Crimewatch appeal leds to hopeful leads

 

 

By Cara Sulieman

POLICE say they have had 20-calls into cold-case murder of call-girl Sheila Anderson in 1983 following a reconstruction of the crime scene on BBC TV’s Crimewatch.

Sheila was brutally murdered at Gypsy Brae in the Granton area of Edinburgh just before midnight on April 7 1983.

A reconstruction of her last moments were finally broadcast on Crimewatch on Monday night after an attempt last month failed due to technical issues.

And since the show, officers say they have received 20 calls from members of the public offering information that might help them crack the case.

Sex workers

The appeal combined touching words from Sheila’s family with a gruesome reconstruction of the sex worker’s last known movements.

Her murderer ran her over at least once and dragged her body under the car for a “considerable distance” before driving off and leaving her for dead.

It was a CB radio enthusiast who discovered Sheila’s body after seeing headlights on the shore and going to investigate.

The clip also showed crime scene evidence of her shoes, clothes and watch, strewn across the ground

Sheila’s handbag was later discovered in a car park in East Lothian, not far from the A1.

“Funny and witty”

During the appeal, Sheila’s brave family spoke of how she was “funny, intelligent and witty,” but ended up working the streets as a prostitute.

Sister June said: “She just fell into the wrong crowd and got into drugs and these things escalate.

“It’s difficult to comprehend that she actually was working the streets and it’s so devastating to know she went down that road and did what she did.”

And her two sons, Alan and Michael, told how her murder, when they were just two and seven, had affected their lives.

“Heinous crime”

Alan said: “How somebody could do such a heinous crime to such a beautiful person in such a lovely spot is beyond me.

“I’ve always felt robbed about my mum getting taken away from me.

“I would have loved to have known her better and I would have loved even more for her to still be here today.”

Michael added: “To think about how I would be with a mum is a dream; you can only dream of that, and I’ll never find out and it’s because of one person out there.

“It’s pretty much screwed me over.”

DNA profile

The investigation into Sheila’s murder was reopened last year when advances in technology meant that police could profile the DNA of her killer.

One of the most important leads that the police hammered home in the BBC programme was the presence of a sexually transmitted disease.

There is a 50 per cent chance that the killer contracted a disease and would have had to have treatment not long after the crime.

They are asking any suspicious girlfriends or wives to come forward.

Police are hopeful

And with such a strong response already, officers are hopeful that they will finally catch Sheila’s murderer.

A spokesperson for Lothian and Borders Police said: “Monday night’s reconstruction has prompted a great response from the public.

“There is now a lot of investigation to be done, and we are hoping these calls could provide some positive leads for the investigation.

“We would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to get in touch, and try to help us provide some answer’s for Sheila’s family.”

Anyone with any information can contact the incident room direct on 0131 221 2028, or can talk to Crimestoppers in confidence and complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.

Cops in TV appeal for 1983 murder

By Karrie Gillett

A NEW television appeal is going out in a bid to solve the 26-year mystery of the murder of a young mother.

A reconstruction of the last known movements of Edinburgh prostitute Sheila Anderson will be aired on BBC’s Crimewatch programme tonight (THU).

The 27-year-old was murdered on Gypsy Brae in the Granton area of the city but her body was so badly damaged that cops initially thought she was a car crash victim.

It was thought the mother-of-two had been repeatedly run over in a car and the killer has never been caught.

Now, detectives have staged a televised re-enactment of Miss Anderson’s last day on April 7 1983.

The brutal murder shocked the community after two CB radio enthusiasts discovered the dying woman suffering with her horrific injuries.

The pair called an ambulance immediately but the mother of two young sons died in hospital a few hours after arriving.

Her bag was found two days later in an East Lothian car park, containing a green tobacco tin that she was known to use.

The case was reopened in May last year and officers from Lothian and Borders Police are now hoping the slot on Crimewatch will renew public interest.

The murdered woman had left a house in the Drylaw area of Edinburgh at around noon and the final confirmed sighting of her was in Leith’s Commercial Street at 11.30pm.

There had been various sightings of her during the day in West Granton and various areas of Leith.

Officers now hope the TV appeal might jog the memory of anyone holding information that can lead police to her killer.

And in Thursday night’s programme, Sheila’s family will reveal the trauma they have suffered as a result of her murder.

In a joint statement, they said: “Sheila’s death affected all our lives, and still does to this day. We remember Sheila as a woman with a gentle nature, who was loving and caring.

“She touched the hearts of all who knew her, and was much-loved by us all. We hope that after many years we will obtain the answers to the questions that we have.

“It is vital that anyone who has information regarding Sheila’s death gets in touch with either Crimewatch or the police. There must be someone out there who can help us, and by coming forward that person will allow Sheila to rest in peace.”

Detective Inspector Steven Reed, who is leading the inquiry, said that circumstances might have changed in the 26 years since the killing and some members of the public may now be in a position to come forward.

He said: “This is the first UK-wide witness appeal for this case and we are hopeful that this direct plea by the victim’s family will provide the answers that they deserve.”