A Perthshire man whose charred remains were found inside a burning car had been shot in the head, investigators have revealed.
A murder probe was launched in February when Rafal Lyko was discovered inside a stolen Mercedes at a car park in Lanarkshire.
He vanished after visiting Auchterarder, where his parents stay, just days earlier. It is understood the 36-year-old car mechanic also travelled to Crieff before heading to the South Lankarkshire area.
An initial post mortem examination failed to determine how he died.
However, following further analysis, pathologists have now recorded his death was “consistent with a gunshot wound”.
Police are still trying to piece together the Polish national’s final movements.
A spokesman said: “The murder of Rafal Lyko remains a ongoing investigation and we would continue to appeal for anyone who has information to get in touch.”
Mr Lyko was found inside the burning car at Stoneymeadow Road, Blantyre, on the evening of Monday, February 11.
Emergency services were called to the area following reports of an explosion.
The car is believed to have been in East Kilbride and Cambuslang before it was found alight.
Residents at Blantyre raised the alarm, reporting a loud bang in the area where the car was found.
Police Scotland’s major investigation team issued a public appeal for any information.
Mr Lyko previously spent time at Perth Prison over his links to another Polish man convicted in connection with a hit on a Scottish businessman.
Mr Lyko was jailed for four months in 2012 for smuggling a spy phone into prison for hitman’s fixer Deyan Nikolov to use while he was on trial for murder.
Nikolov had the tiny smartphone –which looked like an ordinary digital watch – brought to him while he was remanded at maximum security HMP Perth.
Nikolov was subsequently jailed for a minimum of 18 years for the part he played in the fatal shooting of businessman Mohammed Nadeem Siddique in Glenrothes in October 2010.
Neighbours at Mr Lyko’s family home in Auchtarder said he had moved to Pruszkow in Poland after his release from prison.
