Soil forensic scientists narrow down locations for Moira Anderson search

“Specialist work in the field of soil science and geographical information has allowed investigators to narrow down the number of possible locations for the whereabouts of Moira's remains and a decision on a search will be made in due course."

In collaboration with Police Scotland detectives, Professor Lorna Dawson and her team from the James Hutton Institute has helped narrow down the number of possible locations where the remains of schoolgirl Moira Anderson, missing since 1957, might be located.

A Crown Office spokesman said: “The Lord Advocate held a positive meeting with forensic expert Professor Lorna Dawson of the James Hutton Institute and DS Pat Campbell of Police Scotland and the Crown will now consider the next steps in the investigation into the murder of Moira Anderson”.

“Specialist work in the field of soil science and geographical information has allowed investigators to narrow down the number of possible locations for the whereabouts of Moira's remains and a decision on a search will be made in due course."

Eleven year old Moira Anderson disappeared after leaving her grandmother's house in Coatbridge in 1957.

Professor Lorna Dawson and her team have worked on dozens of cases from around the world, most recently the Karen Buckley and the World’s End murder investigations. For more information visit our Soil Forensics pages.