Channel 5 is set to air a two-part true crime documentary examining one of Scotland's longest unsolved murder cases. The programme, titled The Wire: Forensics Murder, focuses on the brutal killing of Aberdeen taxi driver George 'Dod' Murdoch in 1983.
Murdoch was murdered with a cheese wire while collecting a fare from the Pitfodels Station Road area of Cults. Two youngsters witnessed the assault and alerted police, but by the time officers arrived, Murdoch had died and the attacker had fled. Despite extensive investigations, including 10,000 door-to-door enquiries and 7,000 witness statements, no one has ever been convicted.
A significant breakthrough came in 2023 when advances in forensic technology allowed police to extract a DNA profile of a man, referred to as Male Z, from evidence at the crime scene. The documentary explores this lead and features police speaking with residents in other parts of the UK who may be genetically connected.
Detective Inspector James Callander from Police Scotland said: 'The family has hopes and expectations. Nobody has ever been brought to justice for this crime. Familial DNA is the key to solving this.'
The documentary airs on Channel 5 tonight, Thursday 26 March, at 10pm, with both parts shown back-to-back. It can also be viewed on demand via 5 online.
