Marion murder accused dies

THE man accused of the murder of Lockerbie woman Marion Hodge 41 years ago has himself now died.

And the death of William Hodge means the planned court case to examine the killing of the mum-of-two in 1984 will no longer go ahead.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) yesterday confirmed the examination of facts proceedings are ‘at an end’ and that Mr Hodge’s recent death has been intimated to his late wife’s family.

It means the four decade police investigation is over and the case has been closed months before it was finally due to go to court.

The long-running mystery surrounding Marion’s disappearance had been the subject of three police investigations: at the time in 1984, again in 2006, and the most recent review and reinvestigation was opened in March 2022. Speaking then, officers from Police Scotland expressed confidence they would at last solve what happened to her.

Indeed, just 18 months later, in September 2023, they lodged a report with the COPFS, and Mr Hodge was served with a murder indictment in December that year. It was alleged he had caused Marion an injury ‘by means unknown’ and then had disposed of her body, which has never been found.

The early stages of the judicial proceedings against him have already been held and trial had been set for September at Glasgow High Court.

However, it was decided that an examination of the facts was the best way to proceed, following medical opinion earlier this year that the accused was unfit to stand trial.

At that time he was aged 79, living in a care home in the Bristol

area and said to be showing signs of dementia.

Commenting on the latest developments, a COPFS spokesperson yesterday said: “Our prosecutors work closely with Police Scotland to review unresolved homicides and assess if there are new evidential developments which would assist in providing a basis for criminal proceedings.

“William Hodge was indicted for the murder of his wife Marion in December 2023 after specialist prosecutors assessed that there was a sufficiency of evidence to prosecute him.

“Subsequently, medical experts determined that Mr Hodge was unfit to stand trial so, as is standard procedure in such cases, an Examination of the Facts was to be held in relation to the death of Marion Hodge instead.

“Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time, and we have offered to meet with them to answer any questions they may have.