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

 

[Markybug]

Is it not strange that Alistair’s wife don’t ask anything when the gunman just stated his name and nothing else ? Wouldn’t she ask who’s calling or what’s it about etc ??

It’s an unusual (to me) way to deal with a complete stranger, if they are that is !

 

[CocktailQueen]

Is it not strange that Alistair’s wife don’t ask anything when the gunman just stated his name and nothing else ? Wouldn’t she ask who’s calling or what’s it about etc ??

It’s an unusual (to me) way to deal with a complete stranger, if they are that is !

I don’t think it’s that strange. I am rubbish with faces, and I also avoid neighbours, partly because of this, but also because I kind of keep to myself. But my husband is the opposite. So, on the odd occasion (over the last 5 years that we’ve lived in our current house) someone has knocked at our door (maybe 2 or 3 times) and asked for my husband by name (though not last name, just his first name) and I would feel awkward saying ‘who are you?’ Because they are most likely a neighbour and I’ve probably waved to them from the car (multiple times) when my husband has, so they probably think I know them. So when it has happened I’ve just called for my husband and (luckily) they have actually been our neighbours. But I would never remember their face again. So I guess I’m just so used to being useless at recognising people even if they did ask for my husband by first and last name I would probably react in the same way!

Or just thinking if you knew your husband was possibly in trouble (debt, bailiffs, drugs,whatever?) maybe you’d be kind of expecting something but not want to ask any questions as you don’t want to know. So just default to your husband and hope he can get rid of them!

If either of those scenarios is the case, then hopefully she relayed that to the police.