Episode 87: Shona Stevens. This week Emma brings us the story of Shona Stevens who, in 1994, was the victim of a brutal attack which led to her death. To this day the murderer has never been found despite several media appeals. We hear about some potential avenues of investigation that have been looked at over the years but which, sadly, did not yield results. We also hear of the strain that Shona's death had on her family, and the personal struggles they had to endure. Emma gives details about ...
Mar 21, 2022•35 min
Episode 86: Philip Murray. This week we go back to the Roaring 20's for the story of Philip Murray - the last man hanged at Calton Jail. Joannagh tells us about life in Edinburgh and some of the city's notable events of the time. We also hear about Philip Murray and the alcohol fuelled rage that drove him to commit the murder for which he would later be hanged at Calton jail, before HMP Slaughton took over as the site for executions. Joannagh provides details of what imprisonment at Calton jail ...
Mar 14, 2022•28 min
Episode 85: Jeanie Seton. This week Emma takes a trip back in time to bring us the story of Jeanie Seton and the Murder of Ratho in the year 1864. We hear how Jeanie was killed in a crazed attack by George Bryce - a former love interest of a friend of Jeanie's - who blamed her for the breakup of the relationship. Emma describes how - after a failed plea of insanity - George was sentenced to death and would go on to have one of the most infamous executions in Scottish history. Case research by Em...
Mar 07, 2022•46 min
Episode 84: Kevin McLeod. This week Joannagh brings us the story of Kevin McLeod, a 24-year-old from Caithness, who died in peculiar circumstances in February 1997. Joannagh details some of the odd details of the case which led to various theories emerging from the police, and also the wider community, around the circumstances of Kevin's death. We hear how Kevin's family made various complaints about how the investigation had been handled, believing that crucial steps were not taken and that via...
Feb 27, 2022•44 min
Episode 83: Edwin Rose. This week Emma takes us back to 1889 for the tale of Edwin Rose, who was killed on Goatfell mountain in the Isle of Arran. Emma tells us of the circumstances leading up to Edwin's death and the subsequent manhunt for the main suspect. We hear how the details of the case might not be as clear cut as first thought, and we hear how local superstitions helped create an odd interlude to the case. Case research by Emma Taylor Produced by Emma Taylor & Joannagh Shanks Editin...
Feb 22, 2022•38 min
Episode 82: Louise Aitchison. This week Joannagh brings us the story of Louise Aitchison, a 33-year-old woman who was attacked and killed in a domestic abuse incident in March 2020. We hear details of the previous patterns of domestic violence carried out by her killer, which were not given enough consideration by the police when they were called to the an incident prior to the murder. Joannagh also tells us of the response to the tragedy, including statements from leading women's charity Refuge...
Feb 11, 2022•47 min
Episode 81: Stefan Sutherland. This week Emma brings us the story of Stefan Sutherland, a 25-year-old from Occumster in the Scottish Highlands, who died in September 2013. Emma stresses that officially there is no crime associated with Stefan's death. However, due to the circumstances around the death and subsequent questions around the police investigation, there deserves to be some light shone on the tragedy. Emma talks through the inconsistencies in the evidence gathering, the pertinent facts...
Feb 06, 2022•37 min
Episode 80: Mary Queen of Scots. This week Joannagh delves into the history books to tell us the story of Mary Queen of Scots. We hear of the many plots surrounding the young Queen all through her life, from murder plots to political schemes involving several major European powers. Joannagh describes how the reformation and the continuing tensions between the catholic and protestant faiths in Scotland and England was the catalyst for much of the turmoil in the life of Mary. We hear how investiga...
Jan 20, 2022•1 hr 3 min
Episode 79: Margaret McLaughlin. This week Emma brings us the story of Margaret McLaughlin, a 23-year-old typist from Carluke, who was killed in July 1973. We hear how the ferocious attack would likely have left substantial evidence on the killer and how it came as a surprise when the police named a main suspect displaying none of these signs. Emma discusses some of the poor investigation practices carried out by the police at the time and the concerns ,by some, of the outcome of the original in...
Jan 13, 2022•43 min
Episode 78: William Henry Bury. This week Joannagh takes us back to 1889 for the tale of William Henry Bury. We hear about Bury's tragic childhood, in which he lost both parents at a very young age, was raised by family friends and found employment in a workhouse at age 16. Joannagh tells us of the troubled relationship Bury had with his wife Ellen Elliot, in which he was frequently violent towards her. We also hear how this violence reached a peak after the couple moved to Dundee, Scotland. Thi...
Dec 10, 2021•46 min
Episode 77: Louise Tiffney. This week Emma brings us the story of Louise Tiffney, a 43-year-old mother of two who went missing in May 2002. We hear how - after an argument with her 18-year-old son Sean - Louise supposedly left her flat at around midnight without bank cards, cash, extra clothing or her passport. After weeks of fruitless searching for Louise, a hunch by a detective on the case brought the investigation much closer to home. Following a trial that ended with no conviction, the case ...
Dec 03, 2021•44 min
Episode 76: Robert Adaway. This week Joannagh brings us the story of Robert Adaway, who went missing from Thurso, Caithness on his 18th birthday. We hear how there were no indications that Robert was in a poor mental health or that he had anything but a bright future to look forward to. Joannagh describes the efforts of the Police in trying to locate Robert, with searches taking place in and around Thurso. Potential travel routes were also investigated. but to no avail, leaving police baffled as...
Nov 26, 2021•43 min
Episode 75: Shaun Ritchie. This week Emma brings us the story of Shaun Ritchie, who disappeared after a Halloween party in 2014, and hasn't been seen or heard from since. Emma gives us the facts of the case including that there had been reports of a fight at the party and that Shaun somehow became separated from his friends. We hear of the huge effort made by the Police to locate Shaun, with a vast array of resources being used to assist in the search. With only articles of his clothing being di...
Nov 19, 2021•39 min
Episode 74: Kriss Donald. This week Joannagh brings us the story of Kriss Donald, a 15-year-old boy who, in 2004, was killed in a racially motivated attack in Glasgow. We hear how Kriss was targeted at random by an Asian gang in revenge for an assault in a nightclub that Kriss had no involvement in. Joannagh tells us of the harrowing, hours long ordeal faced by Kriss before ultimately being killed by the gang and how the ringleaders attempted to evade justice by fleeing to Pakistan. We hear deta...
Nov 12, 2021•42 min
Episode 73: George Murdoch. This week Emma brings us the story of George Murdoch, a 58-year-old taxi driver who was the victim of a seemingly random murder in 1983. We hear how George was having a completely ordinary night in his taxi prior to his death, with no indication of any arguments or vendettas that could explain the fatal attack. Emma describes the bizarre facts of the case, from the odd route of the taxi to the unusual murder weapon found at the scene. We also hear details of the enorm...
Nov 04, 2021•44 min
Episode 72: Paige Doherty. This week Joannagh brings us the story of Paige Doherty of Clydebank, who was cruelly murdered at the age of just 15 years old. We hear how the alarm was raised when Paige did not arrive at her weekend job and how the investigation traced her last movements to a Deli in her hometown of Clydebank As well as the savage nature of the attack, we hear how the callousness of the killer continued during the investigation and beyond, with false accusations being made about Pai...
Oct 28, 2021•36 min
Episode 71: Patricia Henry. This week Emma brings us the story of Patricia Henry, a 46-year old mother from Girvan, who went missing in November 2017. Emma tells us how initial reports into Patricia's disappearance suggested Patricia may have returned to Gran Canaria, where she had lived previously. However, when irregular financial activity was identified during a proof of life check by police, this no longer seemed likely. We hear how suspicions were raised around the actions of a friend of Pa...
Oct 22, 2021•24 min
Episode 70: Helen Fiona Torbet. This week Joannagh brings us the story of Helen Torbet, a 62-year-old outdoors-woman who disappeared in July 1993. Helen was an avid hill walker, having climbed all the Munro's in Scotland and we hear about the important and lasting contributions she made to hill walking in Scotland. However we also hear how Helen disappeared whilst on one of her solo hill walking adventures, with no trace being found of her, despite thorough searches by police and rescue teams. J...
Oct 15, 2021•33 min
Episode 69: Jean Milne. This week we go back to 1912 as Emma tells us about the unsolved murder of Jean Milne, a wealthy 69-year-old spinster from Broughty Ferry near Dundee. As Jean enjoyed living in some seclusion, but was also known to travel often and with little notice, it was several weeks before the grisly scene of her murder was uncovered in her home. Emma describes how the crime scene failed to present clear answers, as some valuables were missing but many others in plain view remained,...
Oct 07, 2021•36 min
Episode 68: Elizabeth 'Totsie' Sutherland. This week Joannagh brings us the story of Elizabeth Sutherland. 'Totsie' - as she was nicknamed due to her small stature - was a 36-year-old woman killed in a vicious attack at her home in the small town of Culbokie in the Highlands of Scotland. We hear how the police believed the murder was committed due to Elizabeth interrupting a burglary, despite nothing being reported missing from the house. Joannagh tells us how a known thief, local to Culbokie, w...
Sep 30, 2021•43 min
Episode 67: Jess McPherson. This week Emma takes us back to 1860's Glasgow for the case of Jess McPherson, whose case is one of four notorious murders which took place in an infamous area of Glasgow known as the Square Mile of Murder. Emma describes the historic significance of this case as the police used early versions of forensic photography in the investigation, which was a first in Scotland. We hear how widely publicised the case was at the time and how invested the people of Scotland had b...
Sep 23, 2021•31 min
Episode 66: Lynda Hunter. This week Joannagh brings us the story of Lynda Hunter, a 30-year-old woman from Carnoustie, who went missing in August 1987. Joannagh tells us how Lynda was known to be around 6 weeks pregnant when she went missing and was also with her 14-year-old dog Shep, adding further concern to the already troubling disappearance We hear how reports of a troubled marriage raised suspicions around Lynda's husband, before a grim woodland discovery led to a break in the case. Additi...
Sep 16, 2021•30 min
Episode 65: Sandy Drummond. This week Emma tells us of the mysterious death of Sandy Drummond, a 33-year-old former soldier, found murdered in Boarhills, Fife, on the 24th of June 1991. Emma describes how Police failings in the immediate aftermath of Sandy's body being discovered meant that potentially key forensic data could not be gathered from the crime scene. We hear about unusual behaviour displayed by Sandy in the days leading up to his death, which led those close to him to believe there ...
Sep 09, 2021•36 min
Episode 64: Gordon Johnston. This week Joannagh brings us the story of Gordon Johnston. Gordon was a 53-year-old man who, in May 1989, was attacked and killed during a violent robbery of the gun and fishing equipment shop where he had worked for 37 years. Joannagh describes how this vicious robbery was part of a wider series of crimes planned by Gordon's killers which would have included kidnapping and extortion. We hear how a combination of the conscience of a family member and the killers' own...
Sep 02, 2021•29 min
Episode 63: Sheila Anderson. This week Emma brings us the story of Sheila Anderson, a 27-year-old sex worker from Edinburgh who died from injuries sustained in a brutal vehicular attack in April 1983. We hear how a distrust of Police by the city's sex workers made it difficult to gather evidence, and would eventually lead to the Police making significant changes to their treatment and Policing of sex work and sex workers. Emma also tells us of the appeals made for further information years after...
Aug 26, 2021•39 min
Episode 62: Emma Faulds. This week Joannagh brings us the story of Emma Faulds, a 39-year-old woman from Kilmarnock, whose sudden disappearance in April 2019 sparked panic amongst her family. Joannagh details the immediate concern that was expressed at the time for the wellbeing of Emma, given how out of character the disappearance was, and the fears of the police that she may have come to some harm. We hear how investigators combined CCTV footage with some additional circumstantial evidence to ...
Aug 22, 2021•51 min
Episode 61: Rory Blackhall. This week Emma brings us the story of Rory Blackhall, an 11-year-old boy from Livingston who went missing after being dropped off at his primary school on 18th August 2005. We hear how recent upheaval in Rory's home life led some to believe he may have run away, or that he may have been vulnerable and open to manipulation. Emma also tells us how the assistance of the public led police to the home of their only suspect, who would do anything to avoid facing justice. Ca...
Aug 12, 2021•34 min
Episode 60: Elaine Doyle. This week Joannagh brings us the story of Elaine Doyle, a 16-year-old girl from Greenock who was attacked and killed on her way home from a night out in June of 1986. We hear how the appeals by the Police and the Media for witnesses to come forward yielded little of use to the investigation. Joannagh also tells us how unusually careful collection and storage of DNA evidence for the time - in which DNA evidence was in its infancy - led to a breakthrough in the case when ...
Aug 06, 2021•40 min
Episode 59: Colin Marr. This week Emma brings us the story of Colin Marr, a 23-year-old man who, after an argument in his home in 2007, was killed by a single stab wound to the chest. Whilst Colin's death was ruled a suicide, the strange circumstances surrounding the incident led his family to pursue the case further. Emma tells us how the family enlisted the help of respected pathologists and former detectives to cast doubts on the official version of events. We also hear how substandard Police...
Jul 23, 2021•38 min
Episode 58: Maggie Dickson. This week Joannagh delves into the history books to bring us the bizarre story of Maggie Dickson. Convicted of killing her newborn baby in 1724, Maggie was jailed and sentenced to be hanged. Joannagh describes some of the now outdated aspects of life in Edinburgh in the 1700's, particularly the obsolete medical techniques used to convict Maggie. We also hear how a less than thorough medical examination, and the very specific wording of a law, led to Maggie Dickson goi...
Jul 15, 2021•39 min
