Disclaimer: This article mentions murder. Reader discretion is advised.
BBC released the two-part documentary series Murder Trial: The Disappearance of Renee and Andrew MacRae last year. It details the shocking account of one of the biggest unsolved missing person cases in the history of Scotland. The bodies of Renee and her three-year-old son, Andrew, haven’t been found since their disappearance in 1976.
As seen in the docuseries, Renee’s BMW car was found to be burning on November 12, 1976, on a lay-by near Dalmagarry on the A9 roadway. The 36-year-old mother of two had left her home in Inverness along with Andrew. Per the Scotland Police records, in 2022, 80-year-old William MacDowell was found guilty of Renee and Andrew’s murder. He was arrested in September 2019 after the investigation carried out for decades. However, the remains of Renee and Andrew have never been recovered despite MacDowell’s conviction.
Where is Renee & Andrew MacRae’s killer William MacDowell now?
Per BBC, Renee and Andrew MacRae’s killer, William MacDowell, passed away in February 2023 at the age of 81, less than five months after his conviction. He was sentenced to life with a minimum of 30 years. MacDowell was a prisoner at HMP Glenochil in Alloa before his passing. The police confirmed that the convict died at the Forth Valley Royal Hospital.
The Guardian reported that MacDowell was working as a company secretary at a building firm owned by Renee’s estranged husband, Gordon MacRae. Andrew was born a year after Renee and MacDowell’s affair began in 1972. The trial found that Renee’s lover had promised her a house and a new life in Shetland. Renee’s best friend, Valerie Steventon, the only person who knew about the affair, testified that MacDowell asked her to bring Andrew as “he wanted to get to know him better.” However, the mother and son met a tragic end instead. MacDowell maintained his innocence for decades before getting charged.
According to the BBC, MacDowell was fired from his job when news of the affair surfaced. The trial also found that he had replaced the boot floor of the company car. Moreover, he refused to return the vehicle until he was done scrubbing it out.
Renee and Andrew’s killer, William MacDowell, never revealed where he disposed of their bodies. Their disappearance continues to remain a mystery.