Forty years after the brutal 1983 murder of Aberdeen taxi driver George Murdoch, strangled with a cheese wire in a crime that shocked Scotland, the case remains one of the nation’s most haunting unsolved mysteries. Now, Unforgotten star Nicola Walker lends her evocative voice to Forensics: Murder Case, a heart-stopping two-part true crime documentary on Channel 5, presented by journalist Kirsty Wark. Premiering on July 21, 2025, the series rips open this long-buried cold case with shocking forensic breakthroughs, chilling reenactments, and theories that have left viewers rattled. One X user posted, “I watched it in one sitting… and I haven’t slept since.” Compared to the unsettling The Staircase, this series dives deeper into the psyche of a killer still at large, delivering a narrative that’s as gripping as it is terrifying. This 1800–2000-word article explores the documentary’s impact, the George Murdoch case, its forensic twists, and why it’s haunting audiences worldwide.

The George Murdoch Murder: A Crime That Shook Scotland

On September 29, 1983, George “Dod” Murdoch, a 58-year-old taxi driver, was working an evening shift in Aberdeen, a city booming with oil industry wealth. Driving his sky-blue Ford Cortina, Murdoch picked up a fare near the New Marcliffe Hotel in the city’s West End around 8:30 p.m., radioing his control room that he was heading to Culter, per Wikipedia. Two miles into the journey, his taxi veered onto Pitfodels Station Road, a dimly lit street in the Braeside area. There, his passenger—a man in his 20s or 30s—attacked him with a cheese wire, a brutal garrote believed to be from a cheese board set manufactured in England, per The Press and Journal. Murdoch, known for saying he’d never resist a robber, fought back, spilling onto the street, where two teenage cyclists witnessed the strangulation and called police. By the time officers arrived, Murdoch was dead, his wallet and £21 stolen, and the killer had vanished into the night.

The “Cheese Wire Murder,” as it became known, sent shockwaves through Aberdeen, a city unaccustomed to such violence, per Aberdeen Live. The police launched a massive manhunt, conducting 10,000 house-to-house inquiries and taking 7,000 statements, yet the killer—described as wearing dark, possibly bloodstained clothing—remained elusive. Murdoch’s widow, Jessie, died in 2004 without answers, her health shattered by grief, per inews.co.uk. The case, dubbed one of Scotland’s “darkest episodes” on Crimewatch Live (2022), haunted detectives, with the cheese wire’s callous use suggesting premeditation, per STV News.

Forensics: Murder Case: A New Spotlight

Premiering on Channel 5 on July 21 and 22, 2025, Forensics: Murder Case—also titled Cold Case Unit: The Cheesewire Murder in some outlets—revisits this chilling mystery with unprecedented depth. Narrated by Nicola Walker, whose emotive voice lent gravitas to Unforgotten and The Split, and presented by veteran journalist Kirsty Wark, the two-part series combines interviews, reenactments, and forensic analysis to unravel the case, per RadioTimes. Directed by Lion Television, the documentary offers exclusive access to Police Scotland’s Major Investigation Team, led by Detective Inspector James Callander, who has been on the case since 2021 and is “desperate” to solve it before retiring, per Aberdeen Live.

The series opens with a moving clip, shared exclusively with RadioTimes, featuring David Wright, Murdoch’s fishing friend, recalling their youth on George’s boat. “Lots of happy memories,” Wright says, his voice breaking as he recounts learning of George’s death: “Part of Jessie died that night too”. Walker’s narration, described by HELLO! as “hauntingly evocative,” underscores the emotional toll, painting Murdoch as a beloved family man whose loss devastated a community. Reenactments, using a replica cheese wire and Murdoch’s preserved jacket, bring the crime’s brutality to life, leaving viewers shaken, with one X user (@TrueCrimeFan22) posting, “The cheese wire scene gave me chills. I can’t unsee it.”

Forensic Breakthroughs: A DNA Lifeline

The documentary’s core is its exploration of a 2023 forensic breakthrough: a DNA profile, dubbed “Male Z,” extracted from Murdoch’s jacket, per The Press and Journal. Advances in forensic analysis, detailed by scientist Sarah Walker, allowed police to develop a profile from crime scene evidence—cigarette ends, coins, pens, and the cheese wire—preserved since 1983. While the DNA didn’t match the national database, it enabled a familial DNA search, identifying 1,000 possible genetic matches, 250 of which have been eliminated, per Aberdeen Live. With help from the National Crime Agency’s behavioral advisor Adam Gregory, police are tracking relatives across the UK, hoping to pinpoint the killer, per Daily Record.

A shocking twist, revealed in the documentary, links the DNA to a relative of a convicted Yorkshire taxi driver murderer from 2006, though details remain vague, per The Press and Journal. This connection, combined with a 2015 sighting of a man in an Iron Maiden T-shirt at Wilson’s Sports Bar in Aberdeen, described as small, stocky, and in his 60s or 70s, has reignited hope, per inews.co.uk. Callander, speaking on Crimewatch Live (2024), expressed confidence: “We’re closer than ever to solving this”. The series’ second episode follows this DNA trail, with reenactments of police interviews and a haunting theory that the killer may still be alive, per Daily Record.

Why It’s Colder Than The Staircase

Compared to The Staircase, the 2004 documentary series about Michael Peterson’s trial for his wife’s death, Forensics: Murder Case is more unsettling due to its unresolved nature. While The Staircase offered closure through a trial, Murdoch’s case remains open, with the killer potentially free, a fact that amplifies its horror. “This makes The Staircase feel tame,” tweeted @CrimeDocFan. “No answers, just a cheese wire and a ghost.” The documentary’s use of reenactments—showing Murdoch’s struggle on Pitfodels Station Road—evokes visceral fear, with HELLO! calling it “a must-watch for true crime fans”. Walker’s narration, paired with Wark’s probing interviews, creates a narrative that’s both intimate and chilling, per TVZoneUK.

The cheese wire itself, a household tool turned murder weapon, adds a layer of dread. Forensic psychologist Dr. Fiona Gabbert, interviewed in the series, suggests the choice reflects a “sadistic” intent, per Who is the Cheese Wire Killer? podcast. This aligns with a 2023 STV News report noting the killer’s premeditation, as cheese wires aren’t typical robbery tools. The documentary’s exploration of theories—robbery gone wrong, a targeted hit, or a serial killer—keeps viewers guessing, with one X post (@MysteryLover88) stating, “The theories are wild. I’m up at 3 a.m. thinking about that cheese wire.”

Fan Reactions: Sleepless Nights and Viral Buzz

The series has left audiences sleepless, with X posts reflecting its impact. @TrueCrimeAddict wrote, “Watched Forensics: Murder Case in one go… haven’t slept since. That cheese wire scene is burned into my brain.” @ScotCrimeFan tweeted, “Nicola Walker’s voice makes it 10x creepier. This is colder than The Staircase.” The show’s 720p WEB release on platforms like FiKPER and RAPiDGATOR, per ReleaseBB, has fueled global viewership, with fans praising its “cinematic” reenactments and Wark’s “relentless” pursuit of truth.

Some viewers, however, criticize the reenactments as “too graphic,” with a Reddit thread on r/TrueCrime noting, “It felt exploitative at times.” Others defend the approach, with u/CrimeBuff22 arguing, “It shows the brutality without sugarcoating.” The DNA breakthrough has sparked hope, with @JusticeForDod posting, “40 years, and they’re this close? I’m praying for Murdoch’s family.” The series’ emotional weight, particularly Jessie’s grief, resonates, with Walker’s narration of her loss—“Part of her died that night”—hitting hard, per RadioTimes.

The Murdoch Family’s Quest for Justice

Murdoch’s nephew, Alex McKay, and his wife Robina have led a campaign for justice, offering a £50,000 reward, per BBC News. The documentary features their interviews, with Alex calling the murder “brutal” and urging public help, per Daily Record. “Closure is like gold dust,” Alex said in 2022, a sentiment echoed in the series, per Wikipedia. The family’s hope rests on the DNA profile, with 750 potential matches still under investigation, per Aberdeen Live. Robina’s plea—“One day, we might get the real killer”—underscores their resilience, per Daily Record.

Broader Implications: True Crime’s Power

Forensics: Murder Case joins a wave of true crime documentaries, like The Mushroom Murders and Lucy Letby: Did She Really Do It?, on Channel 5, per HELLO!. Its focus on familial DNA, a technique that solved the Golden State Killer case, per The Press and Journal, highlights forensic advancements, offering hope for other cold cases. The series’ impact, compared to The Staircase’s legal focus, lies in its unresolved tension, with Callander’s determination—“I want to solve this before I retire”—adding urgency, per Aberdeen Live.

The documentary’s global reach, amplified by streaming platforms, reflects true crime’s allure, as noted in a 2023 New York Times article on regional cases like Murdaugh Murders. Its blend of emotional storytelling and forensic rigor sets a new standard, with TVZoneUK praising its “rare glimpse into a cold case’s inner workings”. Yet, the lack of closure leaves viewers haunted, with @SleeplessInScot tweeting, “This case will stick with me forever. Who’s the Cheese Wire Killer?”

Conclusion

Forensics: Murder Case, narrated by Nicola Walker and presented by Kirsty Wark, has gripped audiences with its chilling dive into George Murdoch’s 1983 murder, a case that continues to haunt Scotland. The two-part Channel 5 documentary, with its visceral reenactments, DNA breakthroughs, and theories about the elusive “Cheese Wire Killer,” surpasses The Staircase in its unsettling ambiguity. Viewers, unable to sleep after watching, praise its emotional depth and forensic twists, with X posts reflecting sleepless nights and lingering fear. As Murdoch’s family, led by Alex McKay, seeks justice through a £50,000 reward and a narrowing DNA net, the series underscores the power of true crime to captivate and unsettle. For those craving a thriller that chills to the bone, Forensics: Murder Case delivers a haunting narrative that lingers long after the credits roll.