The lead investigator in the Aberfeldy shooting admits police still do not have a suspect in the Brian Low murder case.
Detective Superintendent Lorna Ferguson was speaking to the media in the town on Tuesday as officers continued door-to-door inquiries.
It comes nine weeks after Mr Low’s death in February.
Ms Ferguson also confirmed nobody has been interviewed under caution in relation to the killing.
She issued a renewed appeal for information and addressed local speculation regarding who could be responsible.
‘There is no suspect’ in Brian Low murder probe
Speaking just hours after the scale of the investigation was laid bare, she said: “I am aware of the rumours that are circulating.
“Our officers are hearing those same rumours but I have to keep an open mind.
“There is no suspect,” she said.
“No one has been interviewed under caution.”
Ms Ferguson said she was still certain that the secret to cracking the case lies within the Aberfeldy community.
She said a 30-strong team of officers were dedicated to finding Mr Low’s killer.
And she urged anyone with information to come forward, not matter how insignificant they think it might be.
“People in Aberfeldy have been ever so helpful,” she said.
“I have said previously that somebody out there knows who has done this.
“They need to come forward to give us that information and give Brian’s family peace of mind.”
She said the investigation was wholly focused on Aberfeldy and the surrounding area.
Officers have been drafted in from across Scotland for the case.
They have visited around 500 addresses and are sifting through more than 2,400 hours of CCTV footage.
Teams were going door to door yesterday, conducting follow-up inquiries with people who have been questioned previously.
“I have said from the outset I believe the answer lies here [in Aberfeldy],” Ms Ferguson added.
“People are still coming to us with information but most of it is coming from our door-to-door inquiries.
“There are still more houses we have to get round.
“But I am confident we will solve this and bring someone to justice.”
‘Respect family wishes’
Mr Low was found a short distance from the cottage he shared with his partner on Saturday February 17.
The Courier revealed last month that he died from a shotgun wound to the neck and chest.
The cause of his death raised further questions about why it was initially treated as non-suspicious.
Concerns were only raised about third-party involvement – four days later – during a medical examination.
DS Ferguson says she accepts people find it “puzzling” Mr Low’s death was not immediately treated as suspicious.
But she insists she is unable to comment further due to the ongoing probe by the police investigations and review commissioner (PIRC) into the handling of the inquiry.
She also made clear that Police Scotland has no intention of scaling back their efforts to catch Mr Low’s killer.
And she said she hoped that Mr Low’s standing in the community would encourage people to come forward with more information that might help the investigation.
DS Ferguson added: “We know Brian was 65, that he lived with his partner and her granddaughter, that he was retired and worked part-time in the community.
“From what I’ve gathered he was a very private, well-liked man.
“They are a private family and we need to respect their wishes.”
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