THE officer the hunt for the murderer of 63-year-old John Kennedy today confirmed that the time frame for the killing had narrowed significantly after a witness came forward to assist enquiries.
Detective Inspector Gary Ogilvie of Tayside Police confirmed that an individual had approached enquiry officers to confirm they had been at the address in Mossgiel Crescent at 9pm on Sunday.
Mr Kennedy, who was formally identified following a post mortem yesterday, died as a result of a fatal attack in his home at about 10.15 on Sunday night. The alarm was raised by neighbours but tragically he was found dead at the scene.
DI Ogilvie said: “It was a brave step for this person to come forward and assist us with our investigations and we are extremely grateful that they did so. There information has been of value to us and we are satisfied they had nothing to do with Mr Kennedy’s death.
“We know for a fact that many people visited that address during the day and through the evening – day in day out. There were visitors to that address on Sunday and we want to speak with each and every one of them.
“The response so far to our appeals for people to get in touch has been excellent, but there are others who are not making themselves known. They need to get in touch as a matter of priority.
“They might be nervous about the repercussions of coming forward because, as it has been revealed, John used to sell cigarettes and tobacco to people from his home address. As I have said before, I have no interest whether or not they were there to buy these things from Mr Kennedy. I am investigating a murder and they may have information that could help to trace the person responsible. They need to come forward.”
It has also been suggested that Mr Kennedy’s house was subject to a sneak-in theft or break-in in recent weeks. While no complaint was ever made to the police, that is something that the enquiry team is keen to learn more about and anyone with information should get in touch.
Around fifty officers are currently involved in the enquiry, including detective officers, uniformed officers and scenes of crime officers, with support from the CCTV team, researchers and officers and staff working on the Home Office Large Major Enquiry System (HOLMES).
Around 100 houses in the area have been visited by police officers seeking information, generating almost 260 questionnaires. Over 100 statements have also been processed by the enquiry team.
A significant police presence remains in the Linlathen area of Dundee where Mr Kennedy lived.
Scenes of crime officers continue with their examination of the Mosssgiel Crescent address and the surrounding area. Well over 200 productions have been recovered, and those items of greatest interest have been prioritised for detailed forensic examination.
Residents are also encouraged to search their own gardens, outhouses, garages and bins and report anything amiss or out of place to the police.
