The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
WHO KILLED DOROTHY PARK?
TRUE CRIME SERIES DAY TWO
When Mary Stephen started looking for a job, sub-postmistress Dorothy Park answered her call.
That was in 1976 and for five years the two women worked well beside each other in the quiet Aberdeenshire village of New Pitsligo.
But on June 18, 1981, a horrific discovery was made at the post office – Miss Park had been murdered.
It is believed she went to bed on June 17 but was woken by two raiders who left her bound and gagged.
They stole the post office keys and made off with just £79 – missing a bag containing £4,500 the 63-yearold had left on the couch in her flat.
It is believed she suffocated within hours of the robbery.
Despite extensive efforts by the police, the case remains unsolved to this day. Saturday marked the 35th anniversary of Miss Park’s death.
Mrs Stephen, now 91, worked part-time as her assistant.
“I just helped her to do the stuff that she couldn’t do herself,” she said.
“She was really a fantastic lady. Everybody cared about her and I got on with her really well. We worked well together.”
She recalled Miss Park’s nephew’s wife coming to her home at around 8.30am on June 18 and telling her she was wanted at the post office.
“‘Something’s happened to Dorothy’ was what she said to me,” Mrs Stephen said.
“I went down to the post office and I remember the head postmaster had come out to the village.
“He asked me if I could tell what was missing and what we should do with the money that was left.”
Mrs Stephen described the post office as being “like