Thirty-one-year-old Lee Duncan, also known as Lee Canning, was described by his family as a “loving son, brother, and uncle.” Duncan struggled with drug addiction and was prescribed methadone to manage his heroin use, though his family noted he was trying to turn his life around. He lived in Edinburgh, Scotland on income support and was known to be cautious, disconnecting his flat’s buzzer and checking his peephole before opening the door. His sister testified that he was “scared of his own shadow,” living in fear, possibly due to threats or his lifestyle. All his precautions, sadly, did not save him.
Lee Duncan’s body was found shortly before eleven a.m. on February 25th, 2011, in his one-bedroom flat. According to court reports, his girlfriend discovered him in a blood-soaked bedroom, with fifteen injuries to his head and face consistent with blows from a hammer, some inflicted with the claw end. The scene was described as “distressing,” with a large pool of blood on the carpet, blood on the wall, and a clump of bloodied hair on a pillow. There was no sign of forced entry, suggesting the perpetrator may have been known to Duncan.
Detective Chief Inspector Keith Hardie led the investigation, appealing for witnesses who were in the Lauriston Place area, opposite Glen Street, from the early hours of February 24th, 2011. Police sought a man seen outside the flats around three a.m. on February 25th, described as five-foot-six and muscular, with short, cropped hair, wearing blue overalls, and shouting up at a window. Despite extensive inquiries, this individual was never conclusively identified.
The investigation revealed Duncan’s involvement in drug-related activities, with allegations that he sold cannabis and low-grade heroin. This led police to explore motives tied to drug disputes or robbery. The absence of forced entry and the targeted nature of the attack suggested a personal connection between Duncan and his killer.
In June 2012, Gary Parker, a forty-four-year-old neighbor of Duncan’s in Lauriston Place, was arrested and charged with the murder. Parker appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court and later faced trial at the High Court in Edinburgh in August 2013. The prosecution alleged that Parker attacked Duncan with a claw hammer or similar weapon, repeatedly striking his head and body, compressing his neck with a belt or cable, and standing on his neck to strangle him. It was further claimed that Parker robbed Duncan of drugs and attempted to cover his tracks by washing blood from himself and disposing of clothing and the hammer.
Parker denied the charges, claiming he was in his own flat at the time of the murder and lodging a defense that blamed two other men, John Dowling and Kevin Grieve. The trial heard conflicting testimonies. Tammy Bryce, a witness, claimed Dowling admitted to being part of a group that robbed Duncan of drugs before killing him. Lynne Cowan, Grieve’s former girlfriend, alleged Grieve confessed to the murder, though Grieve denied this. Parker himself testified that he was a friend of Duncan’s, occasionally buying drugs from him, and had visited his flat for a cup of tea and a joint on February 24th, leaving around seven thirty p.m.
The trial revealed a web of drug-related associations and conflicting accounts, complicating the pursuit of truth. Ultimately, the jury acquitted Parker, leaving Duncan’s murder unsolved.
The case remains open, with police urging anyone with information to come forward. In 2021, a website dedicated to unsolved murders highlighted the case, noting the brutality of the attack and the lack of closure for Duncan’s family.
Crime Immemorial 