UK UK - Alistair Wilson, 30, murdered at home, Nairn, Scotland, 28 Nov 2004

[Professor Moriarty]

The last part of this recent video concerns Alistair Wilson. David Wilson maintains that it was "a professional hit" and that it was all to do with AW's departure from his banking job: he says someone was at risk because AW was leaving his job. (In this interview he also says, as an aside, that Jill Dando's murder was "a professional hit".)

He says that the envelope was a ruse to get AW to the doorstep. However, he doesn't really explain why the "hitman" didn't shoot AW straightaway. He agrees with the interviewer that the killer was waiting for the "right opportunity". That might be the case if someone was walking past, but AW shut the door and only went back later to see if the man was still there. So the killer could have lost his opportunity. OK I suppose he could then have come back another time.

He says that if the killer had been a Nairn man, AW's widow would have recognised him. I don't know if he means that she would have already known him. I don't think his wife would know everybody in Nairn, but if police showed her a photo she might have been able to identify him.

He says that throwing the gun into a drain shows that the killer "forensically aware". Really? Wouldn't it have been better to take the gun away and dispose of it further away?

He says that the bullets were odd (I don't think they were odd, given the difficulty obtaining ammunition in the UK ) and draws a parallel with the bullets used in Jill Dando's murder, because he believes that was also a professional hit. (The bullets in Jill Dando's case were modified, but the bullets in AW's murder were not modified.)

A difficulty for these pundits is that, when interviewed, they can't really scratch their heads and say "I've no idea. It's a mystery." If they do that, they won't be invited back onto the TV programme, book sales and tickets to their tours will suffer.

 

[Professor Moriarty]

Recent video where Peter Bleksley says it was not a professional hitman.

What puzzles me is: without witness identification, CCTV, finger prints or DNA, can a case ever be proven against the murderer?

 

[Konstantin]

He says that the envelope was a ruse to get AW to the doorstep. However, he doesn't really explain why the "hitman" didn't shoot AW straightaway. He agrees with the interviewer that the killer was waiting for the "right opportunity". That might be the case if someone was walking past, but AW shut the door and only went back later to see if the man was still there. So the killer could have lost his opportunity. OK I suppose he could then have come back another time.

I thought AW's wife answered the door, saw the "professional killer" who asked her if AW was in and she went to get him. He came to the door and the "professional killer" talked to him for a short while before giving him an envelope and AW then went inside the house while the "professional killer" waited on the step outside. AW then came back out -- of course he might not have done so -- and then the "professional killer" shot him with a very small handgun possibly after a bit more chat. Then the "professional killer" made his getaway, luckily not encountering anyone after the commotion of shooting someone and having AW's wife raise the alarm.

Literally none of this sounds remotely professional to me, it doesn't even sound like logical behaviour which is probably why years later no one can make any sense whatsoever out of it.

 

[crazychris]

Did anyone apart from the wife see the killer leave? This was opposite a busy pub, people coming and going, maybe standing outside. We only have her word that all this with the envelope, going upstairs etc even happened. Somebody knew they wouldn't be caught on CCTV.

One thing which really puzzles me is why has no description ever been given of the man? Veronica saw him, coat etc. She must have been asked by detectives to describe him straight away. Why not release this?

 

[Professor Moriarty]

I thought AW's wife answered the door, saw the "professional killer" who asked her if AW was in and she went to get him.

Yes. David Wilson said that the envelope was a "ruse". But the killer had asked for AW and AW had come to the door. The killer didn't need an envelope to get AW to the door. AW was already at the door when the killer gave him the envelope. He could have shot him then.

The killer seems to have taken the envelope away with him. David Wilson says that the killer was "forensically aware" (because he dropped the gun into a drain!). If AW had returned to the door and left the envelope in the house, the killer would potentially have gifted the police valuable forensic evidence.

The only reason I can think of why a hitman wouldn't shoot AW right away is that maybe someone was walking past. Even so, he could have engaged AW in conversation for a while and then shot him.

David Wilson said that hitmen often shoot their victims on their doorsteps. But do they use envelopes for some purpose?

Unfortunately, when David Wilson and Mark Williams-Thomas are interviewed, the interviewer never seems to challenge what they say, but treats them as oracles.

 

[tes1984]

The only reason I can think of why a hitman wouldn't shoot AW right away is that maybe someone was walking past. Even so, he could have engaged AW in conversation for a while and then shot him.

I'm far from an expert in this case, but I can think of a couple of UK doorstep shootings (Alan Leppard and also Karen Reed) where the killer knocked on the door, spoke to an occupant, then returned a while later to commit the murder.

Most hitmen aren't exactly out of Day of the Jackal. Who knows if they are trying to confirm the victim's identity for certain, or if they lose and then manage to re-gather their nerve.

 

[davidt]

I'm far from an expert in this case, but I can think of a couple of UK doorstep shootings (Alan Leppard and also Karen Reed) where the killer knocked on the door, spoke to an occupant, then returned a while later to commit the murder.

Most hitmen aren't exactly out of Day of the Jackal. Who knows if they are trying to confirm the victim's identity for certain, or if they lose and then manage to re-gather their nerve.

What makes this case harder though is that if Veronica's account is accurate then Alastair was never intended to go back outside again. It was just something he did on the spur of the moment and even then he nay have left the envelope behind. Possibly if Alastair hadn't done this the killer may have knocked again instead? Far too many oddities and anomalies in this case to be sure of anything really. If we knew the details of Alastairs and Veronica's conversation that might throw some light on what happened.

 

[davidt]

Did anyone apart from the wife see the killer leave? This was opposite a busy pub, people coming and going, maybe standing outside. We only have her word that all this with the envelope, going upstairs etc even happened. Somebody knew they wouldn't be caught on CCTV.

One thing which really puzzles me is why has no description ever been given of the man? Veronica saw him, coat etc. She must have been asked by detectives to describe him straight away. Why not release this?

CCTV in the area wasn't working which was convenient. There appears to be no witnesses of note either to the first doorstep conversation or the second one and subsequent shooting. I think there was a vague reprt of someone seeing someone on tbe doorstep from a distance away. Effectively everything we know about the case comes from Veronica and that in turn relies on what Alastair told her as Veronica didn't witness it herself.

The police seem happy that Veronica is being honest with them but obviously it's pretty much impossible to independently confirm anything. Similarly the sames applies in trying to check whatever Alastair told Veronica. No third party confirmation of any of it.

 

[tes1984]

One thing which really puzzles me is why has no description ever been given of the man? Veronica saw him, coat etc. She must have been asked by detectives to describe him straight away. Why not release this?

Yeah, isn't there a description and composite sketch of the shooter?

 

[Professor Moriarty]

I'm far from an expert in this case, but I can think of a couple of UK doorstep shootings (Alan Leppard and also Karen Reed) where the killer knocked on the door, spoke to an occupant, then returned a while later to commit the murder.

Most hitmen aren't exactly out of Day of the Jackal. Who knows if they are trying to confirm the victim's identity for certain, or if they lose and then manage to re-gather their nerve.

I looked up these two cases. If what I saw is accurate I don't think those two cases are good analogies. I don't think that in either case the killer spoke to the occupant and then returned later to kill them.

I just watched the Crimewatch reconstruction for the Alan Leppard murder. A white American car pulled up outside Alan's house, someone knocked on the door, Alan was upstairs in bed with his girlfriend/fiancee, so they didn't answer the door straightaway, the girl friend looked out the window and saw men standing outside the house, but they left before the door was answered. They returned later, knocked again. Alan answered the door and was shot.

Karen Reed was at home with a colleague. Just after 9pm they heard a tapping on the front door so Karen went to see who it was. When Karen opened the door, there was a man on the doorstep holding a pizza box. Her friend heard the man ask, “Did you order a pizza?” Karen replied that she hadn’t and then turned to ask her friend if she had ordered a pizza, to which she also replied, “No”. The man then asked, “Is this 31 Willow Way?” As soon as Karen confirmed that it was she was shot five times.

(Police said that the intended target of the shooting was Karen’s sister whose life was under threat due to the business activities of her Armenian husband.)

 

[tes1984]

I looked up these two cases. If what I saw is accurate I don't think those two cases are good analogies. I don't think that in either case the killer spoke to the occupant and then returned later to kill them.

Fair point. My memory isn't what it used to be!

Perhaps I should have said that in these cases the killers also don't shoot straight away, and allow themselves to be seen or heard by additional witnesses.

I'd like to hear your views on Alan Leppard BTW. For me it's one of the most fascinating of UK cold cases.

 

[Professor Moriarty]

Fair point. My memory isn't what it used to be!

Perhaps I should have said that in these cases the killers also don't shoot straight away, and allow themselves to be seen or heard by additional witnesses.

I'd like to hear your views on Alan Leppard BTW. For me it's one of the most fascinating of UK cold cases.

I think it unlikely that one of Alan's ex wives employed people to kill him. (There were at least two men involved, which would be unusual.) The police would naturally examine these ex wives as possible suspects.

I think it more likely that the killers were criminals who wanted to shut Alan up to protect themselves. Police said Alan wasn't involved in any criminal activity. But that is only true as far as they know. Also, he might have not been involved in a crime, but come across some attempt at crime (for example, to do with his employer), or suspected an attempt and the criminals wanted to shut him up.

His fiancee's murder is extreme, but could be explained by the criminals' concern that she could identify them (the Crimewatch video would have alerted them to the fact that she saw them out of the window on their first visit to the house) and they might also have been concerned that Alan had shared with her whatever his involvement or knowledge about a crime might have been.

These are another two murders where, without CCTV, fingerprints or DNA, there is little chance of conviction. There was some witness evidence, but that wasn't enough.

(I imagine that the almost ostentatious use of a left hand drive US car was because the killers planned to scrap it afterwards. This gain suggests that they were serious criminals, of whom there were plenty in Kent at that time.)

 

[dotr]

I think it unlikely that one of Alan's ex wives employed people to kill him. (There were at least two men involved, which would be unusual.) The police would naturally examine these ex wives as possible suspects.

I think it more likely that the killers were criminals who wanted to shut Alan up to protect themselves. Police said Alan wasn't involved in any criminal activity. But that is only true as far as they know. Also, he might have not been involved in a crime, but come across some attempt at crime (for example, to do with his employer), or suspected an attempt and the criminals wanted to shut him up.

His fiancee's murder is extreme, but could be explained by the criminals' concern that she could identify them (the Crimewatch video would have alerted them to the fact that she saw them out of the window on their first visit to the house) and they might also have been concerned that Alan had shared with her whatever his involvement or knowledge about a crime might have been.

These are another two murders where, without CCTV, fingerprints or DNA, there is little chance of conviction. There was some witness evidence, but that wasn't enough.

(I imagine that the almost ostentatious use of a left hand drive US car was because the killers planned to scrap it afterwards. This gain suggests that they were serious criminals, of whom there were plenty in Kent at that time.)

D

UK Post in thread 'UK - Alan Leppard, Monkton April 1991 and Brenda Long, Whitstable December 1991, Kent'

Dec 15, 2025

No new links to add at this point, so subscribing to the thread with just this.. rbbm. fwiw..

Unsolved 1991 : Finn, Pat: Amazon.ca: Books

Unsolved 1991 : Finn, Pat: Amazon.ca: Books

www.amazon.ca

Unsolved 1991​

by Pat Finn (Author)
''A list of unsolved mysteries from 1991.

''Contains 62 cases including Maria Requina who was found dismembered and packed into bin bags in Pennington Flash, John Green who was stabbed to death at his flat, Ronald James who was stabbed at his bar, Peter Rasini who was shot with a .45 calibre pistol, Alan Leppard who was shot at his home and his partner Brenda Long who...

• dotr

• 

 

[alb1on]

He says that the bullets were odd (I don't think they were odd, given the difficulty obtaining ammunition in the UK ) and draws a parallel with the bullets used in Jill Dando's murder, because he believes that was also a professional hit. (The bullets in Jill Dando's case were modified, but the bullets in AW's murder were not modified.)

The odd thing about the bullets is that they date from the 80s or 90s and so are not contemporaneous with the gun. This means they must have been sourced separately if the gun was a souvenir in the family of the gunman or the gun and ammunition were sourced together from a criminal source. Either makes it more likely (but by no means certain) that this involved seriously connected criminals rather than local revenge as British law would have made it next to impossible to source the ammunition without serious criminal connections.

 

[crazychris]

Yeah, isn't there a description and composite sketch of the shooter?

Have never seen one....

 

[crazychris]

CCTV in the area wasn't working which was convenient.

How did the killer know he/she wouldn't be as clear as day on any camera of theirs though. Some are small and discreet and in bushes on the drive I've read.. suppose more advance now though.

 

[davidt]

How did the killer know he/she wouldn't be as clear as day on any camera of theirs though. Some are small and discreet and in bushes on the drive I've read.. suppose more advance now though.

Apparently the CCTV was either switched off or in some cases not working. We've no idea if the killer was aware of this or not and just got lucky.

 

[rvlvr]

Detectives believe the man who shot Alistair on his doorstep to have been aged between 20 and 40-years-old at the time. This would mean he is now aged in his mid-30s to almost 60 years old.

He was approximately 5ft 7in tall and was wearing a baseball cap and jacket.

Further appeal for information relating to murder of Alistair Wilson

Police Scotland news Highlands Nairn murder death shooting Alistair Wilson Havelock Hotel

www.scotland.police.uk

AIUI a sketch or e-fit has never been released because there isn’t much information to go on. It was dark outside, and according to Veronica she was preoccupied with putting the kids to bed, if this was just a run of the mill looking fella it’s likely she wouldn’t have remembered anything particularly distinctive, imo.

 

[Cedars]

Recent video where Peter Bleksley says it was not a professional hitman.

I think getting hung up on whether 'professional' or 'amateur' could be a waste of energy.

To me, the point is: was the killer "hired" by someone else who had a motive, or did the killer themselves have the motive.

IMO, anyone down on their luck and willing to kill can be hired to do a job, by someone who doesn't want to be recognized. However, that does mean someone connected to Alistair had ties to some dodgy person or people (if the killer was referred). So police would prioritize looking at any dodgy connections of those around Alistair.

That's not easy to do: police can't easily get into eg. personal or business banking records. On the other hand, since there were at least 2 people involved, they may receive tips, even long after the crime was committed.

Doing the killing for himself, means the killer had some relationship/interaction with Alistair that generated an extreme personal grievance. For that, IMO, police would look at people who were not close, but were mentally disturbed/off. IMO that's actually harder to solve, unless the person did more crimes.

JMO

 

[rvlvr]

Apparently the CCTV was either switched off or in some cases not working. We've no idea if the killer was aware of this or not and just got lucky.

The Wilsons’ home used to be a hotel and they ran it as a restaurant for a time, IIRC. I wonder if at that point they had a CCTV system? But if they did it doesn’t seem like they kept it.