Appeal for Information Aberdeen Taxi Driver Murder 1983 - George Murdoch

28/09/2025

BEGINNING OF THE END

Tomorrow, 29th Sept 2025, marks the 42nd anniversary of the murder of George Murdoch. The grisly details of this heinous crime filled the city with disbelief, shock and fear. An attempted garrotting of a taxi driver near Cults. A cheesewire, used in the frenzied attack. The driver found dying beside his cab. His killer at large.

George Murdoch picked up his last fare around 8.30pm, outside the above hotel - The New Marcliffe on Queen's Rd on that Thurs night, 29th Sept 1983. Were you in the vicinity on the night? Perhaps standing outside the hotel with friends, waiting for your pre-booked taxi to arrive? Did you see a blue Ford Cortina City taxi, which would have been travelling down Queen's Rd, heading into the town centre, do a U turn, then double park outside this hotel, in order to pick up a single guy who'd been trying to hail a taxi? His fare got in behind the driver and the taxi headed off westwards, into the night. Approx 15mins later George lay dying, after being strangled.

Does the hotel photo of The New Marcliffe jog any memories? Were you perhaps drinking in any of those West-end hotel bars that night with friends and maybe noticed a single guy at the bar? Or standing outside, do you remember a guy on his own walking westwards on Queen's Rd, trying to get a taxi, before the City taxi made a U turn to stop for him? Description of male passenger seen entering the taxi:- 20s'-30s; dark short hair; clean shaven; in dark clothes, possibly wearing dark jumper.

Did you know anyone who had a fascination with strangulation? In a fight with a "mate" did he ever attempt to put you in a stranglehold or similar? Not enough to injure, but was this joked about as his "MO?"

Did you know anyone who'd boast about being able to strangle someone, then bring them back and so on and so forth, but without causing them lasting injury?

Know anyone who was abusive to his wife/partner and had used these practices on them before?

Was he fascinated by strangulation and possessed a controlling nature?

Loyalty is an admirable virtue, but if your sense of loyalty is too extreme, you end up remaining blindly loyal to an individual, no matter what bad decisions, unethical practices, or evil deeds (such as murder) he may commit. You will defend the person you are loyal to, defend what he has done, pretend that "it wasn't that bad", put the blame on someone else. No matter what! Even a cruel, senseless and brutal murder will never encourage you to come forward. There is a very high likliehood that the name of George's killer is contained within those 10K+ statements taken back in 1983. But there was never any way to prove this beyond a reasonable doubt, or at least enough to elevate that individual to "suspect" status. And this is not the fault of the police. Unfortunately the bar is set so high by the Crown Office, so many t's have to be crossed and i's dotted, in order for police to meet the status of suspect, that even in 42 years, this was never possible.

But now, there is a good chance that the balance has finally tipped in favour of the righteous, thanks to the advances of Forensics Science. I believe I'm correct in saying that this is the first time that Familial DNA Testing has been used in a cold case murder in Scotland. The police hope it will be successful, we think it will be successful. And whether he is alive or dead, one way or another, George Murdoch will finally receive justice.

But there is one quicker way to get this case solved. If you know the killer's name, or suspect you might, please contact the police or us. Once the police have 100% confirmed the info to be correct, you will receive the £50,000 reward. And if you have no need of the money, then you can give to a charity of your choice, or present as a gift to your family?

Contact us via private message at this page
Email:- [email protected]

21/09/2025

THE FACE OF EVIL - IS THIS THE CHEESE WIRE KILLER?
(see photofit at bottom of post)

A cold wet Autumn night, Thurs 29th Sept 1983. Taxi driver, George Murdoch, lies dying on the hard pavement. His killer close, astride his body, bending over him with his hands around his neck. Strangling his victim. George had already suffered an attempted garrotting inside his cab. But despite his shock and fear, had somehow managed to wrestle the deadly thin cheesewire up and over his head, preventing the wire from slicing clean through his neck. The attack continues outside the cab. The first officer on the scene tells of the presence of lots of blood on the wall nearby and pavement. As shown in the recent CH5 documentary, does this photofit represent a close likeness to the killer? Does it resemble the face which looked down upon the taxi driver, as his killer methodically and cruelly went about his deadly task? To manually strangle a victim takes a long time approx 5-6ins, probably longer. An attacker would have time to stop & reconsider his actions, to pull back, come to his senses? But this killer did not. Why? If this was a "murder gone wrong", it did indeed go very very wrong. But if this was intended to be a murder, then robbery, that succeeded! A Thurs evening, around 8.45pm. Pitfodels Stn Rd near the top, just off the N.Deeside Rd. Were you in the vicinity around that time? Did you pass by that road? See anything unusual? Next week marks the 42nd anniversary of this case. Will you help us achieve justice for George Murdoch?

If you know anything, please contact us via private message at the FB Page
Or email us:- [email protected] (Your anonymity will be guaranteed if you wish)
REWARD REMAINS AT £50,000

08/09/2025

THANK YOU

Dear friends, following on from the CH5 documentary regarding this case, which aired on 21st & 22nd July, we wish to extend our most sincere thanks to all of you for the overwhelming response we received. A huge amount of information came into the police and to us. It will take time for them to work their way through all of it. They have been very busy with "live" cases since the prog aired, hence their entire focus has been on those. However, they are slowly getting back again to this cold case and DI Callander wishes to reassure you that they will be in touch soon, with all who kindly contacted them and who messaged our FB Page. He appreciates your understanding.

The series averaged 1.1 million viewers, with a 6.4% share that outperformed the primetime average by 21%.

Special thanks to Steph Atkinson (Lion TV) and to Hannah Livingston (Producer/Director) and to all at CH5. To former DI Gary Winter for his valuable contribution to this case and his help and guidance over the years and, to DI James Callander and the MIT Team, for all they have done and continue to do. I know this documentary claimed a great deal of the DI's time, but from the comments, tips and info we and the police have received, I think it has been well worth it.

To Fubar, for accepting and agreeing to add this post to your FB Page. That helped enormously to expand the reach. The followers on our Appeals FB page have increased by over 200 and the number of page likes also have increased greatly. Thank you all for your interest and kind words. Your support is greatly appreciated and your involvement really is crucial. The more people who get to hear of this case, the greater the chance of it being solved.

Prior to the documentary airing, we posted a short video clip, which showed one of George and Jessie's neighbours, fishing. For those who are familiar with this tragic and brutal murder, it presents a rather haunting sight. The guy seen fishing was 13yrs old at the time George was murdered. Only a boy, having just entered his teenage years. Yet that lad was responsible for single-handedly pulling George's widow, Jessie, back from the abyss of grief which had threatened to overwhelm her. So great was his love for the kindly taxi driver and his wife and, seeing how quickly Jessie was fading since she lost her husband, he suggested to his parents that he'd go and stay overnight with Jessie, if they thought this might help her. Even though he was only a youngster, he thought having someone else in the house might bring her some comfort knowing she wasn't alone. He did this for over 2 years, every single night, never missing once.

The hours of darkness were always the worst for Jessie. As soon as she closed her eyes, the terrifying visions of the death endured by her husband would return to haunt her. The cheesewire around his neck, the brutal beating outside the cab, hearing his faint cries for help, as he lay on the ground, close to death, his attacker intent on strangling him with his bare hands. The documentary did an excellent job of showing, all these years later, how DNA and now familial DNA testing has advanced this case. But there is also another aspect to this senseless, grotesque murder - the human side of this tragedy. Murder affects more than the victims, sadly, who lost their lives. It erodes into a community's sense of safety and trust. Focusing on the human side moves beyond the physical act of killing. It explores and highlights the internal struggles, the lasting psychological and emotional repercussions for all involved. In this case, the victim's wife, Jessie.

Just prior to the 40th anniversary of this cold case, Ryan Ogilvie released a docudrama podcast, entitled:- Who Is The Cheesewire Killer? There are 5 episodes, each approx 40min long. It is both produced and narrated by Ryan and tells the story of this tragic and brutal murder, beg with when George left his home for the last time on that fateful day, 29th Sept 1983, up until the discovery of the killer's DNA profile two years ago. That news being released on 29th Sept 2023 by DI Callander. In the podcast, Ryan also interviews police detectives, P&J journalists, psychologists, Alex McKay (George's nephew) and the first police officer on the scene, Allan Hendry, who tells of the bloody scene awaiting him, when he arrived at Pitfodels Stn Rd on the night of the murder. It is an excellent, very moving, accurate and comprehensive account of this tragedy, with input from various experts. It is available to listen to on the following platforms:-

Apple Podcasts - https://tinyurl.com/WITCWK-Apple
Spotify - https://tinyurl.com/WITCWK-Spotify
Amazon Music - https://tinyurl.com/WITCWK-Amazon
Audible - https://tinyurl.com/WITWK-Audible

Check out this great listen on Audible.com. September, 1983. Aberdeen Taxi Driver, George Murdoch was almost halfway through his long taxi shift, when he picked up a passenger, close to the city centre. On route to his passenger’s destination, for some unknown reason, George turned his taxi ...

20/07/2025

SHORT VIDEO CLIP FROM Channel 5 DOCUMENTARY

The documentary soon to air tomorrow night, 21st at 9pm on CH5 has received excellent coverage from a number of newspapers and we are thankful and grateful for that. One magazine caught my eye, The Radio Times. It shares a short video clip, which gives you a little insight into a very important part of the documentary. That of the 13yr old youngster, son of Jessie & Dod's next door neighbours. Both families had always been very close, and, as has been mentioned before, George & Jessie were like grandparents to young David and his sister. Yet after the devastation of George's murder, this young lad, only just into his teens, took it upon himself to provide the lifeline Jessie badly needed. I don't believe he'd have given it much thought. It was more instinctive. He saw how badly Jessie was hurting and suffering and he reached out to comfort her, help her and to offer a love so pure, that it could only have come from the heart of a child. We thought this clip, accompanied by David's words, were so very powerful that we wanted to share with you before you watch the full documentary.

https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/documentaries/forensics-murder-case-first-look-nicola-walker-exclusive-newsupdate/

In the past 2 years, the net is closing fast on George's killer. Amazing advances in forensics, a very determined DI James Callander and his team, and you, the public and our friends, have all helped to tilt the scales now on the side of justice for the victim. Some of you may be aware that only recently a number of former prisoners have come forward to help, one is still doing so. These are hard, tough guys. In a one to one fight, any one of them probably could easily have taken down George's killer, perhaps even George himself, had the fight been fair. But it wasn't fair. His assailant struck from behind, the cowardly way, using a deadly weapon. And, it was only after George had been severely debilitated, lying on the ground, perhaps slipping in and out of consciousness, that his killer succeeded in taking his life. Please help all of us get this over the line once and for all. Whether he's dead or still alive:-

Private message his name or any info to this page or
email:- [email protected]

The 5 doc looks into the unsolved murder of Aberdeen taxi driver George Murdoch.

15/07/2025

COMING SOON TO CHANNEL 5 ** NEW: FORENSICS: MURDER CASE ** 21st & 22nd JULY AT 9PM

This Murder Case Documentary

For some time now, this documentary has been in production. We are delighted to announce that it is now complete and will be shown on Channel 5 next week. The two-part documentary will air on Mon 21st and Tues 22nd July at 9pm both nights. Apart from refreshing memories as to this cruel and brutal murder, it will also focus on how cutting-edge technology and amazing advances in forensic science have really brought this case to the fore and given it now a better chance than ever, of being solved. However, science is one thing, we still need good detectives to do their job! And, since 2018 we've been fortunate to have had two of the best! DI Gary Winter (now retired) and current DI James Callander. Their skills and innovative thinking have made a world of difference. Ably supported by their team of Detectives. And, we can't forget you, the public. Since setting up the Facebook Appeals Page in 2021, we realise there is still a sincere and huge urgency amongst the citizens of Aberdeen and elsewhere, to get this case solved. Without your continued interest and help, this case may well have floundered? It was such a devastatingly sad and cruel murder.

Of course, all murders are just as sad, but I think it was a few factors which made the attack on George so unbelievably shocking! The use of a lethal weapon such as a cheesewire, then the frenzied attack outside the taxi, before George collapsed on the ground and his attacker strangled him with his hands, leaving him alone to die. To now have a DNA profile of such a dangerous individual and to see police recently embark upon familial DNA testing, means that there is a very real chance that this person will be identified. If still alive, he will finally be brought to justice, but if dead, at least we shall know who he was. This is important to us.

So, the documentary will explore the details of the case, including the police investigation, the family's perspective and the use of forensic science and familial DNA searching, in the continuing hunt for this kindly, cabbie driver's killer. Please give it a watch. Something you see or hear might just trigger a long-forgotten memory, a suspicion that's remained with you all this time, or maybe a truth, which you have been forced, or bullied into keeping to yourself? Recently, a few former prisoners came forward to share names of individuals, they all individually believed to be George's killer. They didn't know each other, the names they gave us were all different, but one thing each of these men had in common. Each one told us that he didn't want to take this information to his grave! They all felt it was way past time to give George's family the closure they deserved. They'd all thought about doing this for long enough. And remember if you contact us, we guarantee your anonymity, if that is your wish?

Please tell us what you know. One of these days, someone will give us the correct name, if science hasn't solved this case beforehand. Please share this post with others. If anyone has posted before on Fubar, perhaps you could try sharing this with them? They have such a huge following.

Reward remains the same at £50,000
Private message us at this page
Email us at [email protected]
Contact police on 101

13/06/2025

HE MAY RUN BUT CAN NO LONGER HIDE!

And why is that? Because over recent years, not only has forensic science given us his DNA profile, but almost as importantly, we have received so much help and support from you, the public. This killer's cloak of secrecy has diminished greatly, even after 40+ years. No longer is it only we and the police who seek justice for George Murdoch. We now have ever-growing support from so many of you out there who possess good hearts, share our sense of justice and, our determination to track down a sick, evil individual, who, 42 years ago, strangled an innocent man to death with his bare hands. But what can help greatly, is having people from all walks of life, bring their knowledge and experience to this ongoing quest. Recently, a chap reached out to us, offering his profile of the type of individual he thought capable of committing such a brutal and sadistic crime. The Daily Record, published an article in their paper about this on 27th Feb'25.
See link:- https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/cheese-wire-murder-deliberate-act-34753466

We all have different life experience, but in this case especially, you may be able to help bring more insight and a fresh perspective, if you have ever spent time in prison. Such was the case with the source who contacted us some months back. On Tuesday of this week (10th June), the Daily Record published a follow-up article:-
See link:- https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/family-cheese-wire-murder-victim-35359717

We appeal to anyone who has served time in prison, in particular, during the 1980s/90s. Did you hear any whispers as to the identity of this taxi driver's killer? And one thing I should stress. Even if this killer is no longer alive, it makes no difference at all. If he can't be brought to justice, we still need to know who did this, so please continue to give us any names, or info you hold. And we issue same plea to anyone out there, who holds any info about this case. Our thanks to all who continue to help us and to all others new to this Page. We are grateful for your support. Help by private messaging us at this page, or email us at:[email protected]

Reward for info leading to the killer being 100% identified is £50,000

23/05/2025

CONGRATULATIONS TO BRYAN AND THE P&J

Many congratulations to Bryan Rutherford, (P&J). At a prestigious national awards ceremony in Glasgow last night, Thursday 22nd May, which represented journalistic talent working in local, regional and national news across Scotland , Bryan scooped three awards. Regional Journalist of the Year, Specialist Journalist of the Year and, most esteemed, Scottish Journalist of the Year. An incredible feat and well deserved. Over recent years, Bryan has worked with us on this case and has contributed greatly to promoting it and, helping to keep it in the public's focus. We understand that one of the three stories which were submitted for Bryan to be judged on, focused on this murder, where Bryan identified the mystery man in the chip shop back in 1983. We added a post on this page last year, regarding this article entitled, - IT IS NEVER TOO LATE on the 23 MAY 2024. Each year, as the anniversary of this tragic murder nears, Bryan continues to research all angles, hoping to come up with something which might trigger a response, or touch the heart of one who has long held on to the identity of this killer.

Bryan, for all your hard work and continued support, you have our unerring gratitude. Unfortunately, we have no trophies for you! But, Alex and I offer you our utmost congratulations and very best wishes.

Our congratulations also to the P&J. They took home the award for Front Page of the Year. Well deserved and well done to one and all!

06/05/2025

OUR PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH SCOTTISH MURDERS - Episode 2

YouTube - https://youtu.be/_nuIdWy1Y-4
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/episode/3XLd4qyAvlnHUYyVj7sJPU?si=aab8755667364e3b
Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-unsolved-murder-of-george-murdoch-revisited/id1576071512?i=1000706451552

The above shows the links for episode 2, of this podcast. The play time is approx 50mins. If you are new to this crime, I'd particularly recommend giving this podcast a listen. Over the two episodes, it has managed to incorporate the essentials of this chilling case. Providing listeners, not only with an insight into the murderous act itself , but also the harrowing impact and heavy toll it took on the victim's wife. Showing also, how this cold case has further evolved over the past 10 years, thanks to the constantly advancing forensics and, a very focused and determined police team So, from having next to nothing on the killer in 1983, there now exists a very good chance of potentially identifying the callous individual, who took a kindly man's life back on 29th Sept 1983. This has been a long journey and, there is still a way to go, but we could not have reached even this far, without the incredible help and involvement of you, the public. Many of you have been with us since we first launched this Page and, have remained with us ever since. We greatly appreciate your support and loyalty. And we welcome all others who may be new to this FB Page. Please help if you can by contacting us with any information, or sharing suspicions you may have held over the last 40+ years. With police now holding a profile of this killer's DNA, it should be relatively quick to rule him in or out in connection with this murder. Please come forward with names of those you may have suspected could have committed this murder. Maybe just a hunch - maybe you shared time with this person in prison - maybe you heard whispers that he could have killed the taxi driver? Maybe even someone in your own family? No-one need ever know who came forward with his name. The years roll by. The family need answers. If you are still protecting this killer, you yourself need closure, before it is too late.

A £50,000 REWARD REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ANYONE WHO POSITIVELY IDENTIFIES THIS KILLER

Private message us at this page
Email us at:- jdhallfield.co.uk
Contact Police at 101

Podcast Episode · Scottish Murders · 05/05/2025 · 45m

29/04/2025

OUR PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH SCOTTISH MURDERS

Dawn Young is the creator and host of the highly acclaimed and, very successful, Scottish Murders Podcast (shortlisted for Best Indie Podcast at True Crime Awards 2023). Dawn recently reached out to Alex and I, inviting us to take part in an interview on her podcast, to discuss the murder of George. We touch on a number of things, some of which may never have been revealed before. Ryan Ogilvie (producer & host) of the podcast - Who Is The Cheese Wire Killer?) also makes a guest appearance. Ryan's podcast was highly commended at True Crime Awards 2023 and was awarded the title of True Crime Rookie of the Year.

Episode 1 of Dawn's podcast is available to listen to now, 29/4/25 by clicking on the following links

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/5VZZQ69oDXmHKwIanBgJjq?si=bfe1fe3292e941d4

You Tube https://youtu.be/u--ZgmY3XX4

Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-unsolved-murder-of-george-murdoch-revisited/id1576071512?i=1000705331341

Episode 2 of the interview will follow next week, Tuesday 6th May.

Podcast Episode · Scottish Murders · 28/04/2025 · 51m

28/02/2025

PROFILE OF A KILLER - part 2

Part 1 of this post was added yesterday, 27th, if you missed it. We are sharing the thoughts of a gentleman who recently reached out to us, profiling the type of individual he strongly believes may have killed George Murdoch. In his youth, this chap spent some years in prison. Although himself not a killer, he lived amongst them for some time, so is more than qualified to offer such a profile. I should add that he turned his life around over 30 years ago. When I first read what he had to say, a chill went through me. We know full well that evil is present in our society, but to contemplate a person, such as he describes, potentially taking the life of a loved one, so violently and horrifically, is almost beyond comprehension. Was George the victim of such evil? Little wonder life took such a heavy toll on George's widow, Jessie, after his death.

Here is what he had to say, all in his own words:-

"This man is a killer and had the intention of killing. This was not a local crook, not a robbery gone wrong, this was not someone out for money. A cheesewire? This was a sadistic, sick killer who had plotted a murder or violent crime and made sure there were no witnesses because of his comeuppance if he got it wrong. Next morning the police were trying to grab a local thug with cuts on his hands and no alibi? This crime was above that level and so was the killer"

"I spent more than 6 years in 4 scottish prisons and have met men who were doing life sentences for killing someone just for the sake of it and I've met men who were doing a second life sentence for killing again. Dod was killed by someone like this. This was a planned and deliberate act of pure evil and he was confident enough to go through with it. This man is on the police computer somewhere and not for anything minor either."

"The build-up to Dod being murdered. You're aware of the saying - hiding in plain sight? - this man did not worry about hailing down a taxi in the west of a city centre. This man didn't care about Dod seeing him, or his clothing, up close. He already knew eye witnesses did not matter. Why? Probably because he was unknown to anyone in the entire city. He was confident he could evade capture. The sick part of this was that he didn't care if he was caught at or near the scene of the crime. Within hours or days, he was out of the city, hence no rumours or whispers."

"Men in this category often have no family or friends. This was not a class A drug addict's attempt to get enough for his next ten quid bag. This is a human predator who calmly walks the streets with a cheesewire in his pocket. It's on this walk that he is choosing his victim, he's no reason to sneak around in back streets - his chosen method of evil was unheard of until Sept 1983. Where does he come from? Why is he walking the main streets of a city centre and then hailing down a taxi for a couple of miles, then asking the driver to turn down a very quiet and easily missed road? He must have a hell of a lot of confidence to calmly put himself in this position. He's no stranger to extreme violence."

" I speak from a position of being in that lifestyle for around 8-9 years. I have met and associated with this category of man and, a small number of them killed for no reason at all. Those are the ones who strut around prison with a swagger and, using eye contact, challenge anyone, knowing they will kill without hesitation and calmly accept the sentence. There are LTPs' (long term prisoners) whose only home is prison. They are the most dangerous animals, who kill to assure themselves of a bed and 3 square meals - and now they can actually watch telly!"

"I've walked amongst the very worst of men in Scotland The most evil and dangerous species on our planet are humans and their crimes against fellow humans defies explanation."

"When you are trying to imagine who this man is, it's not easy for people in your world to understand. I can't stress enough, there are others amongst us, very capable of killing another human being and showing no emotion or care."

"The reason I give thought to this brute not being local is because this city turns into a village when a crime like this occurs and I never heard a whisper throughout the entire 80s'."

"TFF (Training For Freedom) units were set up in prisons to prepare life sentence prisoners for release into the community. Those guys would be given work detail for government properties (i.e. mtce & garden work). If they complied, they had an evening period, so they could get back into using amenities (i.e. shopping/cinema/theatre). None of those guys went to cinema etc. I know that because they drank in the pubs I drank in."

Does the above bring anyone to mind? Someone you may have known, or known of, back in the 1980s'. An individual with little or no regard for life. Someone capable of strangling George with his bare hands, then leaving him to die a painful, brutal death, alone, beside his taxi?

If you have any thoughts, information, suspicions, or names, please private message us at this page.
Or, email us at:- [email protected]

If you have served time in prison yourself and heard any rumours or chat about this murder, please share with us. We shall guarantee you 100% anonymity. We need your help.

The Reward for Information (the correct info which leads to the identification of the killer) remains at £50,000

Last but not least, we'd like to offer our sincere thanks and gratitude to this gentleman for coming forward. He has offered a new perspective on this 41 year old case. He wanted to help if he could. We can assure him he has already done that and we admire his courage in coming forward.