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Murder of Maxwell Garvie

SOLVED1968Near St Cyrus, Aberdeenshire, Scotland (body disposed of at Lauriston Castle tunnel)3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

Maxwell Garvie was a Scottish farmer and businessman who was killed in 1968 in a case later described as one of the most notorious murders in Scottish criminal history. He was shot with a rifle while asleep.

The following year, in 1969, Garvie's wife, Sheila Garvie, and her lover, Brian Tevendale, were tried and convicted at Aberdeen High Court for his murder. The trial attracted significant public attention and included testimony describing group sex and drug use associated with the household. According to the account of the case, it was Tevendale who shot Maxwell Garvie while he slept, and Tevendale subsequently disposed of the body in a tunnel at Lauriston Castle, near St Cyrus.

A third person, Alan Peters, was also charged in connection with the case; the case against him was found not proven.

Prior to his death, Maxwell Garvie was reported to have maintained relationships with multiple women, including Trudy Birse, who was Brian Tevendale's sister. He is described as having organised parties at his home that involved group sexual activity. Sheila Garvie was initially reluctant to participate in this activity but later did so, reportedly at her husband's insistence.

Following the trial, Sheila Garvie and Brian Tevendale ceased contact with one another. Both were released from custody in 1978. Tevendale died in December 2003. Sheila Garvie died in 2014, aged 80, from Alzheimer's disease.

Key facts

Victims
Maxwell Garvie
Date
1968
Location
Near St Cyrus, Aberdeenshire, Scotland (body disposed of at Lauriston Castle tunnel)
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 1968

    Maxwell Garvie is murdered, shot with a rifle while asleep.

  2. 1969

    Sheila Garvie and Brian Tevendale are tried and convicted of murder at Aberdeen High Court; the case against a third accused, Alan Peters, is found not proven.

  3. 1978

    Sheila Garvie and Brian Tevendale are released.

  4. 2003-12

    Brian Tevendale dies.

  5. 2014

    Sheila Garvie dies from Alzheimer's disease, aged 80.

Best coverage

No approved coverage links are attached yet.

People

  • Maxwell Garvie

    VICTIM

    Scottish farmer and businessman killed in 1968.

  • Brian Tevendale

    CONVICTED

    Convicted of shooting Maxwell Garvie with a rifle and disposing of his body; released in 1978; died December 2003.

  • Alan Peters

    ACQUITTED

    Charged as a third accused in the case; verdict was not proven.

  • Sheila Garvie

    CONVICTED

    Convicted of the murder of her husband, Maxwell Garvie, at Aberdeen High Court in 1969; released in 1978.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Near St Cyrus, Aberdeenshire, Scotland (body disposed of at Lauriston Castle tunnel)

56.8000, -2.3000

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
Scottish farmer Maxwell Garvie was shot dead in 1968; his wife Sheila Garvie and her lover Brian Tevendale were convicted of his murder in 1969 after a widely reported trial.
Where did the murder happen?
Near St Cyrus, Aberdeenshire, Scotland (body disposed of at Lauriston Castle tunnel).
Who was convicted?
Brian Tevendale (Convicted of shooting Maxwell Garvie with a rifle and disposing of his body; released in 1978; died December 2003.) and Sheila Garvie (Convicted of the murder of her husband, Maxwell Garvie, at Aberdeen High Court in 1969; released in 1978.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.
More cases in United Kingdom

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICMurder of Maxwell GarvieWikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — scotsman.comscotsman.com · 2026-07-07
  3. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — dailyrecord.co.ukdailyrecord.co.uk · 2026-07-07

Record history

First published
JUL 07, 2026