Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of murder. Reader discretion is advised.
Renee MacRae and her husband, Gordon MacRae, had separated before she and her son Andrew disappeared in 1976. Reportedly, Renee, a 36-year-old mother of two, and her son went missing from Inverness on November 12 of that year. That same night, her BMW was discovered ablaze in a Dalmagarry lay-by. Authorities have searched for the mother-son duo for decades now but have failed to find clues that could lead them to their remains.
From the start, detectives suspected Renee MacRae’s lover, William MacDowell, of murdering her and Andrew. Decades later, in 2022, a jury convicted MacDowell of murdering Renee and her three-year-old son. He received a life sentence in prison with a minimum of 30 years. However, MacDowell died in prison months after his conviction.
BBC’s Murder Trial: The Disappearance of Renee and Andrew MacRae revisited the mysterious disappearance. The documentary attempted to find new clues in Renee and Andrew MacRae’s case.
Renee MacRae’s husband: Who is Gordon MacRae & was he involved in the murders?
According to BBC, Renee MacRae’s estranged husband, Gordon MacRae, claimed they had split up on amicable terms. Gordon revealed that he first learned about Renee and Andrew MacRae’s disappearance on the morning of November 13, 1976. He later found that Renee had left her Inverness home the previous day to meet with her lover, William MacDowell. At the time, MacDowell was the company secretary in Gordon’s building firm, Hugh MacRae Builders Limited.
For decades, William MacDowell had remained a suspect in Renee and Andrew MacRae’s disappearance. Detectives have never successfully found the duo’s bodies despite conducting an exhaustive search across several locations. Then, in September 2022, a jury found MacDowell, then 80, guilty of Renee and Andrew’s murders. The conviction came more than four decades after the two disappeared, following which he received life in prison with a minimum of 30 years.
During William MacDowell’s trial for the murders of Renee and Andrew MacRae, the defense attempted to deflect blame of the victim’s estranged husband. MacDowell’s defense accused Gordon MacRae of committing the crime with unidentified accomplices. However, Gordon denied any involvement, claiming he and Renee had an amicable relationship. He also told the court that he always knew Renee was having an affair.
Additionally, Renee MacRae’s then-estranged husband, Gordon, told the court that he had asked William MacDowell to assist the police. Gordon said that in the days after the disappearance, he had told MacDowell, “If you can help the police in any way, please do.” Gordon claimed, “He didn’t say a word the whole time.” After this, he fired MacDowell because of his relationship with Renee. However, William MacDonald died in prison months after his conviction in the murders of Renee and Andrew MacRae, per BBC.
Murder Trial: The Disappearance of Renee and Andrew MacRae details the investigation into MacDowell. The documentary series contains footage from the trial proceedings and comprises interviews with the police and the victims’ close ones.
