The officer leading the hunt for the brutal murderer of Perthshire pensioner Jenny Methven has pledged there will be no let-up in the investigation.
Three weeks have now passed since the 80-year-old was bludgeoned to death in her rural cottage near Forteviot.
More than 80 police officers continue to work full-time in a bid to find the clues that could lead to the apprehension of her killer.
Detective Chief Inspector Colin Gall has pledged that every one of those will remain on the case for the foreseeable future.
”We have 80 officers working full-time on this case and that will continue for at least the next two weeks,” Mr Gall said. ”We have more than enough inquiries to make to keep these officers busy. The force has committed these resources to me to see this case solved and for that I am very grateful.”
The number of officers that remain committed to the investigation illustrates both the commitment of Tayside Police to catch Mrs Methven’s killer and the sheer size of the investigation.
At the weekend forensics teams continued to conduct a meticulous investigation of the pensioner’s home, Kildinny Cottage. They remain hopeful that the house can yet provide them with vital clues, but are also continuing to search the fields and countryside surrounding it for the as yet unidentified murder weapon.
Mrs Methven died as a result of injuries to her head and body, and the police have stated that they believe they are looking for a blunt object.
Mr Gall said officers are continuing to look at CCTV footage from local sources to identify vehicles that were in the area on the day of the murder.
They have been working to marry these up with statements gathered during their investigations to ensure that any outstanding vehicles are identified and traced.
Although the investigation continues locally, the force is exploring every option available to it and on Friday it was revealed that the police could also turn to television for help.
The murder of Mrs Methven could feature in a Crimewatch reconstruction, which would be broadcast to millions on the popular BBC1 programme in the hope that someone would come forward with potentially vital information. Such a move has proved useful in past high-profile cases.
It is also hoped that Crimewatch could also raise awareness of the £10,000 reward being offered by the charity Crimestoppers for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of someone for the killing.
Anyone with information should call the dedicated inquiry number on 01738 892925 or the non-emergency number 0300 111 2222. Alternatively, information can be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.