William Ritchie

William Ritchie was reported missing on 14 January 2018.

He had lived in West Road, Fraserburgh.

A search was made for him by the police which also included police divers, police dogs and helicopters.

The search was said to have focussed along the A981 between Fraserburgh and Strichen. The divers were said to have used to check harder to reach verges at the side of the road.

Police dogs were also used to search an old 11-mile stretch of railway line from Fraserburgh to Strichen.

A search along the shores was also made along with other rural routes that he was known to take.

William Ritchie was described as being:

• 5ft 7in tall.
• Slim build.
• Short grey hair.

It was noted that it was not known what he had been wearing when he vanished but it was thought that he might have been wearing his usual black three-quarter-length jacket or a waterproof jacket with the hood up, and a flat cap. However, he was known to have been a man of routine and to have ordinarily worn either of the jackets described when he was out.

A CCTV shot of him was published from a time before he vanished at a local Asda on 21 December 2018 which showed what he might have been wearing when he vanished. The CCTV footage was the last verified sighting of him but a number of people said that they had seen him after that. He was reported missing on 14 January 2018.

He was described as being a 'well-kent face' in the area in that a lot of people knew him.

It was noted that the weather at the time was freezing and that as such he would have been unlikely to have survived outside for long. He was also described as being poorly looking around the time he vanished, not as fit or agile, although he had still kept up his walks which he was fond of.

He was a keen walker and often followed a route round Fraserburgh using the West Road, Strichen Road, Boothby Road and Watermill Road. He was also known on occasion to walk as far as Memsie and Strichen but had not been going so far afield recently.

He was known to regularly shop at Asda and the Co-op store and to visit the post office in Mid Street.

The search for him was scaled back after six months in July 2018.

William Ritchie was also known as Bill and he was known to have been a private man.