Can facial reconstruction solve 15-year-old mystery of Stranraer death?
It's hoped a new image released by Police Scotland can help identify the woman, whose body was found on the beach at Port Logan in 2006
A new facial construction of a woman who’s remains were found in Stranraer 15 years ago has been released, as Police Scotland launch a fresh bid to solve the mystery of what happened to her.
The body was found on Wednesday 22 November 2006 on the beach at Port Logan. Since then extensive enquiries have been unable to establish who she is or what happened to her.
What do we know about the woman?
So far forensic work has indicated that she was aged between 30 and 50, was of thin build and between 4ft 11in and 5ft 4in tall. She was wearing size 10 black Bay Trading trousers, a white BHS size 34c bra and tan-coloured tights.
Officers have been working with criminology students at Glasgow Caledonian University for the past six months, under the guidance of Professor Lesley McMillan and Dr Maureen Taylor, for a facial reconstruction to be carried out in the hope that someone might recognise the woman and help find out what happened to her.
Police hope to reunite the woman with her family, and find out what happened to her
Inspector Iain Milligan, of Police Scotland’s National Missing Person Unit, said: “Missing person reports across the UK have been checked without success to this point. The work done by Professor Caroline Wilkinson and the Face Lab at Liverpool John Moores University has provided us with a representation of the woman’s face based on details from the remains that were found. I also appreciate the help that the Cold Case Unit at Glasgow Caledonian University has provided us with in our investigation over the past several months.
“I hope that people will take a look and see if they recognise this woman. We want to be able to reunite her with her family and also find out what happened to her.
“If the face, or any of the details that are mentioned, helps anyone identify her then please get in touch with Police Scotland by calling 101, quoting missing person reference number 06-026047.”
A chance for students to hone their skills
Dr Maureen Taylor, of Glasgow Caledonian University, said: “The Cold Case Unit offers a unique opportunity for students to develop real-world investigative skills. These skills have been put to the test to help investigate the Port Logan woman, 15 years on from when she was found.
“We hope the new facial reconstruction jogs someone’s memory and adds more pieces of the puzzle as to who she might be.
“We are very grateful for the fruitful and collaborative relationship we have established with Police Scotland with the mutual aim of furthering these cases.”