Murder of George Murdoch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Murdoch
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Murdoch, c. 1983
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| Born | 1924 or 1925 |
| Died | 29 September 1983 (age 58) Pitfodels Station Road, Aberdeen, Scotland
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| Cause of death | Murder by ... with a cheese wire |
| Occupation | Taxi driver |
| Known for | Victim of one of Scotland's most notorious unsolved murders |
| Spouse(s) | Jessie Murdoch (died 2004) |
George Murdoch (born in 1924 or 1925 – died September 29, 1983) was a taxi driver from Aberdeen, Scotland. He became the victim of a very sad and unsolved murder on September 29, 1983. This case is often called the 'Cheese Wire Murder' because of the weapon used.
Mr. Murdoch picked up a passenger on Queen's Road in Aberdeen. The passenger was a man in his 20s or 30s. George Murdoch was then taken to Pitfodels Station Road, which is on the edge of the city. There, he was attacked with a cheese wire.
Two teenagers saw the attack happening in the street. They quickly called the police for help. Sadly, help did not arrive in time, and George Murdoch died. The attacker took Murdoch's money and wallet. However, Murdoch only had about £21 on him. It is still not known if robbery was the main reason for the attack.
This murder is one of the most famous unsolved crimes in Aberdeen and Scotland. At the time, people said it "shocked the nation." In September 2022, police asked for information about a man seen in Wilson's Sports Bar in Aberdeen in 2015. They believe this man, who was in his 60s or 70s and wore an Iron Maiden T-shirt, might have important information to help solve the case.
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George Murdoch's Life Story
George Murdoch was born and grew up in Aberdeen. People described him as a friendly person. His nephew said he was "kind and gentle – the nicest of guys." George enjoyed keeping pigeons and going boating.
He had been happily married for 37 years to his wife, Jessie. In the late 1970s, he lost his job at a factory. To earn money, he started working as a taxi driver. He didn't really enjoy this job, and his wife worried about his safety during night shifts. He always told her not to worry. He said if anyone ever tried to rob him, he would just give them the money and not fight.
The Unsolved Murder of George Murdoch
On Thursday, September 29, 1983, 58-year-old George Murdoch was working his evening taxi shift. Around 8:30 PM, his light blue Ford Cortina taxi was seen on busy Queen's Road in Aberdeen. He picked up a passenger there.
The passenger had flagged down his taxi. Murdoch told the taxi control room that he and his passenger were going to Culter. This area is on the western edge of the city. After driving about 2 miles (3.2 km) towards Culter, he turned onto Pitfodels Station Road. This road is just outside the city in Braeside. His taxi then stopped.
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His passenger then attacked him. The attacker used a cheese wire as a weapon. As they struggled, they moved out onto the road. Two boys riding their bikes saw George Murdoch being attacked. Murdoch was calling for help. The two boys quickly rode off to call the police. However, the police did not arrive in time, and the attacker killed Murdoch. The cheese wire, which was the murder weapon, was found at the scene.
The murder was big news across the country. It was said to have "sent shockwaves" through Aberdeen. The killer was called the "cheese wire killer." People were shocked by how cold the killer was. He had brought a cheese wire with him that night, possibly planning to attack someone. He killed a man who had always said he would never fight a robber. George Murdoch's wife, Jessie, was deeply affected by the murder. Her health got worse, and she worried the killer might come back for her. She passed away on March 24, 2004, without ever knowing who killed her husband.
Police Investigation Efforts
After the murder, the police started a huge search for the killer. They visited 10,000 homes and took 8,000 statements from people. The killer was described as being between 20 and 30 years old. He was wearing dark clothes, which police thought might have had bloodstains after the attack.
He was said to be about 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm) tall. He was clean-shaven, thin, and had short dark hair. The fact that he brought a cheese wire with him suggested that the murder might have been planned. The killer stole Murdoch's wallet and the money he had earned from his taxi fares. Murdoch only had between £21 and £35 on him. Police were not sure if robbery was the only reason for the murder.
Police asked anyone who was in the Queen's Road area between 8:15 PM and 8:45 PM that night to come forward. A person saw a man with blood on his hands shortly after the murder. This sighting happened at a local "Mr Chips" takeaway on the Great Western Road. The employee who served him reported the sighting. However, the man with bloodstains was never found. This man was wearing dark clothes, had dark hair, and was in his early 20s. This description matched the killer. He had several scratches on his face, a bruised eye, and asked for plasters for his cut hand. If this man were alive in 2022, he would likely be in his mid to late 50s.
In the early 1980s, Aberdeen was changing quickly because of the growing oil industry. This industry brought many people to Aberdeen from other places. Police thought about this when trying to find the killer.
Ongoing Cold Case Investigations
In 2022, George Murdoch's family and a local newspaper worked together. They offered a £20,000 reward for information that could lead to the killer's capture. The case was shown on the TV show Crimewatch Live on March 14, 2022. This led to new clues. Many people came forward with new information. Crimewatch Live said that "The George Murdoch case has clearly struck a chord" with the public.
Murdoch's nephew asked people to come forward to help his family find peace. He said: "Closure to a family is like gold dust, something that you crave for, that you need. Even after 38 years, a family care. We've always cared. We always will."
In September 2022, police said they wanted to find a man seen in Wilson's Sports Bar in Aberdeen in 2015. He was wearing an Iron Maiden T-shirt. Police believe he might be able to help with their investigation. He was described as small, stocky, in his 60s or 70s, and from Aberdeen. The lead detective, James Callander, said: "We continue to receive information about what may have happened to George, which is very encouraging. I would like to thank the public for this. The public's continued assistance and support is vital to bring this inquiry to a conclusion and provide much needed closure to George's family."
The Case's Lasting Impact
George Murdoch's case was featured on the STV documentary series Unsolved in 2004. This series focused on Scotland's most famous unsolved murders. Several murders shown on the program have since been solved. These include Vicky Hamilton (2007), Shamsudden Mahmood (2008), Elaine Doyle (2014), Tracey Wylde (2019), and Renee and Andrew Macrae (2022).
Murdoch's murder was also featured on STV News at Six on September 28, 2018. This was after a new appeal for information was made. On the Crimewatch Live episode that asked for information on March 14, 2022, Murdoch's murder was called one of the most famous unsolved cases in northeast Scotland. It was also called one of Aberdeen's "darkest episodes."
