Edinburgh crime news: It has been over fifty years since the murder of Helen Kane, and her case remains unsolved

It’s been over 50 years since Helen Kane was killed in Edinburgh, and her murder still hasn’t been solved.

Warning – some readers may find the contents of this article distressing

The body of Helen Kane was found by a dog walker on the morning of May 25, 1970, on a building site just south of Pleasance in Edinburgh. She had died of head injuries after being hit with a paving slab.

Over 50 years later, her murder has not been solved, with many police theories linking it to serial killers including Bible John and Angus Sinclair.

The murder

Helen, who stayed at Greendykes Terrace in Craigmillar, was out with her husband Joe, and some friends in Leith on the night of the 24th.

She left them in Duke Street around 11.25 pm, and a woman very like her was seen being helped into a taxi by an unknown man, with the car then heading towards Easter Road.

A couple, who again looked like those spotted in the taxi, were seen in Holyrood Park later still, not far from where the body was eventually found the next day.

Detectives in the Capital attempted to trace the taxi driver who could have taken the man and woman to the Dumbiedykes area between 11 pm and 2 am that night

Helen was 25-years-old when she was killed, and left behind four young children.

The investigation

Officers from Glasgow contacted the detectives working on the case to attempt to establish any possible link to the current investigation into the Bible John killings, a spate of three murders in the Glasgow area between 1968 and 1969. After some scrutiny, Edinburgh police concluded that they were “reasonably satisfied” that there was no connection.

Detectives also interviewed notorious serial killer Angus Sinclair, who was living half a mile away from where the body was found at the time.

In 2014, Sinclair would be found guilty for the murder of 17-year-old Christine Eadie and Helen Scott, who were last seen alive at Edinburgh’s World’s End pub on October 15, 1977, and he subsequently died in jail.

His family provided him with an alibi for the murder of Helen Kane however, and later, former Deputy Chief Constable of Lothian and Borders Police Tom Wood, who headed the World’s End inquiry between 2004 and 2007, did not believe that Sinclair was responsible for this killing. He said that Sinclair strangled his victims, whereas Helen was hit in the head.

Helen’s son, Michael, previously told The Sun newspaper that he does believe that Sinclair may have murdered his mother, but with Sinclair dying in 2019, he can now no longer provide closure.

Within this interview, Michael explained: “Sinclair was a beast — if it was him or not - and I’m gutted we will never know.

“It’s just a painful thing that keeps going through my mind — that there was not a proper conviction for my mum’s murder.”

The police

Police Scotland do not close a case until it is solved, and ask that anybody with any information, regardless of the passing of time, contact them.

Detective Chief Inspector Brian Geddes said: "Unresolved murders are cases that are never closed and Police Scotland is fully committed to identifying those people responsible for all such cases.

“Police Scotland works closely with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and meets regularly to review outstanding unresolved murders from across the country.

“Working collaboratively as the Homicide Governance Board, the potential for new investigative opportunities are regularly assessed to maximise the ability to deliver justice for grieving families, irrespective of the passage of time.

“We would appeal to anyone who has information which could assist in such cases, to contact the Police Scotland via the 101 number. Information can also be provided through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, where anonymity can be maintained."

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