It has been two years since Bill MacDowell was convicted of murdering Renee and Andrew MacRae, 46 years after they were last seen.
The long-suffering family of the mother and son never gave up hope that they would one day see justice served.
And neither did the police.
More than 16,000 days after their disappearance, MacDowell was finally convicted of killing them on September 29, 2022.
That outcome seemed so unlikely for decades.
But the job is still not done.
Until the remains of Renee and Andrew are found, the search continues.
MacDowell took secret of Renee and Andrew MacRae’s whereabouts to his grave
There was some optimism after the conviction of MacDowell that he may finally be willing to disclose what happened.
However, MacDowell died less than five months into a life sentence with a minimum term of 30 years.
He was 80 years old.
After his death, Detective Chief Inspector Brian Geddes revealed he had planned a fresh bid to quiz him about the crimes.
He had written to prison authorities to request a chat with the killer.
However, DCI Geddes heard MacDowell had been admitted to hospital. He died the following day.
Given what was said about him during the murder trial, MacDowell’s death was no surprise.
Described as a “walking dead man” in court, his wife Rosemary detailed his liver and kidney problems.
She also said he already had a DNR (do not resuscitate) order set up.
Family’s anguish at having no grave for Renee and Andrew
The start of proceedings against MacDowell had been delayed because of his deteriorating health condition.
It was a race against time for officers who were determined to crack the case before he died.
The Covid pandemic made things even more difficult. And even the death of the Queen pushed the trial’s start date back a day.
Thankfully, they were able to get the job done.
It was a major breakthrough for a mystery that had occupied the minds of many people in Inverness since Renee and Andrew vanished on November 12, 1976.
But message was immediately clear from Renee and Andrew’s family and from DCI Geddes, that the job was not finished.
Morag Govans, Renee’s sister, spoke of the anguish of having no grave to visit for Renee or her nephew Andrew.
‘This case will never be resolved until we find Renee and Andrew’
Last year, police revealed they were looking in a number of different Highland locations.
These included the Blackfold area above Loch Ness, Inverfarigaig and between Nairnside and Daviot.
These were thought to be potential sites where Renee and Bill MacDowell met during their relationship.
Detectives are still reviewing evidence related to any properties linked to MacDowell, whether it was a derelict building or just one he had temporary access to.
Police Scotland was asked for an update on the search.
A spokeswoman for the force replied that it is continuing and that the last public statement made about the case still stands.
DCI Geddes said: “This case will never be considered resolved until we find Renee and Andrew.
“We owe it to the family and friends to make every effort to recover Renee and Andrew’s bodies and I would urge anyone who may be able to assist, no matter how small you may feel your information is, to come forward.”
Everything you need to know about the Renee and Andrew MacRae case
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