Overview

• Police Scotland arrested the 67-year-old suspect on July 25 after identifying fresh leads in the long-running cold case.
• Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Gillies attributed the charge to modern forensic techniques and community-supplied information.
• Investigators sustained public interest with televised reconstructions and reward offers of up to £20,000 over three decades.
• A distinctive novelty keyring figurine released in 2021 was reexamined as potential evidence in the inquiry.
• Daughter Candice Stevens and grandmother Mhairi Smith made repeated televised appeals to press for justice and encourage witness testimony.