The murder of Alistair Wilson, who was shot on his doorstep in 2004, must now be fully re-investigated

The murder of a father of two who was shot on his doorstep 20 years ago has been subjected to a comprehensive re-investigation.

Alistair Wilson, 30, was shot dead in his home in Nairn in the Scottish Highlands on November 28, 2004, while his two sons were upstairs.

Despite several requests for information and numerous investigations, no arrests have been made since then.

In 2023, Mr Wilson's family lodged a complaint with the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner about the handling of the police investigation.

On Monday, Scottish Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC said a new team of prosecutors would work with Scottish police officers to launch a fresh investigation into the murder.

She said: “This was a deeply disturbing crime which has caused a devastating loss to Mr Wilson’s family.

“Over many years, great efforts have been made to solve this case and a great deal of evidence has been collected.

“However, I have come to the conclusion that it is appropriate to re-examine all the details of the case and conduct further investigations.

“I sincerely hope that this will bring justice for Alistair Wilson's family and the wider community affected by this violent crime.”

What happened?

At around 7pm, Mr Wilson's wife Veronica opened the door of the family home in Nairn to a man and asked him by name for Alistair.

The father of two came downstairs after reading his sons a bedtime story and was handed a blue envelope with the word “Paul” written on it.

He went inside for a brief conversation with his wife and was shot when he returned to the door.

Mr Wilson was taken by ambulance to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness but died shortly afterwards.

Who was Alistair Wilson?

Mr Wilson was born and raised in North Ayrshire and attended Beith Primary and later Garnock Academy in Kilbirnie.

He then studied accounting and business law at the University of Stirling before starting work at the Bank of Scotland after graduating.

He was sent to work in Fort William, where he met and married his wife Veronica.

They had two sons. The eldest, Andrew, was four years old at the time of his father's murder.

On the 16th anniversary in 2020, Andrew recounted his memories of seeing his father lying on the doorstep “covered in blood”.

He said: “My father and I missed so many things together: showing me how to tie a tie, taking driving lessons and drinking my first beer with me.

“Nothing can bring my father back, but knowing who did this and why might give us the closure we need.”

Police investigation

Over the years, investigators conducted numerous investigations, but no one was prosecuted for the murder.

The shooter was described as follows: 5'7″ tall, between 20 and 40 years old, stocky build and wearing a baseball cap and jacket.

Less than a week after Wilson's assassination, a city street sweeper vacuumed up the murder weapon – an old Czech-made automatic pistol – from a drain a mile from the crime scene.

In 2022, Scottish police announced that they were conducting witness interviews in Nova Scotia, Canada, in connection with the case.

Investigators later announced that they believed his murder was related to his private life and not to his employment at the Bank of Scotland.

They said Mr Wilson's objection to a retrospective planning application for a large terraced area outside the Havelock Hotel, opposite his home in Crescent Road, “could be significant”.

Speaking on the 18th anniversary in 2022, Detective Superintendent Graeme Mackie of Police Scotland said: “The investigation is ongoing and we are following up on any new information we receive.”

“It cannot be overstated how devastated this crime has left a family. We are determined to find answers and bring the perpetrator to justice.”

He added: “Our thoughts are with Mr Wilson's family at this difficult time of year.”