Cheese wire victim's family offer £10,000 reward

The family of a man murdered with a cheese wire in Aberdeen more than 40 years ago have offered a £10,000 reward to help police close in on his killer.

Taxi driver George Murdoch was found dead beside his vehicle on Pitfodels Station Road in September 1983 - the cheese wire thought to have been used as a garrotte was discovered nearby.

Police said they believed they had a DNA profile of the 58-year-old's killer in September last year and had compiled a list of 200 possible genetic matches.

Mr Murdoch's loved ones said they hoped the reward would encourage people to come forward and offer DNA swabs to find possible family ties.

Officers have visited the homes of several individuals as part of the DNA testing process.

The 200 people identified are not under suspicion of the murder, but it is hoped genetic testing may uncover a familial link.

A statement posted on a Facebook page set up by those campaigning for justice over the murder said the reward was merely an "incentive" to prompt those identified into complying.

"In some families, dark secrets may lie buried for many years," it read. "The killer may only have told one who was very close to him.

"It is possible that this secret was known only to them and never shared with others. Hence why this new form of familial DNA testing can be so useful in tracking killers, no matter how many years may have passed."

It added: "By offering this £10,000 reward sum, our hope is that it might act as an incentive and encourage everyone to comply."

Mr Murdoch, also known as Dod, had picked up a fare outside the New Marcliffe Hotel in Aberdeen's west end at about 20:35 on 29 September, 1983.

He radioed his control room to inform them he was heading to Culter.

About two miles into the journey, he turned off on to Pitfodels Station Road on the outskirts of the city.

There, he was attacked and killed.

Two passing cyclists saw him being assaulted and alerted police, but Mr Murdoch was dead by the time officers arrived.

His wallet and money were stolen in the attack.

During the major investigation that followed, a length of cheese wire was found nearby.

Officers visited 10,000 homes and took 8,000 statements from the city and beyond without success.

Mr Murdoch's wife, Jessie, died in 2004 without seeing the killer brought to justice.

The couple did not have children, however Mr Murdoch's nephew, Alex McKay, has led the campaign to find the killer.

Forensic scientists managed to develop a male DNA profile from crime scene materials as technology advanced.

They are yet to find a match, but in September were able to work with the UK's National Crime Agency to compile an initial list of 200 potential genetic matches.

Work to contact them and take swabs is ongoing.

Officers are also attempting to identify a man seen wearing an Iron Maiden T-shirt at Wilson's Sports Bar in Aberdeen in 2015.

In a statement in September, Det Insp James Callander said: "The familial DNA links identified will assist in tracing people who can help with our inquiries.

"I want to make clear, these individuals are not suspects, but we hope they may be able to help with our ongoing investigation.

"The solving of this horrific crime requires the help of the public. I would urge anyone with information to please come forward. We want to give George's family some much needed closure."