The Templeton Woods Murders: A Chilling Mystery That Haunts Dundee
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the city became synonymous with one of Scotland’s most notorious unsolved murder cases—the Templeton Woods murders. The brutal killings of two young women, Carol Lannen and Elizabeth McCabe, in the same secluded area shook the community and remain unsolved to this day. The mystery surrounding the case, as well as the speculation of a potential serial killer, has left an indelible mark on Dundee’s criminal history.
The series of tragedies began in March 1979 with the disappearance of 18-year-old Carol Lannen, a single mother and sex worker. On the night of March 3, 1979, Carol was last seen getting into a car near the Hilltown area of Dundee, a known haunt for sex workers at the time. Less than 24 hours later, on March 4, 1979, her body was discovered in Templeton Woods, a dense, forested area on the outskirts of the city, by a man walking his dog. Carol had been strangled and left naked, her clothing discarded some distance away.
What made Carol Lannen’s murder particularly shocking was the nature of her injuries. She had been sexually assaulted, leading police to suspect a sexually motivated crime. The public was horrified by the brutality of the murder, and the secluded location of Templeton Woods added a sinister dimension to the case, fueling fears that a dangerous predator was on the loose in Dundee. Despite a thorough investigation, which involved interviewing hundreds of people in the local community, no significant leads emerged, and the case went cold.
Less than a year later, in February 1980, the quiet unease that had gripped Dundee exploded into terror with the discovery of Elizabeth McCabe’s body, just 11 months after Carol Lannen’s murder. McCabe was a 20-year-old woman who lived a seemingly ordinary life, working as a nurse and enjoying nights out with friends. She disappeared after a night out at Teazer's Disco, a nightclub in the city, on February 11, 1980.
On February 22, 1980, McCabe’s body was found, also in Templeton Woods, just a few hundred yards from where Lannen’s body had been discovered the previous year. Like Lannen, McCabe had been strangled, and her body had been left in a remote, wooded area. While McCabe’s murder didn’t seem to be linked to sex work, the eerie similarities between the two killings—both victims being young women, both found in Templeton Woods, and both having been strangled—led police and the public to speculate about the possibility of a serial killer.
The similarities between the two murders were impossible to ignore. Both women were discovered in the same remote location, both had been strangled, and their bodies had been left in a manner suggesting the killer had intended to hide them. Furthermore, the crimes occurred within a relatively short time frame of just 11 months, leading investigators to consider that the same individual might be responsible for both murders.
Despite these potential links, the police never officially confirmed the connection between the two cases. However, the public and media quickly drew their own conclusions, and the notion of a Dundee serial killer became a terrifying possibility.
The Templeton Woods murders received significant media coverage, which stoked the flames of fear in Dundee and across Scotland. The idea that a predator might be preying on women in the city led to widespread panic, particularly among women who felt unsafe walking alone at night. However, despite intensive efforts by police, which included interviewing more than 1,500 people and examining forensic evidence, no breakthrough was made in either case for many years.
The case remained unsolved for decades until 2005, when advances in DNA technology led to a new development. Police arrested Vincent Simpson, a man who had been a suspect in the McCabe case from early on. Simpson had been spotted at Teazer's Disco on the same night that Elizabeth McCabe had disappeared, and a witness had reportedly seen him near the location where McCabe’s body was found.
Simpson was charged with McCabe’s murder, and in 2007, the case went to trial. However, despite the initial optimism that the arrest would bring closure, the evidence against Simpson was largely circumstantial. The DNA evidence that had led to his arrest proved inconclusive, and during the trial, it was revealed that the witness testimony placing Simpson at the scene was unreliable. Simpson maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, and in November 2007, he was acquitted of all charges.
The failure to convict Simpson reignited fears that the real killer might still be at large, leaving the families of both victims without justice. To this day, neither Carol Lannen’s nor Elizabeth McCabe’s murders have been officially solved.
Although police have never conclusively linked the two cases, the parallels between the killings suggest a connection:
Location: Both women’s bodies were found in Templeton Woods, a remote and secluded area on the outskirts of Dundee.
Cause of Death: Both Lannen and McCabe were strangled, which suggests a similar method of killing.
Timing: The murders occurred within a year of each other, fueling speculation that a single perpetrator may have been responsible for both crimes.
Dumping of Bodies: In both cases, the killer disposed of the bodies in a manner that implied an attempt to hide them, although the bodies were left relatively close to public paths.
For the families of Carol Lannen and Elizabeth McCabe, the lack of justice is a painful reminder of the lives lost and the questions that remain unanswered. To this day, Templeton Woods serves as a symbol of the dark mystery that overshadows the city of Dundee, with the hope that one day, the killer will be brought to justice.
Sources:
“Dundee Templeton Woods Murders: Unsolved Killings of Carol Lannen and Elizabeth McCabe.” Scottish Daily Record, 2020.
“Vincent Simpson Acquitted in Templeton Woods Murder Trial.” BBC News, November 2007.
“Templeton Woods Murders: Dundee's Unsolved Mystery.” The Scotsman, 2019.
