Merchiston murder: University lecturer was stabbed to death

A RETIRED university lecturer found stabbed to death in his home had been subjected to a "sustained attack".

Roger Gray, who was a senior lecturer in statistics at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh for 40 years, was found dead in the hallway of his flat in the early hours of Saturday after the door was broken down following reports of a gas leak.

Mr Gray had lived alone for the past 12 years in the large detached property, which had been split into flats, in the city's Merchiston Crescent.

Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Blair, who is leading the investigation, said there had been a disturbance within the flat around 10pm on Friday and appealed to anyone who may have seen or heard anything to contact the police.

DCI Blair said: "He has injuries that are consistent with stab wounds. He clearly has been assaulted and we are treating the inquiry as a suspicious death. He has clearly been subjected to a sustained attack."

He said Mr Gray was last seen alive by a neighbour on Friday afternoon and had seemed "absolutely fine". DCI Blair continued: "We have witnesses who heard a disturbance within the flat around 10pm on Friday. We are asking residents nearby and anybody who was in the area at that particular time to come forward. They might not think it is significant, but it may be.

"We are also looking to speak to anybody who was Mr Gray's personal friend or can help us with background information about Mr Gray to come forward. Don't assume we know everything about him."

DCI Blair said that while the body had not yet been formally identified, circumstances suggested that it was that of Mr Gray. Asked if there was any connection between Mr Gray and his attacker, DCI Blair said: "There is no reason to believe that it was anything other than an isolated attack."

He also said it was not yet clear whether anything had been stolen from the property.

DCI Blair added that about 100 police personnel were working on the case, and that extra police patrols were on duty in the area to reassure the community.

Police forensic officers continued examining the property yesterday. Officers searching for the weapon employed a specialist vehicle to pump water out to drains in Merchiston Crescent and surrounding streets.

George Anderson, who lives in the garden flat of the building where Mr Gray lived, said: "We're all really shocked by this. Roger was a confirmed bachelor and a sociable person who would invite us to his parties."

He added that Mr Gray's car had been removed by police for investigation.

Bill Coventry, Mr Gray's upstairs neighbour, described him as a "very polite and very courteous" man.

Mr Gray, 64, was a senior lecturer in actuarial mathematics and statistics at Heriot-Watt University. He retired from full-time work about four years ago, but still taught part-time at the university. He had travelled widely lecturing in countries including Kenya, Hungary and China.He was a member of the Scottish Arts Club, the Edinburgh Festival Society, the Wagner Society of Scotland and the Scottish Actuaries Club.

Yesterday a spokeswoman for Heriot-Watt University said: "He was a long-standing and much-valued colleague."