Renee MacRae, aged 36, and her three-year-old son Andrew disappeared on November 12, 1976. Their burnt-out car was found in a layby near Dalmagarry Quarry, south of Inverness. William MacDowell, who had been having an affair with Renee MacRae and worked as the company secretary for her estranged husband's building firm, was convicted of their murders in 2022 at the age of 80.
Key Takeaways
A renewed search is underway for the remains of Renee MacRae, 36, and her three-year-old son Andrew, who were murdered nearly 50 years ago. Military intelligence specialists from the Ministry of Defence are assisting Police Scotland using drones and LiDAR equipment to analyze sites near Nairnside, east of Inverness.
- Military intelligence specialists join search efforts for remains
- Drones and LiDAR equipment used in detailed analysis of land
- Search focuses on sites once owned by convicted murderer William MacDowell
- Previous searches included Dalmagarry Quarry and Leanach Quarry
- Detective Superintendent Brian Geddes vows to continue the hunt until bodies are found
Specialist members of the army have joined Police Scotland and the National Crime Agency (NCA) in a fresh search for the remains. The exact location has not been confirmed, but it is known that the search will focus on land once owned by MacDowell near Inverness. According to BBC, an extensive police investigation at the time involved searches of moorland and a flooded quarry.
The search involves military intelligence specialists from the Ministry of Defence using drones and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) equipment to analyze sites near Nairnside, east of Inverness. According to Sky News, Police Scotland has conducted detailed analysis since the start of this week with the help of members of the National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence (NCGI). Detective Superintendent Brian Geddes emphasized that the results will determine if further search activity is required.
The Daily Mail reports that high-tech drones will be used in the search, with forensic teams prepared to conduct digs based on evidence of disturbed ground dating back to the time of Renee and Andrew's disappearance. The search is part of Operation Abermule, the latest investigation into their murder, following similar probes launched in 1986, 2004, and 2019.
MacDowell was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 30 years but died at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in February 2023 without revealing where he had disposed of their bodies. An inquiry found that MacDowell's death resulted from cancer and alcoholic liver cirrhosis, as reported by The Daily Mail.
Detective Superintendent Brian Geddes has vowed never to give up the hunt for the mother and son’s bodies. Previous searches included Dalmagarry Quarry in 2004 and Leanach Quarry in 2019, where wheels from a pushchair similar to Andrew's were discovered along with bones later confirmed to be animal remains.
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