Stefan Sutherland death being re-investigated, police say
POLICE are re-investigating the circumstances of the death of a young man whose body was found near his village home in Caithness over four months ago.
Officers were in Lybster yesterday as part of their renewed probe into the death of Stefan Sutherland, who was discovered on the shoreline at Occumster, just north of Lybster. At the time, Police Scotland said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the tragedy. But officers were seen yesterday visiting a house in Shelligoe Road, which was the last place Stefan was seen alive.
Locals reported seeing several individuals in white overalls, commonly deployed in forensic investigations, entering the council house, which is believed to be unoccupied.
Wick-based area inspector Nick Clasper confirmed police officers were in the village to carry out further investigations regarding the 25-year-old’s death. He was unable to confirm the nature of their inquiry.
In a brief statement he said: "Police Scotland are currently carrying out further enquiries into the circumstances around the sudden death of Stefan Sutherland in the Shelligoe Road area of Lybster.
"No further information is available at this time."
Mr Clasper said the case is still not being treated as suspicious.
Mr Sutherland, of The Moorings, Occumster, was last seen leaving an address at Shelligoe Road on Friday, September 6. His body was found 10 days later.
Over 40 locals joined emergency services in a three-day search which involved air and ground searches co-ordinated by police around the Latheronwheel, Lybster and Occumster areas. Coastguard teams from Wick, Scrabster and Duncansby Head were also involved in the search along with members of the Assynt Mountain Rescue Team and police dog search teams. Mr Sutherland worked in the family businesses Caithness Cheese and Caithness Sheepskins with his parents Sandy and Sandra and brother Graham.