Police have hope of finding truth about Renee and Andrew MacRae's deaths and cling to goal of finding their remains
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Detectives remain hopeful of finally solving one of the biggest double murder mysteries the Highlands has ever seen.
William MacDowell was convicted at the High Court in Inverness following a jury trial on day 13.
The snaring of the killer comes more than four decades after they vanished without a trace on the night of November 12, 1976 after leaving their home in the Highland capital.
“You’ve got to hope that he will engage with me or somebody or whoever and will reveal the whereabouts of Renee and Andrew." - Detective chief inspector Brian Geddes
Detective chief inspector Brian Geddes, the senior investigating officer on the cold case, said he was hopeful that their remains would one day be found and bring the family final closure.
DCI Geddes: “You’ve got to be optimistic.
“You’ve got to hope that he will engage with me or somebody or whoever and will reveal the whereabouts of Renee and Andrew.
“There’s no point being pessimistic about it.
“You’ve got to keep going.
“Now that we are at this stage and the conviction has been passed then our next step is to attempt some kind of re-engagement with him and see if he’s willing to speak.”
DCI Geddes added: “While the mechanics of what went down in Dalmagarry lay-by may never be known, it’s clear that the circumstances delivered in court were enough to convict him.
“Again, we would love to know more answers for the sake of the family.
“We will not give up on that.”
