Coldest of cold cases... family’s plea for justice after 70 years
HER death sparked a murder inquiry on a scale not seen before in Scotland’s largest city, including what was then the country’s biggest fingerprinting operation.
Now, 70 years after the body of fouryear-old Betty Alexander was found in a back yard 200 yards from her Glasgow home on October 10, 1952, her family have issued what might be the final realistic appeal for information to trace the murderer.
Police led by the officer whose team solved the 46-year-old murders of Renee MacRae and her son have vowed not to give up their search for Betty’s killer, even though the perpetrator could now be at least in their mid-80s and possibly long dead.
But Betty’s family cling to the hope that a breakthrough will be made.
Her brother, Andy Alexander, born the year after his sister died, said: ‘The fambody, ily would wish that this crime be solved, even given how remote a possibility that is.
‘The police cold case team have been very good with us over the years and we are grateful to them for their efforts. We would love to have a sense of closure over what happened.’
Betty was last seen by her parents at around 5.30pm on October 7, while playing with friends near her home in Buccleuch Street in the city’s Garnethill area.
Known for her curly hair, she was wearing a brown coat, kilt and jumper when she disappeared.
A desperate search ensued – at one point involving 2,000 police officers – in which disused air raid shelters and back lanes were combed. On October 10, three days after her disappearance, a cleaner made the grim discovery of Betty’s propped up against steps behind the Sick Children’s Hospital Dispensary in West Graham Street, a short distance from her home.
A police investigation gathered 3,000 witness statements and 1,000 fingerprints, with samples taken from every male resident in the area to compare them with a fingerprint found near her body.
Betty’s funeral on October 13, with her body carried in a tiny white coffin, was attended by 4,000 people who lined Buccleuch Street. Detectives followed up every lead and interviewed huge numbers of potential suspects and witnesses.
Despite their efforts, nobody was ever brought to justice and the case has remained open for 70 years.
Forensic profilers have previously said that, given the lack of travel at the time in comparison to today, the killer was very likely to have been local to Garnethill.
Two years ago, in a permanent tribute to Betty, her family erected a plaque in a park near her home.
Detective Chief Inspector Brian Geddes of Police Scotland’s Homicide Review Team, who led the investigation which last month saw William MacDowell convicted of the 1976 murder of Mrs MacRae and her three-year-old son Andrew, said: ‘Unresolved murders are never closed and we are fully committed to identifying those people responsible.
‘Any new information about Betty Alexander’s death will be assessed and investigated.’
A Crown Office spokesman said: ‘We will continue to work with Police Scotland to explore any new evidential developments.’
‘We would love to have a sense of closure’