UK - Alesha MacPhail, 6, raped & murdered, Ardbeg, Isle of Bute, Scotland, 2 Jul 2018 -teen arrested

[HayLouise]

Floral tributes for murdered 6 year old Alesha MacPhail outside her grandmother’s home on Bute this morning

Libby Brooks on Twitter *Photo at link

 

[Tortoise]

Why wouldn't it be easy to carry a six year old that distance in the dead of night?

It's just my opinion that a dead weight 6 year old would not be easy to carry for that distance, night or not.

 

[Ironside]

I'd guess the police are now just waiting on forensic results of the car to link someone. They won't arrest until they are very confident they have a charge that sticks.

 

[HayLouise]

Huge police presence outside the house where 6 year old Alesha MacPhail had been staying before she was murdered on the Isle of Bute #CapitalReports

CapitalScotland News on Twitter *Video at link

 

[HayLouise]

Police searching the garden of the house where 6 year old Alesha MacPhail had been staying before she was murdered #CapitalReports

CapitalScotland News on Twitter *Video at link

 

[HayLouise]

PICTURE UPDATE: Police investigating murder of six-year-old Alesha MacPhail in Rothesay search garden Full story

https://bit.ly/2KyWLQ4

STV News on Twitter

 

[eucalyptuz]

There is a little road that runs parallel to the High Street called Gortans rd. On streetview you can only accesss the eastern end and parts of it seem to unfinished (perhaps gravel). In early footage of the investigation forensics officers were working on this track and it runs along the woodland surrounding the Old Hotel. I wonder if it could have been the access point for the killer? There are long stretches without any hrouses and it connects back to High Street at the western end.
I do think a vehicle was used because, alive or dead, a child being carried in PJs (or a bag large enough to transport a child) is going to raise eyebrows.
Here are some images of the road in question:
Map:
1B709E57-977D-444D-A6AA-19A200DF8CF5.jpeg
Satellite:
E295A38E-9F8C-4682-8F5A-8F691E150B62.jpeg
Eastern end (and limit of street view)
D406C2B2-A862-4A75-94CA-25E15D7B6BC6.jpeg
Western end:
09ED3BF1-467F-4AB5-A6B7-DBE7F7E765C8.jpeg

 

[Alyce]

I agree. I wonder about the house next door though. It seems to share a drive way and access to the back of the grandparents house, so it's not entirely clear if the occupants of next door would be involved or that the family just use the driveway.

From google maps it does look as though there is more parking space available behind the house next door ( the one on the left in pics ) than at 53, so perhaps there was some sharing of car parking spaces ?

 

[Alyce]

There is a little road that runs parallel to the High Street called Gortans rd. On streetview you can only accesss the eastern end and parts of it seem to unfinished (perhaps gravel). In early footage of the investigation forensics officers were working on this track and it runs along the woodland surround the Old Hotel. I wonder if it could have been the access point for the killer? There are long stretches without any houses and it connects back to High Street at the western end.
I do think a vehicle was used because, alive or dead, a child being carried in PJs (or a bag large enough to transport a child) is going to raise eyebrows.
Here are some images of the road in question:
Map:
1B709E57-977D-444D-A6AA-19A200DF8CF5.jpeg
Satellite:
E295A38E-9F8C-4682-8F5A-8F691E150B62.jpeg
Eastern end (and limit of street view)
D406C2B2-A862-4A75-94CA-25E15D7B6BC6.jpeg
Western end:
09ED3BF1-467F-4AB5-A6B7-DBE7F7E765C8.jpeg

thanks for those links - Gortans does seem like the most obvious route to the hotel - and implies local knowledge.

 

[Charmainereilly27]

very easy to carry a child of 6 presuming that is what happened.. been several murder cases where women have been easily carried at the height of 5 ft because of how small they are , regardless i believe the police are using tactics and already know more than letting on to try frighten the killer

 

[HayLouise]

Alesha MacPhail murder cops seize car and swoop on home she stayed in before murder

The Scottish Sun on Twitter


'Officers have confirmed a vehicle has been seized as part of the ongoing probe into the child’s murder.'

'Detectives are staying tight-lipped over the ownership of the car that was lifted in the hours after Alesha’s body was found.'

Alesha MacPhail murder cops seize car and swoop on home she stayed in before murder

 

[Tortoise]

very easy to carry a child of 6 presuming that is what happened.. been several murder cases where women have been easily carried at the height of 5 ft because of how small they are , regardless i believe the police are using tactics and already know more than letting on to try frighten the killer

I've carried my son, I can't remember if he was 5 or 6 at the time, during a hail storm to try to protect him from the hail, for over half a mile and it wasn't very easy. It's not a light weight like a toddler or younger, and that wasn't on difficult ground either. The reports about distance are variable but it looks to be between half a mile and a mile. Nevertheless I wouldn't say it was impossible, just not easy.

 

[eucalyptuz]

A small red car was shown in videos on the driveway yesterday, now it seems it's no longer there.

Could you (or somebody)please direct us to footage w/o the red car? I missed this earlier...

 

[Armchair_Defective]

The red car was pictured here on the driveway.

Forensic teams search garden of tragic Alesha MacPhail's family home

 

[Armchair_Defective]

Here you can see the garage open and the car outside it whilst police stand at the scene yesterday.

Cops focus on tracing all involved in search for Alesha as Bute beach sealed off

 

[Alyce]

news report at link

interesting comment from local councillor

While I lock my car, some of my neighbours leave their keys in the ignition.

Read more at: Alesha MacPhail murder: Bute residents in shock at terrible crime on ‘trusting island’

 

[Redgoblin]

If they took the car it begs the question if both houses were sealed off who was living next door. Earlier on in this case there was some obvious but uncalled for commentary on social media, to do with new people arriving at the island from the middle east.

 

[kirkassoc]

I would imagine they will speed up forensics on this case. If there is DNA, they may swab everyone who will submit in that little area. I wouldn't want to be the one who would "not" submit to a DNA test. I have a feeling this murder will be solved sooner rather than later, JMO. You just never know when there is a predator stalking your child/grandchild, etc. And, sometimes it is someone close to the child.

I can recall cases where predators have either come into the home and taken the child, or they have lured the child to them by some other means. If the grandparents put her to bed that night, then someone crept into her room and snatched her or she left the house before 6:30 a.m. the next morning.

All MOO and just thinking out loud.

 

[HayLouise]

BREAKING: Police have confirmed a 'number of items' and a vehicle have been seized in relation to the Alesha McPhail murder investigation

Northsound News on Twitter

 

[raithjames]

Just an idea of the flats layout. This one is for sale a bit further up the street a first floor 2 bed. Same as number 53. The 2 front doors are right next to each other and you would have to pass the 2 downstairs front doors to leave too. 2 bed flat for sale in Flat 2/2, 74, Ardbeg Road, Rothesay, Isle Of Bute PA20 - Zoopla