The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Murder victim ‘one of a kind’
Crime: Tributes paid to woman killed in flat
A woman who was murdered at a north-east tower block was described last night as a “special person” who was one of a kind.
Tracy Gabriel died along with Keith Taylor after being attacked at a flat in Aberdeen’s Tillydrone area.
Hugh Gallacher died after jumping from the 12th floor of the high rise. Police said yesterday they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the tragedy – and revealed the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) would examine Mr Gallacher’s death as officers were at the scene when he jumped.
They were called to the 19-storey Donside Court tower block after reports of a disturbance.
Yesterday, police maintained a large presence in the neighbourhood as floral tributes were laid at the scene and residents spoke of their shock. Detective Chief Inspector Keith Hardie, of the force’s major investigation team, said: “Officers attended at Donside Court following reports of a disturbance and found the bodies of a manand a woman with in a flat.
“Both of these deaths are being investigated and treated as murder.
“At this stage, we can also confirm that a second man died at the scene a short time after officers attended.”
Miss Gabriel is understood to have been amum of - four who was originally from the Huntly area and went to Alford Academy.
Oneof her friends, Shona Trowbridge, took to social media to pay tribute to her.
She said: “You were a special person, I grew up with you, we had some good times and some absolutely funny ones but we did have some bad times also, but we did what was best for us all, we kept smiling and seen them through, you were one of a kind, RIP my quine Tracy Gabriel.”
Tillydrone, Seaton and Old Aberdeen councillor Ross Grant said: “This is a tough day for communities across my ward and indeed the city of Aberdeen itself.
“These are tight- knit communities, so incidents like these are particularly shocking.”
Resident Susan Smith, 51, said: “I saw four to five police cars and vans coming down the road.
“Police were doing CPR on the man who had landed outside the court before the paramedics arrived.
“Four or five ambulances then arrived and went into the building, but they did not come out with bodies.
“Tillydrone has a bad reputation, but I’ve lived here for 35 years, and it’s a quiet area with a lot of community spirit.
“I lived in a high rise for a good number of years and people keep themselves to themselves.
“It’s one of the poorest areas in the city but there is not so much trouble here.”
A spokeswoman for Pirc said: “The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has instructed Pirc to undertake an investigation following a disturbance in which two men and a woman died at a flat in Donside Court in Aberdeen on Tuesday, July 19.”