Murder She Spoke

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 a recent appeal by the police for information. This appeal includes a picture of a novelty key-ring, found at the crime scene, which investigators hope will help to jog the memory of someone with vital information. Links to the picture can be found below.


Case research by Emma Taylor
Produced by Emma Taylor & Joannagh Shanks
Editing by Shaun O'Neill
Music by Tribe of Noise


Sources of research:

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12741090.families-of-murdered-women-brought-together-by-grief/

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12039915.mp-to-take-custody-case-to-commons/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXjchzFzg-Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1dPzRzW20o

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12538832.student-buried-on-skye/

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12663709.appeal-for-three-in-murder-hunt/

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12663530.warning-follows-footpath-murder/

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12663543.police-launch-murder-hunt/

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12207568.new-plea-for-murder-witnesses/

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12105174.murderer-questioned-over-womans-death/

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12119758.anguished-mother-wants-bail-review/

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12058852.clyde-murder-files-re-opened/

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12026777.victims-daughter-to-stay-with-granny/

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12039915.mp-to-take-custody-case-to-commons/

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12491778.it-wont-bring-her-back-but-i-will-get-peace-daughter-speaks-out-on-murder/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9750661/Police-probing-murder-woman-31-release-image-item-novelty-key-ring.html

https://stvfootagesales.tv/content/shona-stevens-fighting-for-life/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatty_Fudge

https://www.websleuths.com/forums/threads/uk-family-make-fresh-appeal-over-shona-stevens-1994-murder-in-irvine-scotland.486507/page-2#post-17067718

https://www.irvinetimes.com/news/19415921.shona-stevens-irvine-police-make-fresh-appeal-1994-murder/

https://reasonedcrimechronicle.com/the-unsolved-murder-of-shona-stevens-scotland-1994/

https://crimestoppers-uk.org/campaigns-media/news/2021/sep/scotland-reward-for-anonymous-info-over-shona-stevens-unsolved-murder-in-1994

https://www.scotsman.com/news/crime/shona-stevens-bbc-crimewatch-to-feature-27-year-old-scottish-murder-cold-case-as-police-re-appeal-for-information-3376320

https://www.scotland.police.uk/what-s-happening/news/2021/july/re-appeal-murder-of-shona-stevens-irvine-1994/

https://www.scotsman.com/news/crime/shona-stevens-murder-appeal-police-release-images-of-distinctive-novelty-key-fob-found-at-scene-of-brutal-attack-nearly-27-years-ago-3294694

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 was like, and the legacy the prison left behind after its closure.

Case research by Joannagh Shanks
Produced by Emma Taylor & Joannagh Shanks
Editing by Shaun O'Neill
Music by Tribe of Noise

Sources of research:

The last man hanged at Calton Jail | The Scotsman

https://www.facebook.com/315934825111204/photos/philip-murray-the-last-man-to-be-hanged-in-edinburghs-calton-jail31-year-old-phi/2031758956862107/

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1071468116244204&set=jamaica-street-tenements-c1970these-tenements-on-jamaica-street-were-pulled-down

https://www.facebook.com/315934825111204/posts/philip-murray-the-last-man-to-be-hanged-in-edinburghs-calton-jail31-year-old-phi/4669057779798865/

70 Years of St Andrew's House - gov.scot

These are the seven most evil prisoners that were kept at Edinburgh's old Calton Jail - Edinburgh Live

https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/creepy-history-behind-well-known-15474970

Lost Edinburgh: Calton Jail

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 Emma Taylor
Produced by Emma Taylor & Joannagh Shanks
Editing by Shaun O'Neill
Music by Tribe of Noise

Sources of research:

https://www.truecrimelibrary.com/crimearticle/george-bryce/

https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/quiet-edinburgh-road-surprisingly-gruesome-21228819

https://www.criminalhistorian.com/a-peculiar-man-the-ratho-murder-of-1864/

https://medium.com/@diarmidmogg/the-only-picture-of-the-ratho-murderer-d741fd81741e

https://www.witcherytours.com/blog/2015/06/21/day-21-june-1864-a-drop-too-much

https://www.proquest.com/openview/31ef07388e972369/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=6932

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=qusDAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA511&lpg=PA511&dq=The+ratho+murder+jeanie&source=bl&ots=myM59gtkP6&sig=ACfU3U3mQUYvyR83MszcRn6hUYzfrcWBiQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjH1PnYmaD2AhVlolwKHVj5BrEQ6AF6BAgNEAM#v=onepage&q=The%20ratho%20murder%20jeanie&f=false

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=6BFPAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA80&lpg=PA80&dq=The+ratho+murder+jeanie&source=bl&ots=AIbRCccEvI&sig=ACfU3U1kMbsVfSkf5Nq6ph4w_3cgE4Pjbw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjH1PnYmaD2AhVlolwKHVj5BrEQ6AF6BAgcEAM#v=onepage&q=The%20ratho%20murder%20jeanie&f=false

https://www.konect.scot/post/the-ratho-murderer-last-public-hanging-in-edinburgh

http://robert-louis-stevenson.org/wp-content/uploads/chapter-two-a-lively-boy.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratho

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haltoun_House

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 viable lines of enquiry were not followed.
Joannagh describes how, over the course of over 20 years, several reviews into the investigation and the conduct of the police were carried out, with the findings only recently being released.


Case research by Joannagh Shanks
Produced by Emma Taylor & Joannagh Shanks
Editing by Shaun O'Neill
Music by Tribe of Noise


Sources of research:

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14548364.parents-call-case-review-drowned-sons-murder/

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15068337.police-re-open-1997-case-man-found-dead-wick-harbour/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-24571072

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-57733533

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/683021.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/1718353.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/2403635.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/2775983.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/2893897.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/6323441.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7144859.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7152326.stm

https://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/review-of-caithness-man-kevin-mcleods-death-by-merseyside-p-266342/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-50288159

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/crime-courts/3901611/kevin-mcleod-death-police-report/

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/crime-courts/3972150/kevin-mcleod-death-review-witnesses/

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
Editing by Shaun O'Neill
Music by Tribe of Noise

Sources of research:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edwin_R_Rose_grave,_Glen_Sannox,_Isle_of_Arran.JPG

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/past-times/3851844/arran-murder/

https://www.ardrossanherald.com/news/19441921.murder-goatfell-132-years-ago-friendship-ended-tragedy/

https://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-mysteries-murder-top-goatfell-1471297

http://www.ayrshireroots.com/Towns/Arran/Arran%20Murder.htm

https://booksfromscotland.com/book/the-goatfell-murder/

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/11926905.grisly-tale-of-murder-and-a-pair-of-buried-boots/

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/mar/29/century-arran-dramatic-ian-jack

https://www.visitarran.com/

https://www.cottagesonarran.co.uk/a-brief-history-of-arran/

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 and charity activity by Louise's mother Caroline.


Case research by Joannagh Shanks
Produced by Emma Taylor & Joannagh Shanks
Editing by Shaun O'Neill
Music by Tribe of Noise


Sources of research:

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/18938156.man-pleads-guilty-murdering-girlfriend-louise-aitchison-east-kilbride/

https://news.stv.tv/west-central/man-charged-with-womans-murder-appears-in-court

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-55633612

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-52538202

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-55277994

https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/louise-aitchison-emma-caldwell/

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/women-killed-men-jess-phillips-b1815924.html

https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/investigation-a-violent-man-a-call-for-help-and-police-in-the-dock-over-a-murder-that-might-have-been-halted/

https://www.refuge.org.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/louise.lyon1

https://www.instagram.com/louiseaitchison/?hl=en-gb

https://www.facebook.com/donate/462035288653668/1620089951659951/

https://www.facebook.com/caroline.lyon.585

https://www.facebook.com/stephanie.aitchison.562

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 around people connected to Stefan and the accusations levelled at the police by witnesses.


Case research by Emma Taylor
Produced by Emma Taylor & Joannagh Shanks
Editing by Shaun O'Neill
Music by Tribe of Noise


Sources of research:

https://www.facebook.com/justice4stefan/?ref=page_internal

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/%27Thug+who+raped+tragic+mum+Jenna+Johnson+bragged+about+killing+my...-a0574591913

https://dailymediaspot.com/stefan-sutherland-sisters-emotional-plea-for-answers-over-death/

https://twnews.co.uk/gb-news/family-convinced-their-son-was-murdered-told-there-was-no-criminality-by-police

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/family-who-say-man-murdered-19163541

http://www.unsolved-murders.co.uk/murder-content.php?key=6236&termRef=Stefan%20Sutherland

https://www.ukcolumn.org/article/stefan-sutherland-unanswered-questions

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/5193506/stefan-sutherland-death-police-probe/

https://www.scotsman.com/news/people/investigations-disappearance-scottish-man-reviewed-after-family-raise-concerns-1396721

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18175174.police-begin-probe-death-stefan-sutherland-family-claim-foul-play/

https://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/police-appeal-for-missing-lybster-man-104321/

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/timeline-stefan-sutherland-death-probe-24986108

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-58571483#:~:text=Mr%20Sutherland's%20disappearance%20on%206,lived%20in%20the%20local%20area.

https://news.stv.tv/highlands-islands/cold-case-detectives-find-no-criminality-in-mans-death-in-2013

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/family-tragic-stefan-sutherland-vow-22639324

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/crime/police-probing-mystery-death-stefan-21346865

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/stefan-sutherland-murder-breakthrough-offers-21104526

https://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/stefan-sutherlands-family-shocked-that-no-evidence-of-crimi-251690/

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highlands-islands/1968407/timeline-everything-we-know-so-far-about-the-search-for-answers-over-the-death-of-stefan-sutherland/

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/family-stefan-sutherland-fear-theyve-25996102?fbclid=IwAR0OTGZXpXhH4Uw9ZdoJ-SC7kf-8zfssolqlH0w1re03T02i9dJL-JNQWXA

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-58571483

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/tragic-katie-taunted-vile-thug-22602874

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 investigations - and possible set-ups - were used to justify Mary's imprisonment and ultimately her execution by her cousin Queen Elizabeth of England and how the political landscapes of Scotland and England were affected by her death.


Case research by Joannagh Shanks
Produced by Emma Taylor & Joannagh Shanks
Editing by Shaun O'Neill
Music by Tribe of Noise


Sources of research:

https://www.britannica.com/place/Scotland/Mary-1542-67-and-the-Scottish-Reformation

https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/mary-queen-of-scots

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Catherine-de-Medici

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mary-queen-of-Scotland

https://www.nms.ac.uk/explore-our-collections/stories/scottish-history-and-archaeology/mary-queen-of-scots/mary-queen-of-scots/who-was-mary-queen-of-scots/

https://www.rct.uk/collection/themes/trails/mary-queen-of-scots-1542-1587

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mary-queen-of-scots-beheaded

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/royals/mary-queen-of-scots

https://scottishhistorysociety.com/the-scottish-reformation-c-1525-1560/

https://localhistories.org/a-history-of-scotland-in-the-16th-and-17th-century/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary,_Queen_of_Scots

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Reformation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Reformation_Parliament

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_Jurisdiction_Act_1560

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_Act_1496

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninety-five_Theses

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Solway_Moss

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_V_of_Scotland

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_in_Scotland

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_the_Crowns

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rough_Wooing

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_IV_of_Scotland

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Perpetual_Peace

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_of_Aragon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_I

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Rizzio

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Stewart,_1st_Earl_of_Moray

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Howard,_4th_Duke_of_Norfolk

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rising_of_the_North

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 investigation.
Most notably Emma looks at the research of criminologist Professor David Wilson, who casts serious doubts about the safety of the original conviction and goes so far as to name who he believes is the real killer.

Case research by Emma Taylor
Produced by Emma Taylor & Joannagh Shanks
Editing by Shaun O'Neill
Music by Tribe of Noise


Sources of research:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/jun/10/scottish-tory-msp-george-beattie-case-scotland

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/innocent-man-spent-15-years-22804071

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/crime-scene-murder-margaret-mclaughlin-24072995

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18779927.margaret-mclaughlin-murder-last-opportunity-justice/

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/5899864/margaret-mclaughlin-carluke-murder-george-beattie/

https://news.stv.tv/west-central/likely-suspect-for-1973-murder-named-by-criminologist

https://news.stv.tv/west-central/carluke-george-beattie-murder-innocent

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/murder-investigator-confronted-suspect-in-margaret-mclaughlins-killing-wg8bfbkpg

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12334731/woman-stabbed-teen-bizarre-confession-criminologist-clear-killer/

http://www.roughjusticetv.co.uk/marg.htm

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/daily-record/20201007/281831466193272

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18579726.books-david-wilson-asks-killed-margaret-mclaughlin/

https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/search-judgments/judgment?id=1bb986a6-8980-69d2-b500-ff0000d74aa7

https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1993/mar/03/george-beattie

https://scotslaw.fandom.com/wiki/George_Beattie_v_HM_Advocate

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/george-beattie-fitted-up-cops-22344669

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7923558.stm

https://newspresslive.com/can-courts-provide-real-justice-scotland-stv-news/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gem9R73CeiY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1CUKyGwieE BBC Rough Justice: The Case of the Missing Meal

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. This set in motion a controversial investigation in which questions were raised about evidence and there may have even been a link to one of the most infamous killers of all time.


Case research by Joannagh Shanks
Produced by Emma Taylor & Joannagh Shanks
Editing by Bonnie Beloved
Music by Tribe of Noise


Sources of research:

http://williambury.org/

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/courts/728125/beyond-doubt-was-jack-the-ripper-hanged-in-dundee/

https://www.dundee.ac.uk/news/2018/another-chance-for-the-last-man-hanged-in-dundee.php

https://www.scotsman.com/news/19th-century-wife-killer-william-bury-acquitted-retrial-1432427

https://www.thenational.scot/news/15829422.dundee-killer-william-bury-faces-retrial-129-years-hanged/

https://www.thenational.scot/news/18703852.back-day-dundees-last-hanging-jack-ripper/

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-courier-advertiser-fife-edition/20180115/283059824785373

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/education/higher-education/1392935/aberdeen-law-students-will-defend-man-said-to-be-jack-the-ripper/

https://www.dundee.ac.uk/stories/william-bury-last-man-hanged-dundee

https://www.dundee.ac.uk/news/2018/from-cox-to-coccyx--130-years-of-anatomy-in-dundee.php