Inverness murder victim suffered ‘unsurvivable injuries’
More details surrounding the murder of a much-loved Inverness father emerged when his killers and estranged wife returned to the dock today.
Craig Hayden (30), from Alness, and Leon Headey (23), from Liverpool, admitted to murdering Ross MacGillivray (36) on November 11, 2023 when they appeared at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday.
Mr MacGillivray’s estranged wife Samantha (33) also admitted attempting to defeat the ends of justice in the wake of his death.
Brought back before the court today it was told how Samantha MacGillivray lied to police having fled the scene with his two killers.
Samantha Jane MacGillivray was in the house in St Ninian Drive in the Dalneigh area of Inverness as Ross MacGillivray was savagely attacked by Hayden and Headey.
Timeline of how killers were brought to court
The trio then escaped out the back door leaving his tied up body in the hall.
MacGillivray was still with the pair when she dialled 999 shortly after.
In that initial call, the mum claimed to have found Mr MacGillivray "on the floor not breathing".
She then appeared to hang up seconds later.
But she called police again in the early hours, before giving a statement of what she claimed happened.
Prosecutor Graeme Jessop KC today told the High Court in Glasgow: "She described being in the kitchen with Ross MacGillivray when two men entered through the unlocked back door.
"He was chased into the hall and assaulted there.
"She stated she remained in the kitchen. She claimed to be forced to leave with the two men by the back door and made to make the call to the emergency services.
"She described being terrified.
"MacGillivray described one of the men being referred to by the other as 'Craig' and the other as a Scouser.
"She denied any prior knowledge of these two men.
"MacGillivray was, at times, distressed and asked a number of times how her husband was."
However, it was found that she appeared to have been in contact with Headey in the weeks before the killing.
It further emerged his phone had previously booked taxis from the house where the murder happened, using the name 'Samantha'.
Following Wednesday’s hearing where Hayden and Headey admitted murder and Samantha MacGillivray admitted attempting to defeat the ends of justice, the case had been adjourned for advocate depute Mr Jessop to give further background and details about the crimes.
The court was told Ross MacGillivray and Samanha MacGillivray had become estranged in early 2023, but continued to see each other.
Prior to his death, the victim had concerns about MacGillivray being associated with a Liverpudlian man and him being allowed to "come and go" from the semi-detached house in St Ninian Drive.
The MacGillivrays had been with each other on the day of the murder before ending up back at the property.
Hayden and Headey then turned up around 10.20pm that night.
Mr Jessop explained: "The precise sequence or duration of the violent events is not known."
But, the prosecutor told how Mr MacGillivray was repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped upon by both Hayden and Headey as he ended up stricken on the floor.
The dad's wrists and ankles were bound together with orange twine. He was also stripped of his clothes.
MacGillivray helped the thugs bag up incriminating items before they all left and dumped what they had at the city's Caledonian Canal.
Mr MacGillivray was found in the house after Samantha MacGillivray's initial 999 call. He was sadly already dead.
The court heard he had suffered serious blunt force head injuries.
Police went on to discover the bag-for-life that had been ditched at the canal.
The contents included blood-stained clothes and a red shoe box for Nike Air Max trainers that Headey had bought a fortnight before the killing.
Forensic evidence also helped pin the thugs to the crime.
The court heard Hayden and Headey got a taxi to Alness after the killing.
They stopped off en-route at a petrol station for Hayden to buy food.
The duo were arrested in Aberdeen on November 18, 2023 - neither made any comment about the murder at that time.
Hayden already had 26 previous convictions including for violence.
Headey had been locked up in the past for drug offences.
He further pleaded guilty earlier this week to being involved in the aggravated assault of a man in Alness on October 25, 2023.
Lee Fraser (34) and Thomas Hooson (29) also admitted to their part in that attack.
Lord Scott deferred sentencing on all five until November 27 in Edinburgh.
All remain in custody meantime.
Speaking after today’s hearing, Detective Inspector Richard Baird of Police Scotland’s Major Investigation Team said: “Ross MacGillivray was subjected to a brutal and violent attack, leaving him with unsurvivable injuries.
“Our investigation identified Hayden and Headey as having been involved before fleeing the Inverness area for Aberdeen where we arrested both men.
“We also identified Samantha MacGillivray as having attempted to help the two men cover their tracks in the aftermath of the attack on her estranged husband by facilitating the disposal of incriminating evidence and providing deliberate false statements.
“This type of violence has no place in the Highlands or in Scotland and Police Scotland is committed to identifying and bringing to justice anyone involved in acts such as these.”