Scotland’s top cop has made an unannounced visit to the quarry where a search continues for the remains of missing Inverness mum Renee MacRae and her three-year-old son Andrew.
The visit by Chief Constable Iain Livingstone coincided with the revelation that bone fragments and pram parts have been discovered at Leanach Quarry in Culloden, on the outskirts of Inverness.
Although these have been dismissed as not being directly involved so far, Detective Inspector Brian Geddes said: “The fact we are finding these gives us more belief that, if Renee and Andrew are there, we will recover their remains.”
The detective believed that more excavation needed to be done to reach an area which would coincide with what would have been put in there in 1976, when the mother and son disappeared.
Chief Constable Livingston, who was on police engagements in the Highlands, made an impromptu visit to the scene this afternoon.
Local Councillor Duncan MacPherson said: “He was on scene to thank the officers taking time in this case, hoping a conclusion will finally be made.”
Vital DNA analysis is being carried out on the pushchair wheels – and bone parts – which have been recovered.
Inverness-born forensic anthropologist Sue Black, who has previously been involved in the case, said: “I would expect that should the team identify any human remains then DNA would be an obvious route for further investigation.
“The team is very experienced in being able to discriminate human from animal remains.”
DI Geddes said: “As part of the search operation at Leanach Quarry numerous items have been found to date, many of which have warranted further research and examination.
“Meticulous analysis is now ongoing to establish if any of these items would be relevant to the investigation into the murders of Renee and Andrew MacRae.”
The bone remnants recovered from the quarry have so far only been identified as animal parts by forensic anthropologists, but further investigations of skeletal remains continue.
Renee MacRae’s bloodstained car was found on fire on the A9 south of Inverness in 1976. The married mother and Andrew, three, have never been found and no one has been charged in connection with their deaths.
Police believe that the mystery could finally be solved once they have sifted through the mud and silt of Leanach quarry.
More than 13 million litres of water has been pumped from the flooded quarry and officers are examining all items discovered.
Anthropologists are checking material as it is pulled from the bottom of the quarry in huge shovels before lorries transfer the debris to a location off-site.
A 16-strong team of specialist officers is carrying out a fingertip search through the mud.
