The family of Stefan Sutherland fear they have lost any hope of justice following the death of the man they suspected of murdering him.
The passing away of former fisherman Stewart Dixon, 41, from Thurso in Caithness, was announced by his mum, May, in a Facebook post last week.Dixon had never been charged in relation to Stefan’s violent death, aged 25, in 2013.Stefan’s body washed up on a beach at Occumster, near his family home, 11 days after he was last seen going into Dixon’s then residence in Lybster.Stefan was found with head injuries but local police immediately ruled out foul play.Since then, the Sutherland family have fought for a fresh probe, with support from the Record.
However, a review which took 16 months to complete failed to establish criminality.Officers took more than 200 statements and re-interviewed witnesses.
But it is understood Dixon was not quizzed under caution by detectives due to a lack of evidence that he had committed a crime.Stefan’s mum, Sandra, and dad, Sandy, say Dixon’s death has now ended any lingering hopes they had of getting answers about how their son died.Sandra said: “I thought, right away, that we will never know for sure what happened and will never get justice for Stefan.“But I’m not sorry we will not have to walk past him [Dixon] ever again.”Sandy added: “This will suit the police.
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