew, ending nearly 46 years of mystery over who was responsible for the pair’s disappearance.

William (Bill) MacDowell was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum jail term of 30 years.

Lord Armstrong told the callous killer: “These murders appear to have been premeditated and planned in a most calculating way.

“These appear to be in effect executions. You murdered your victims and disposed of their bodies and you took various steps to avoid detection.”

Wednesday September 28

Day 11: Defence says allegations ‘so grotesque it is absurd’

Renee MacRae vanished almost 46 years ago with her son Andrew and the pair haven’t been seen since

Allegations against the OAP accused of murdering his secret lover Renee MacRae and their toddler son Andrew are “so grotesque it is absurd” the 80-year-old’s defence counsel told a jury.

William (Bill) McDowell, 80, had been standing trial at the High Court in Inverness, accused of killing the 36-year-old housewife and their three-year-old son.

The jury, addressed by McDowell’s defence team for the final time, was told the pair “were not murdered” and that their disappearance in 1976 was “still a mystery”.

The wheelchair-bound accused’s defence counsel Murray Macara KC told the jury of eight women and seven men he “did not concede” that Renee and Andrew were murdered.

Tuesday September 27

Day 10: MacDowell decides not to give evidence

Renee MacRae, 36, went missing with her three-year-old son Andrew on November 12 1976

The man accused of murdering his secret lover Renee MacRae and their three-year-old son Andrew decided not to take the stand to give evidence in his own defence.

William (Bill) MacDowell, 80, denied killing the 36-year-old Inverness housewife and her son at a lay-by on the A9 near Dalmagarry, or elsewhere, on November 12 1976.

Previously, wheelchair-bound MacDowell heard prosecutor Alex Prentice KC present the last of the Crown’s alleged evidence against him.

Later, at the High Court in Inverness, the pensioner’s legal representation closed their case after calling five witnesses for the defence.

Monday September 26

Day 9: Renee’s blood in BMW from possible blow to head

Blood assumed to belong to Renee MacRae was found in the boot of her abandoned and burnt-out BMW

Blood found in the car boot of missing Renee MacRae’s BMW could have been caused by someone receiving a blow to the head, an expert told the jury.

Forensic scientist Christopher Gannicliffe was the final witness for the Crown in its prosecution of William MacDowell, 80, who denied murdering his secret lover and their three-year-old son Andrew.

Mr Gannicliffe drew on his 32 years of experience as he explained to the High Court in Inverness how the blood deposit may have entered the boot.

The blood spatter expert said that someone receiving a blow to the head and falling partly into the boot may be “one explanation”.

Accused told handyman: ‘I did and I didn’t’ kill Renee

The pensioner accused of murdering Renee MacRae told his handyman “I did and I didn’t” kill her when asked about the Inverness mum’s disappearance, the jury heard.

The High Court in Inverness examined evidence from convicted Lanarkshire safecracker Mitchell Yuill, now deceased.

He had previously told police that when he asked William MacDowell if he had killed the 36-year-old housewife: “He replied I did and I didn’t”.