A thug with a history of violence directed vile comments at a woman on Facebook just hours before she died of a suspected drugs overdose.
The man – suspected by the Caithness community of being responsible for the death of Stefan Sutherland in September 2013 – posted the abuse to Kathleen McPhee, 21, who is known as Katie Birdie on the social media site.
Just hours later, police were called to an address in Thurso, the home of Katie’s boyfriend, where she was found dead from a suspected overdose.
The chilling Facebook post on August 22 was viewed as a threat by many who saw it and referred to a new relationship Katie was in.
It began with congratulations to “the new couple”.
It added: “I’m sure ur both gonna find EXACTLY what u want in each other, wish u well... Let me know what flowers u want on ur grave and I’ll arrange it 4 u Katy.”
It ended: “We’ll take a trip down valley alley and that’s where we’ll find u.”
This was believed to refer to a liking the “new couple” shared for Valium.
The post was widely shared before it was deleted.
Asked about the death, a police spokesman said: “Police in Thurso were called to a property in the Ormlie area about 8.45pm on Saturday, August 22, following a report that a 21-year-old woman had taken unwell.
“She was pronounced dead at the scene and the death is currently being treated as unexplained but not suspicious, pending further inquiries.
“A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.”
Commenting on the Facebook post, the spokesman added: “Officers are aware and inquiries will be made into this.”
Two days after Katie’s death, the man at the centre of the inquiries defended himself via another Facebook post.
He said: “For those who care about the truth I looked after Katie Birdie well.
“I helped her and held up my end.
“I tried weinen her of the valleys and becouse I stuck 2 my guns she f***** off with (someone else) as he also has a valley habit and won’t say no, so 1 day after she went away with him, I put a post up.
“Now people are starting to make out I done something wrong. Apart from point out that the 2 of them 2gether would end up dead becouse they know no limits, I expected this to happen but not 30 hours after they got 2gether.
“I was trying 2 warn em she isn’t well but I was ignored and now she’s gone and believe me no1 feels worse than I do so can people find out facts b4 making them up.”
He completed his post by making hostile comments about a woman who he has previously attacked.
On one occasion, he threw petrol over her and threatened to set her on fire. Yesterday, friends paid tribute to Katie on her Facebook page, which she had headed up: “Bent but not broken, shaken but not shattered, discouraged but not defeated.”
On June 5, she posted a short poem about how she was feeling.
It read: “I have skeletons in my closet, and monsters in my head. I have demons that always greet me, at night when I lie in bed.
“As above so below, this is the only life I know.”
