Man, 23, held over McKandie murder

New inquiries one year on from tragedy

A MAN has been detained in connection with the murder of north-east pensioner Brian McKandie.

Police confirmed last night that they are holding a 23-year-old man – a year after the 67-year-old mechanic was found dead in his home.

A man has been detained in connection with the murder of pensioner Brian McKandie.

Police swooped on a farmhouse near Rothienorman yesterday, nearly a year after Mr McKandie's body was discovered in his nearby home.

The property remained sealed off late last night.

Mr McKandie's body was discovered in his home in Badenscoth, just north of Rothienorman, on March 12 last year.

In December the 67-yearold’s elder brother said life was “incredibly difficult without him” and urged anyone with information to come forward.

Police believe self-employed mechanic Mr McKandie was killed on the evening of March 11.

Since then, officers have carried out extensive inquiries, and specialists have undertaken one of the largest forensic searches in the history of Police Scotland in their search for clues. But despite speaking to hundreds of individuals and identifying numerous witnesses, officers have been unable to make solid progress with the case so far.

However, police confirmed last night that a man has been detained in connection with the death.

A police spokeswoman said: “A 23-year-old man has been detained in connection with the murder.”

Earlier this week detectives launched new searches along a road close to where Mr McKandie was killed after being tipped off by a member of the public.

Officers focused on the Rothienorman to Fyvie road on Monday as part of their investigations.

More than 970 people have been spoken to in the course of the inquiry, with more than 1,300 witness statements taken.

Detective Chief Inspector Iain Smith, who is leading the inquiry, previously said it was one of the toughest

“It’s the most challenging case I have been involved in”

cases he had worked on in his career. He said: “It’s the most challenging case I have been involved in as a senior investigating officer for a homicide investigation. It’s as brutal a murder that I have seen in the police service.”

Last December officers revealed they were looking for a lone man seen walking away from the victim’s home at the time of his death. The man was spotted leaving the home the day after the murder just before 1am.

Officers said at the time that they were also looking for the author of an anonymous letter which was handed in to an Aberdeenshire police officer shortly after Mr McKandie’s death. The letter is understood to have provided information on the murder.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

INVESTIGATION: Police searching for clues earlier this week a year after Brian McKandie, inset, was murdered