UK UK - Renee, 36, & Andrew MacRae, 3, Inverness Scotland, 12 Nov 1976 *arrest in 2019, killer died*

When I first moved to the UK, being the crime hag I am, I dove headfirst into unsolved crimes here and this was one of the first I read about. It's stuck with me.

I think there are two very obvious suspects and one is much more likely than the other IMO.

Crime hag - love it! :D:D

Where did you live before?
 
Hey that works! ;)

So I know the pushchair is a very posh sort of brand, how common would it have been back then to have one? Would there be more than one in that quarry, since it was known as a fly tipping area? Do they by any chance have serial numbers? (I know that's wildly optimistic.)
 
Hey that works! ;)

So I know the pushchair is a very posh sort of brand, how common would it have been back then to have one? Would there be more than one in that quarry, since it was known as a fly tipping area? Do they by any chance have serial numbers? (I know that's wildly optimistic.)

I doubt they had serial numbers and I think Silver Cross was one of the leading brands back then, still is. It could easily have been passed down or borrowed.

Renee's car was found quite some distance from the quarry but those roads (narrow, poor visibility, no pavements) wouldn't be ideal for a walk with a pushchair. So were they taken to the quarry in another vehicle?
 
I'm thinking that if they are in the quarry, they were done away with and dumped there, then the car was moved/burned. But, that would likely involve more than one person, to shuffle the cars around.

I need to review, was there modern forensic testing done on the vehicle when they reopened this a few years back? Well, if they shared that info or the findings.

I find it frustrating following cases here, the media handles it much differently than the States. Much more discretion. Other than the Daily Mail, of course, LOL. I would imagine that back in the day, this was all over the news and rather scandalous.
 
I'm thinking that if they are in the quarry, they were done away with and dumped there, then the car was moved/burned. But, that would likely involve more than one person, to shuffle the cars around.

I need to review, was there modern forensic testing done on the vehicle when they reopened this a few years back? Well, if they shared that info or the findings.

I find it frustrating following cases here, the media handles it much differently than the States. Much more discretion. Other than the Daily Mail, of course, LOL. I would imagine that back in the day, this was all over the news and rather scandalous.

Do they still have her car ?
 
Doesn't mention a husband, but it mentions a lover who was the father of her son - makes me think she was a married woman having a long-term affair? Maybe the husband??Seems odd that they could smell rotting flesh in 76 but not find the bodies.

Here I am replying to a 13 yr old message. Heh!

Yes, she was married.

Mrs Macrae and Andrew vanished after dropping older son Gordon, nine, at the home of her estranged husband, also Gordon. She has been on the way to see her lover, Bill McDowell.

She was on her way to meet her lover Bill McDowell, Mr Macrae's married accountant, who was Andrew's biological father. He told police that they never met.

Police probing mother and toddler's unsolved murder drain quarry | Daily Mail Online
 
Hey that works! ;)

So I know the pushchair is a very posh sort of brand, how common would it have been back then to have one? Would there be more than one in that quarry, since it was known as a fly tipping area? Do they by any chance have serial numbers? (I know that's wildly optimistic.)


I have a 50 yr old Silver Cross and I just looked it over carefully, but don't see a serial number. It's possible that it disappeared over the years, or maybe there was never one put on when it was new.

Newer ones have a serial number.
 
Sept 11 2019
Man charged in cold case murder of mum and toddler who vanished 40 years ago
"The 77-year-old man will appear in Inverness Sheriff Court in Scotland today in connection with the deaths of Renee MacRae and son Andrew."

From that link:

"The remains of Renee and Andrew have not been recovered, however the searching of a large quantity of material removed from Leanach Quarry continues".

So that man was about 34 when R&A vanished. Any ideas who he could be?!
 
Just adding an update, his name is now published -and he also has bail !!




A 77-year-old man has been charged with the murders of a mother and her young son more than 40 years ago.

Renee MacRae, 36, from Inverness, and Andrew, three, vanished on 12 November 1976.

William MacDowell, of Penrith, appeared in private at Inverness Sheriff Court. He also faces two charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

He made no plea, was committed for further examination and granted bail by Sheriff Margaret Neilson.





Man charged with 1970s murders of mother and son
 
'I'll solve MacRae mystery - for £7,700'
AN INVESTIGATOR has claimed he can solve the disappearance of a Scots mother and her young son who vanished 40 years ago. Renee MacRae and her three-year-old son, Andrew, vanished just outside Inverness, and her burned out BMW car was found in a remote lay-by off the A9.
Aug 17, 2018
renee-1004939.jpg


Renee MacRae pictured with Bill McDowell (Image: PRESS TEAM SCOTLAND)
"Stuart Goodacre has now made sensational claims he knows where the bodies are hidden and also has the names of two suspects."

“These have never been mentioned as suspects before and neither are the man whom the police believe to be responsible.

“We also have scientific evidence which shows where the bodies of both the mother and child may possibly be located.”

car-1466161.jpg


Detectives pictured beside the burnt out car (Image: PRESS TEAM SCOTLAND)
 
William "Bill" McDowell was her lover. Ms MacRae was murdered by her lover, which is indeed a horrible crime, but he murdered a three year old child too. I'm glad that this man has finally been charged. May the trial be swift, justice sure, and may he spend all his remaining days in prison.
 
Last edited:
'I'll solve MacRae mystery - for £7,700'
AN INVESTIGATOR has claimed he can solve the disappearance of a Scots mother and her young son who vanished 40 years ago. Renee MacRae and her three-year-old son, Andrew, vanished just outside Inverness, and her burned out BMW car was found in a remote lay-by off the A9.
Aug 17, 2018
renee-1004939.jpg


Renee MacRae pictured with Bill McDowell (Image: PRESS TEAM SCOTLAND)
"Stuart Goodacre has now made sensational claims he knows where the bodies are hidden and also has the names of two suspects."

“These have never been mentioned as suspects before and neither are the man whom the police believe to be responsible.

“We also have scientific evidence which shows where the bodies of both the mother and child may possibly be located.”

car-1466161.jpg


Detectives pictured beside the burnt out car (Image: PRESS TEAM SCOTLAND)

Further in the article: "He has launched a bid to raise £7,700 which he says will help him reveal his findings to the public before he hands over his information to police."

That's rather dodgy, is it not?
 

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