A woman used a can of Red Bull to mark the spot where her killer boyfriend buried a missing charity cyclist – then contacted police.
Alexander McKellar drunkenly struck Tony Parsons with his Isuzu pick-up as he rode his bike from Fort William along the A82 on September 29 2017.
Over three years later, the 31-year-old killer took his girlfriend to the secret burial site where he hid Mr Parsons’ body with the help of his twin brother Robert.
Alexander revealed the makeshift grave after confessing to his lover who’d asked him if there was “anything in his past” that may affect their future together.
The deer stalker – known as Sandy – later drove her to a desolate peat bog area of the 9,000-acre Auch Estate at Bridge of Orchy, Argyll and Bute, where he lived and worked with his family.
Prosecutor Alex Prentice KC told the High Court in Glasgow on Friday: “She was taken by him to the spot opposite a hydroelectric building.
“He showed her where Tony Parsons’ body was buried. She deposited a Red Bull drinks can at the scene as a marker.
“The woman provided the information to the police. As a result, a major police investigation was commenced.”
Grim discovery led to justice
It eventually led to remains being found in January 2021 – more than three years after the much-loved ex-navy officer had been reported missing by his worried family.
The grim discovery was today revealed as Alexander and his twin brother Robert returned to the dock at the High Court in Glasgow.
Alexander had admitted on Wednesday to the culpable homicide of the 63-year-old.
Both had pled guilty to a charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice.
As Mr Parsons’ family listened in court, Mr Prentice read out a one-hour narrative detailing the facts behind the crimes.
The advocate depute told how Mr Parsons had set out on a charity cycle, having battled prostate cancer that was diagnosed in 2010.
He planned to ride through the night to complete the 100-mile journey from Fort William back to his home in Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire in one day.
Mr Parsons initially headed north by train on the morning of September 29 2017.
He sent a couple of messages around 5pm to his wife Margaret later that afternoon, confirming he had arrived and checking how she was.
“That was the last contact she had with her husband,” Mr Prentice said.
Alexander downed alcohol then hit Mr Parsons at speed
The court heard Mr Parsons made a stop at the Bridge of Orchy Hotel around 11pm that night.
It emerged both McKellars were also there with a German hunting party.
The owner of the hotel tried to persuade Mr Parsons to book a room due to the awful weather conditions.
But, after a coffee, the valiant grandfather continued on his cycle.
Mr Parsons was on the A82 when he was struck at speed by the Isuzu pick-up driven by Alexander, who had downed alcohol at the hotel that night.
The McKellars had been returning home to the Auch Estate at the time.
Victim still alive after collision but given no help
Mr Prentice told the court: “Alexander McKellar ascertained that Mr Parsons – though severely injured – was still alive.
“He did not call the emergency services, preventing any prospect of him receiving treatment.”
The twins fled and dumped their phones before returning to the scene in a Toyota.
They then loaded Mr Parsons and his bike in the vehicle and drove to the Auch Estate – leaving him overnight.
“After attending a shooting party the next day, the body was taken to a peaty area of the estate,” Mr Prentice told the court. “A grave was dug and the body placed in it and covered.
“The personal possessions of Mr Parsons were also disposed of. Such was the location that, if Alexander McKellar had not disclosed where the grave was, the remains are unlikely to have ever been found.”
Mr Parsons was reported missing on October 2 2017.
The large-scale probe included his son Mike appearing on BBC’s Crimewatch show appealing for help to find him.
The clip was played at the hearing on Friday.
In it, Mike proudly spoke of his dad while going on to state: “We cannot move on. We cannot say our final goodbyes”.
Alexander starting relationship with woman was his undoing
In August 2018, police received an anonymous letter asking them to pay attention to “the twins” who live in Bridge of Orchy, as they had been in the hotel the night Mr Parsons went missing.
Months later, officers spoke to the McKellars and asked if they had been involved in a road accident that evening.
No further action was initially taken following the meeting.
In June 2020, they were again quizzed about Mr Parsons. They confirmed being in the hotel with a hunting party that night but had not seen the cyclist.
Three months later, it emerged Alexander had started a relationship with a woman.
It was in November of that year she quizzed him on his past.
He went on to admit that he struck a “cyclist” three years earlier, having been driving at excessive speed and under the influence.
Alexander added that the man “fitted the description” of Mr Parsons.
‘He had been panicking’
Mr Prentice told the court: “He said that he had been panicking”.
He described leaving the victim at the side of the road, going to the Auch Estate with his brother and returning in a Toyota pick-up.
The body was initially hidden in woods before being dumped in a further “secluded area”.
“Once a large hole was dug, the body was deposited within it and covered with soil,” Mr Prentice explained.
“He said they destroyed the male’s phone, SIM card, as well as burning his backpack, wallet and cycling helmet.”
Mr Parsons’ yellow bike was also hidden near a waterfall.
The badly damaged Isuzu was repaired “by a friend of a friend” at a garage in Airdrie, with a repair bill of up to £3,000.
After the woman alerted police, a search of the site began on December 30 2020.
Mr Prentice told the court: “The Red Bull can was still present. The description of other landmarks was consistent with what was found at the site by officers”.
Police enlisted the help of soil expert Professor Lorna Dawson, whose skills have previously helped snare a number of killers including the World’s End murderer Angus Sinclair.
She attended the site where Mr Parsons was thought to be. Prof Dawson confirmed it as a “target area for investigation”.
During the dig, investigators initially discovered a segment of red material, which matched the jacket Mr Parsons had been wearing.
“Between January 13 and 14, the body was exposed and, with great care, recovered from the mechanically dug grave,” Mr Prentice said.
Mr Parsons suffered ‘catastrophic’ rib, pelvic and spine fractures
Mr Parsons was found to have suffered “catastrophic” rib, pelvic and spine fractures following the collision.
The rib injuries were considered to be “the most immediate cause of death” due to the effect it would have had on his breathing.
The victim may also have suffered a collapsed lung.
Mr Prentice said without medical help, Mr Parsons was unlikely to have survived more than 20 to 30 minutes.
It was, however, unlikely he would have died instantly.
The quickest emergency medical response in the area that night would have taken around an hour to arrive if assistance had been sought.
‘I hit a deer…That’s all I needed’
As the police probe intensified, a number of witnesses were spoken to, including the German hunting group, who had dined with the McKellars at the hotel.
They described how both had been drinking.
It also emerged Alexander had sent texts to his then partner shortly after the collision stating: “Aw hun, I hit a deer in Robert’s pick up tonight. That’s all I needed”.
The McKellars were eventually charged and first appeared in court in December 2021.
The brothers were remanded in custody and are due to be sentenced by judge Lord Armstrong next month.
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