A Polish man whose body was found in a burning car had been seen driving another vehicle on the night he died.
Rafal Lyko, 36, from Auchterarder was found in a stolen Mercedes by police who had raced to a car park in Blantyre, Lanarkshire, following reports of an explosion.
Lyko had underworld associates and once tried to smuggle a James Bond-style phone into prison for a hitman.
The father-of-one had travelled to Scotland before making his way to stay with friends in the Tayside area.
He later travelled to South Lanarkshire before his body was found in a black Mercedes GLE in Blantyre’s Greenhall Park on February 11.
Detectives have revealed Lyko had been spotted driving a second Mercedes in the same area on the night he died.
Police have now traced the second car.
Detective Chief Inspector Davie Scott, of the Major Investigation Team, said: “As a result of our inquiries and the public response to our previous appeals, we have established that Rafal drove along Hamilton Road and Lightburn Road in Halfway, Cambuslang between 7pm and 7.40pm on Monday, February 11 2019.
“He was driving a brown coloured Mercedes B200 with the registration number starting AP59. This vehicle was recovered by police in Lightburn Road on Tuesday 19th February.
“The black Mercedes GLE that Rafal was found within in Greenhall Park, was also seen driving on these same roads between those times.
“We are appealing to anyone who remembers seeing these two vehicles in the area on Monday, February 11, or anyone driving on these roads who has dash-cam footage to please come forward as soon as possible.
“Any little piece of information may be relevant to this investigation.”
Det Ch Insp Scott added: “Officers are continuing to study a large amount of CCTV and are piecing together the information we have gained.
“We are confident that with the assistance of the public and the determination and commitment of my inquiry team, we will trace who is responsible for this murder.”
Lyko gave a high-tech watch to Deyan Nikolov in Perth jail as he awaited trial accused of conspiracy to murder Fife businessman Toby Siddique in 2010.
But prison officers spotted Lyko passing the device to the Bulgarian and he was later convicted of the offence.
Bulgarian ex-bouncer Nikolov, of Kirkcaldy, Fife, was caged for 18 years in 2012 after he arranged for hitman Tencho Andonov to murder businessman Toby Siddique in 2010.
Mobile phone records linked the duo to Nikolov’s millionaire boss Mo Siddique, who wanted his brother dead over a property business dispute.
Last year Nikolov was found dead in his jail cell with a bin bag over his head in a suspected drugs stunt gone wrong.
Anyone with information should contact officers through 101 quoting reference number 3663 of 11th February 2019 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
