Police investigating Brian McKandie’s death later discovered “hundreds of thousands of pounds” in cash at his rural cottage in Aberdeenshire. He was found lying in a pool of blood behind a door of the property in March 2016. On Friday, one of the 67-year-old’s customers told how she had become concerned for his welfare after visiting the house.
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She told the High Court in Aberdeen that she looked through the window and what she saw prompted her to phone the police.
Kelly Dunbar said the radio was on in the garage, keys were in the door and the main garage door was open.
But she could find no sign of Mr McKandie.
The 42-year-old said she initially went home but was so concerned at what she had seen that she went back to Mr McKandie’s home, at Badenscoth, near Rothienorman, 30 minutes later.
Ms Dunbar said: “I thought something wasn’t right. I looked through the window beside the door into the hallway.”
Advocate depute Iain McSporran QC asked: “What did you see?”
She said: “Blood. It was on an inside door, on the floor and the hall wall. I asked my partner to look through the window and he told me to call the police. The police arrived and kicked the door in. I asked the police officer what had happened and he gave me the news.”
Earlier, defence QC Iain Duguid questioned a friend of Mr McKandie’s about the deceased man’s financial situation.
He asked William Cruickshanks: “He accumulated hundreds of thousands of pounds in cash in his house – does that surprise you?”
The witness replied: “It does surprise me, yes.” Other witnesses told the trial of seeing Mr McKandie the day before he was killed – while a neighbour and a delivery driver told the court they had been at his property on the day he was found.
Isobel Smith said she lived on a farm adjacent to the deceased and had known him since they were
children.
The 69-year-old said she went to his door looking for help with her phone line around 10.30am on the day he was discovered – but did not get any response.
Steven Sidebottom, 25, of Rothienorman, Aberdeenshire, denies murder.
He has lodged special defences of alibi and incrimination. The trial continues.