The north’s top police officer believes it is only a matter of time before banker Alistair Wilson’s murderer is snared – by tiny traces of DNA.
Chief Superintendent Julian Innes is convinced the final piece in the jigsaw of evidence needed to catch the dad-of-two’s killer will be found.
The 30-year-old was shot on the doorstep of his home in Nairn.
Medics battled in vain to save him, but he died at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.
Police divisional commander for the Highlands and Islands Mr Innes was involved in the long-running inquiry from an early stage.
No one has ever been arrested and no motive for the murder has been established.
But Mr Innes is confident that the killer will face justice.
And he believes the murder weapon itself could hold the key to solving one of Scotland’s most notorious and shocking crimes.
The distinctive handgun used to shoot Mr Wilson was found in a drain several streets away from his home 10 days after the killing.
Despite countless DNA tests being carried out on the pistol, the results were limited.
But Mr Innes said: “I’m entirely convinced that we’ve got enough data and evidence capture with this that when we get the final piece that points us in the direction, the evidence will be sufficient enough.
“A significant part of the inquiry was the recovery of the firearm.
“There was a lot of DNA work done with that but it never came up with a full sample.
“But, say in 10 years time, that might be completely different.
“New forensic science may come. There might be enough product there and then with new techniques to get a DNA sample from that. I am ever hopeful that it will be solved.”
Mr Wilson and his wife Veronica were putting their young sons Graham and Andrew to bed at their home in Nairn’s Crescent Road on Sunday, November 28, 2004, when a man in a baseball cap rang their doorbell.
Mrs Wilson told police the stranger, who was carrying a turquoise envelope, asked for her husband by name and moments later shot him three times in the doorway of their home after she had gone inside.
After the pistol was found, police established that it was an East German handgun made in the 1920s by Schmeisser for German company Haenel Waffen of Suhl, and known as a Model 1.
In all, 40,000 of the weapons – which were intended for personal protection – were made between the two world wars.
The palm-sized guns are known to be available on the black market, especially in eastern Europe.
The killer was described by Mrs Wilson as a man between 5ft 4in and 5ft 8in and of stocky build.
He was wearing a dark blouson jacket and a baseball cap.
The murder inquiry has cost more than £2million.
Police have taken more than 4,000 statements and collected almost 3,000 pieces of evidence.
Hundreds of local men were swabbed and DNA-profiled to eliminate them as suspects. More than 250 DNA samples were taken.
The case is the subject of a homicide governance review, which revisits previous investigation strands to establish if all possible lines of inquiry have been exhausted.
Police yesterday renewed their appeal to anyone with information about the killing to contact them on 101, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
Alistair Wilson murder investigation
November 28, 2004 – Alistair Wilson is shot on his doorstep at about 7.15pm. He later dies at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.
November 29 – Police launch a manhunt and issue a description of the killer.
December 5 – Police set up roadblocks in Nairn, questioning everyone.
December 6 – £10,000 reward offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer.
December 8 – Road sweepers find a gun in a drain at Nairn’s Seabank Road, within a mile of the murder scene.
December 10 – Veronica Wilson makes a tearful plea to the public over the murder.
December 20 – Hundreds attend a memorial service in Nairn. Mrs Wilson says the killing will “haunt” her.
February 4, 2005 – Police take DNA samples from 150 people who were in the area.
February 17 – Mrs Wilson denies any involvement in the killing.
April 6 – Funeral for Mr Wilson at St Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Fort William.
April 12 – Police release picture of pistol used by murderer.
November – Recording of 999 call made by Mrs Wilson on night of murder released.
January 2006 – Police say they believe the gun and ammunition were smuggled into the country.
February – Senior officers visit Europe as part of inquiries to trace the gun and ammunition.
October – Detectives reveal they have traced the man who supplied the weapon, but records do not go back far enough to reveal who bought it.
June 2007 – DNA testing of about 1,000 men begins.
November 2012 – Scotland’s new top police officer, Chief Constable Steven House, says the single force may try to crack the region’s biggest unsolved cases, including Mr Wilson’s killing.
September 2013 – Police launch a new appeal for information about the murder weapon.
November 28, 2014 – 10th anniversary of Mr Wilson’s death.