Only Bible John witness dies at 74

Jean McLachlan, who shared a taxi with the mystery killer and her sister Helen Puttock, gave police the description used in the artist's impression, which remains the biggest clue to his appearance more than 40 years later.

Ms McLachlan, who died two weeks ago aged 74, was dropped off on the night in question in late October 1969.

Her sister continued her journey with the man they had met at the Barrowland Ballroom, and was never seen alive again. Her body was found the next day in Scotstoun, Glasgow. She has been raped and murdered - strangled with her own tights.

Mrs Puttock, who was 29 at the time and a mother of two, was the third and last known victim of Bible John, following the deaths of nursing auxiliary Patricia Docker, 25, the previous year and Jemima McDonald, 32, in August 1969.

There has been speculation that Peter Tobin, who has been convicted of the murders of Angelika Kluk, 23, Vicky Hamilton, 15, and Dinah McNicol, 18, could be Bible John. But although he came from Glasgow and visited the Barrowland, police have played down that theory.

Nor are they completely convinced all three women were killed by the same person. One theory is that a copycat or different killer was involved.

Helen's former husband, George, and other family members believe it is increasingly likely the answers will never be found.

Mr Puttock, 69, who had not spoken to his sister-in-law Ms McLachlan since 1969, said: "Now Jean has gone and more time passes, it will never be solved.

"Jeanie always swore that she would never forget the face of Helen's killer and I believed her."

Ms McLachlan never publicly discussed what happened that night.

A former neighbour in Irvine, Ayrshire, where she lived for several years, said: "I knew she was Helen Puttock's sister, but only because somebody else mentioned it. Jean never talked about Bible John in the years she was here and I never wanted to ask her about it."

Ms McLachlan's eldest son, Paul Carroll, 52, claims she identified Tobin as Bible John before her death, but the rest of her family disputes this. Mr Carroll said: "My daughter Debbie told me months ago that my mum had told her it was Tobin. I asked her. I said, 'Was it Tobin?' She said, 'Yes it was him'."

But Debbie, 29, said: "My dad's talking rubbish. She never talked about Tobin.

"If she saw a programme on TV, she would say the odd thing.It was part of her life that she could never forget, but she didn't speak about it very much."

Detective Superintendent David Swindle said: "These murders - like all historical investigations - continue to be subject of review, and Strathclyde Police will act on any new information that comes to light."

Police have been investigating Tobin's life, in the hope of linking him to unsolved murders. But Mr Swindle said: "There is nothing at this time to indicate Peter Tobin is responsible for the three murders labelled the Bible John murders."