A pensioner has today gone on trial accused of murdering Inverness mum Renee MacRae and her three-year-old son Andrew in 1976.
William MacDowell, 80, denies killing the 36-year-old and the boy more than 40 years ago in a lay-by on the A9.
The jury of eight women and seven men will sit for around four weeks at the High Court in Inverness with Lord Armstrong presiding.
A total of 600 potential jurors were cited to serve because of the vast publicity surrounding the case during the past four-and-a-half decades.
The statutory 15 were picked yesterday with 15 reservists as a precaution to reduce delays in bringing other jurors to court if any of those selected indicated that have personal knowledge of any of the individuals or of the case itself.
Lord Armstrong told them that reading anything about it in the media over the years was not a reason to be excluded from serving. However, the reserves were not required and released for the day.
80-year-old accused of disposing of their bodies
The prosecution is being led by Alex Prentice KC with Murray McAra KC presenting MacDowell’s defence.
The trial is expected to hear the first evidence this afternoon.
MacDowell is accused of assaulting Andrew and the boy’s mum at a lay-by on the A9 trunk road near Dalmagarry, Inverness-shire, or elsewhere, on November 12, 1976.
He is charged with murdering them by causing them injury by unknown means.
He is also charged with attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of the two bodies by means unknown.
MacDowell is further alleged to have disposed of a pushchair, set fire to a BMW vehicle and disposed of a boot hatch from a Volvo to conceal the alleged crimes. The bodies have never been found.
He denies all the charges and has lodged special defences of incrimination and alibi.
MacDowell incriminates Mrs MacRae’s estranged husband, Gordon, and other persons unknown for committing the murders.
MacDowell also claims he was at his work with Hugh MacRae and Co builders all day on November 12, and after leaving was drinking with three other people in the Mercury Motor Inn until 7.15pm.
It is then claimed that he travelled to a shop in Castle Street before returning to his home in Westhill at 8.15pm to remain there all evening.
