Ross Torrance, 38, has been identified as the man suspected of murdering Paul Lafferty, 50, and Gary Beaton, 54, in a flat in Chancellor Street, Partick, Glasgow, before taking his own life. Police Scotland confirmed that if Torrance had been alive, he would have been arrested for the murders.
Discovery of the Bodies
The two victims were found in a first-floor tenement flat on Sunday, August 16, after concerned family members alerted police. They had last been seen in the Partick area at around 9am on the Friday, almost 56 hours before their bodies were discovered.
A day later, Torrance was found with apparently self-inflicted stab wounds under the George V Bridge in the city centre's Broomielaw. His death certificate states he died at 'King George V Bridge' on the afternoon of August 17 from 'stab wounds of trunk.'
Investigation Details
During the double murder investigation, police trawled through 4,000 hours of CCTV and visited 170 homes. The flat, which belonged to Paul Lafferty, was just yards from the University of Glasgow. Both victims knew each other.
A source said: "Police are certain Torrance was their man for these two murders. But because he's dead, there will be no justice or explanation for the families of the two men - or the family of Torrance. How the three men knew each other and why they were in that flat remains a mystery."
Community Reaction and Aftermath
Paul Lafferty had lived alone in the flat for around two years and was described as the "perfect neighbour" by locals. One resident told the Daily Record: "Paul kept himself to himself and was never any bother. He would always say hello and would often take out my rubbish bags for me."
Another neighbour said: "It's baffling because nobody heard any noise or screams. Paul was just a quiet man and his death has left a lot of unanswered questions. Nobody seems to know how he knew the other dead man or the alleged killer."
The flat has been sealed with a metal door as the investigation continues. Police Scotland said in a statement: "Following extensive inquiries, officers have since established if this man was alive today, police would have sought to arrest him in connection with the murders of Paul Lafferty and Gary Beaton in Glasgow. An investigation remains ongoing and a report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal."
Police Scotland have also said that the 38-year-old's death was not suspicious. A GoFundMe page for Paul, a father of two, has raised nearly £3,000 for his family.
