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

[rvlvr]

Firearms are difficult, or impossible, to obtain. Criminals have used reactivated guns, modified replicas and modified starting pistols. Therefore, any proper firearm is like gold dust and a hitman, or equally just someone who wants to carry out a murder, would gladly use such a gun, if available. It also has the advantage of being relatively quiet.

Definitely agree with this regarding an ‘any gun will do’ approach, but the use of such a convoluted strategy seems perverse to me. Shootings in Scotland tend to be quite straightforward affairs, these guys typically aren’t hanging around on doorsteps with cryptic envelopes - I can’t think of another killing like this one, in all honesty.

 

[davidt]

One thing I think isn't particularly helpful is the use of the word "professional " on this and other threads such as the Jill Dando one. I mean what even is the definition a professional killing? I'm sure that when it comes to hired killers they come in all shapes and sizes and ranges of abilities. This case has many prominent individuals debating whether it was a professional killing or not. Then various aspects are looked at to support or dismiss the idea. I can't help but think that doesn't help very much at all. JMO but I think we shouldn't tie ourselves up in how "professional " or otherwise something looks as I think that will vary from case to case and instead perhaps focus on whether such killings are premeditated or spur of the moment events.

 

[wtiger]

"professional" killers exist only in movies!

someone looking for their next bag of smack is just as likely to be a hired hitman as anyone with more "qualifications"

it's entirely possible that this was carried out by a random smackhead with his grandfathers old gun

however too many things just do not add up in the whole case and it screams of being something very close to home in my opinion