The family of Renee MacRae said last night they will never feel “closure” until the 40-year murder mystery is solved and her killer is brought to justice.
They said they remained “collectively heartbroken” as they issued an emotional appeal for anyone with information to come forward.
Tomorrow marks the 40th anniversary of the disappearance of the Inverness mother-of-two and her three-year-old son Andrew.
The police investigation has been subject to ongoing reviews, which included a full cold case review in 2004, resulting in a month-long excavation of Dalmagarry Quarry.
More recently, Police Scotland looked at the case again as part of a homicide governance review in 2013, but the murderer has never been caught.
Mrs MacRae’s sister Morag Govans, a 76-year-old who lives in Inverness, said earlier this week that she thought it was “incredible” that no-one had been prosecuted for the killings.
In a family statement issued last night, they urged anyone with any information to come forward.
“Forty years have passed since the disappearance of Renee and Andrew and as a family we remain collectively heartbroken to have lost a much loved and cherished mother, sister, brother and friend to many,” they said.
“We cannot give up hope that somebody holds information which could help lead us to the answers as to what happened to our beloved Renee and Andrew.
“Our message is it is never too late. We are confident these answers will come from the local community and as a family we urge that person to come forward – until such time the person who caused harm to Renee and Andrew will continue to escape justice and we will be without closure.”