Police investigating the murder of Alistair Wilson are hunting for two men seen with a handgun on a Nairn beach just a month before the shooting.
The banker was shot dead on his doorstep in Nairn in November 2004.
In recent weeks, detectives have flown to Canada to speak to a key witness – former local barman Andy Burnett – and renewed their appeals for information, leading to a fresh tip that two men were spotted with a gun on East Beach a month before the father-of-two was killed.
One of the men was in his 20s and the other aged between 40 and 60.
The witness has said the younger man was in possession of a handgun.
Detective Superintendent Graeme Mackie, from the major investigation team, said: “We are following up this new information and I would ask anyone with information, or who may be able to identify the men, to please come forward and speak with us.
“This potential sighting was passed to officers following recent publicity around the case and I am grateful for the positive response we have received from the local community.
‘Time is no barrier to justice’
“As I have said recently, time is no barrier to justice. More than 17 years have passed since Alistair’s murder, but Police Scotland is committed to bringing his killer to justice and providing the family with the answers they deserve.”
“Someone out there knows what happened to Alistair and developments in the investigation over the last few weeks are a vital reminder that it is never too late to come forward with information, no matter how small or insignificant you may think it is.”
Following a recent review of witness accounts, further analysis of timings from the night in question and investigative developments, officers altered the description of the man they want to trace in connection with Mr Wilson’s murder.
Detectives believe the man who shot Mr Wilson on his doorstep to have been aged between 20 and 40 at the time. This would mean he is now aged in his mid-30s to almost 60 years old.
He was approximately 5ft 7ins and was wearing a baseball cap and jacket.
Previous appeals described the gunman as being between 30 and 40.
Mr Wilson was shot around 7pm on Sunday November 28, 2004 after a man called at the family’s home on Crescent Road, Nairn and asked his wife to get him by name.
Mr Wilson went downstairs to speak to the man and was handed a blue envelope with the word “Paul” on it. He went inside briefly and then returned to the door for a second time when he was fatally shot.
Anyone who believes they can assist police is asked to contact 101 quoting incident 515 of March 4 2022 and Operation Sorn or you can e-mail a dedicated inbox at SCDHOLMESAberdeen@scotland.pnn.police.uk
