Murder: A Search for the Truth
True Crime Talk by David Swindle and Heather Suttie

David Swindle is a former senior investigating officer with over 40 years of experience. He and his team have solved many cases, including the high profile murder of Angelika Kluk, a shocking murder committed by Peter Tobin, which he extensively sheds light on.

Heather Suttie is a broadcaster on the likes of Heart radio, book reviewer in the likes of The Sunday Mail (not to be confused with Mail on Sunday) and has a podcast as well as book club.

You can find out where the talk will be next and more at the bottom of my review.

Lots of people are enthralled by true crime and no wonder when murders and other crimes happen around us. The state of mind of someone, the nature v nurture theories, the reasoning behind why someone wants to commit an evil act is fascinating.

What David Swindle and Heather Suttie bring to the stage is compellingly engaging in both content, the presentation of facts and great stage presence.

The most striking and compassionate thing is how David Swindle, although mentions various killers, makes their victims the focus so we never forget them.
In such sadness of the  brutality of the heinous crimes, there’s a warmth and determination that filters through to ensure the victims becomes where the attention of the speakers and the audience lies, not so much the killers.

David Swindle. fascinatingly talks about his time in the police and all the changes he’s seen between, as he calls, the Gene Hunt (Life on Mars) days of 1970 to 2011 and how what is depicted on tv is different and faster paced than real life crime solving. 
In powerpoints you see the transitions made to more joined up thinking and more collaborations with different agencies, including forensic psychologists are used to assist in crime-solving and the advent of and increased technologies of DNA profiling. I wouldn’t bother committing a crime, the advances in DNA are immense, making it harder to commit the perfect crime, best to stay on the right side of the law.

He ended on taking a “deep-dive” into Peter Tobin, including a clip from tv programme, Crimewatch appealing for the public support. There are cold case units around Scotland still solving historic crimes. He sees a time and place where the media can become useful. Intelligently, he does, however, have thought-provoking warnings to “armchair detectives” and “keyboard warriors” and the detrimental damage they can do or at least hamper and slow down the process of solving a case. There’s a lot for people who partake in such activities to think about.

Find out more in the QR code below: