Sister begs Lee's killer to end the torment of her family

Lee Duncan's sister says he was soft-hearted, with no enemies

Today Melanie Purdie, 36, spoke for the first time about the death of her brother Lee Duncan, whose bloodied body was discovered in his Lauriston Place flat at 10.45am on February 25.

She described the 31-year-old with learning difficulties as a "vulnerable" man who had no enemies and had turned his life around after years battling heroin addiction.

She also revealed the heartache of being prevented from burying her brother - seven weeks after his murder - due to the ongoing investigation.

Police have stepped up their hunt for the killer and relaunched an appeal for information after initial door-to-door questioning failed to yield positive lines of inquiry.

Speaking to the Evening News, Mrs Purdie said Lee's murder had devastated the family, who failed to understand how their "soft-hearted" loved one could have been taken from them so tragically.

"When we heard about Lee's murder it felt like a big dream that wasn't really happening," she said. "For my mum Bernadette it's just devastating and it's turned our lives upside down, so much so that you can't think of anything else."

Born in Hamilton, Mr Duncan and his family moved to Colchester and Berlin before eventually settling in Wester Hailes when he was aged around eight.

His sister said he began using heroin when he was around 20 years old after falling in with the "wrong crowd" but had been on a methadone programme for the last six years.

"We had seen a big change in him, particularly in the last three years," she said.

"Lee got together with his girlfriend Kirsty in October and was besotted with her. They spoke about going on holiday and I helped him fill in his passport forms as he'd never really been abroad since we lived in Germany.

"He was really good with Kirsty's little boy, who's ten, and would take him places like pitch and putt.

"He had no enemies, which is what makes this even more devastating. He was so soft-hearted, which is why I find it really hard that someone has caused such a horrific death for him. He's now left lying in the mortuary and we can't even hold a funeral due to the investigation."

Speaking directly to the killer, or those who may be shielding them, Mrs Purdie issued a heartfelt plea for them to contact the police and help ease the family's suffering.

"I would ask them to come forward and hand themselves in. Anyone who may know anything, no matter how small or insignificant they think it might be, I ask them to put themselves in our position."If it was their brother or son, how would they be feeling right now?"

Detective Chief Inspector Keith Hardie, who is leading the inquiry, said the timing, location and circumstances of the murder had made the investigation "challenging".

"There was never an obvious suspect and this was never going to be solved overnight so we have a very significant amount of resources dedicated to this inquiry, which will continue.

"I've no doubt that someone, somewhere knows who is responsible. That person should understand the grief surrounding the family, and consider Lee as a son and brother.

"Whoever has done this to Lee, it's important he's caught."

FOUND DEAD IN FLAT

February 25: The body of Lee Duncan, 31, is found at his flat in Lauriston Place at around 10.45am by his girlfriend Kirsty. Detectives probe a possible link to the 31-year-old's court appearance over assault charges. His death is one of three unrelated killings that weekend.

March 1: Police appeal for help to trace a man wearing blue overalls spotted in the area in the hours before his body was found. He is later found and ruled out as a suspect.

March 15: After 17 days detectives say they had received a "good response" from the public following a number of appeals.

April 14: Mr Duncan's sister, Melanie Purdie, breaks her silence and urges the killer to come forward. Mr Duncan's death is the only murder from the last 12 months where an arrest has not been made.