A small village in Angus has been left shaken after the body of a woman was pulled from a river just miles from Blairgowrie, prompting an active police investigation.
The grim discovery was made around 4:30pm on Wednesday in the remote hamlet of Kilry, where emergency responders rushed to the scene and cordoned off the area for hours as forensic officers began their inquiries.
Quiet village, sudden shock
Kilry, a peaceful spot nestled in the foothills of the Angus Glens, isn’t used to sirens or police tape.
Locals described the presence of emergency vehicles as “startling,” with one resident saying they hadn’t seen such a scene in their lifetime.
“I thought someone had crashed,” said an elderly man who lives less than 500 yards from the riverbank. “Didn’t expect this. Not here.”
Another woman who runs a B&B nearby said she noticed the helicopter overhead. “It hovered low for a bit, then disappeared. I thought it was a rescue but… turned out it wasn’t.”
What we know so far
Police Scotland confirmed that officers were called to the area north of Blairgowrie after a body was spotted in the water.
The woman, who hasn’t been identified yet, was found in a river close to the B951. The exact waterway hasn’t been named publicly, but it is believed to be a tributary of the River Isla, which cuts through the rolling Angus countryside.
Here’s what’s been officially released:
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Emergency services responded at approximately 4:30pm on June 11
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The body of a woman was recovered from the water near Kilry
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A cordon was established while initial investigations began
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No formal identification has been made yet
Police remain tight-lipped
As of Thursday morning, officers haven’t released any further details about the woman’s identity or the circumstances surrounding her death.
A spokesperson for Police Scotland stated: “Enquiries are ongoing following the discovery of a woman’s body in the Kilry area. Officers attended, and the death is currently being treated as unexplained.”
No mention of foul play. No mention of weather-related incidents. Just… “unexplained.”
It’s the kind of police language that can mean anything — from accident to something more serious. But locals aren’t jumping to conclusions just yet.
“I think everyone’s just waiting to find out who she was,” said a shopkeeper in nearby Alyth. “This is a small place. If she’s from around here, people will know soon enough.”
A place far from the noise
Kilry isn’t a place that shows up in news headlines often — and that’s how most of its residents prefer it. With a population under 100 and no pub or shop, it’s a place of winding roads, sheep pastures, and postcard views of heather-covered hills.
There are no CCTV cameras here. Very little traffic. And a mobile signal that comes and goes with the wind.
Which makes investigations like this all the harder.
One retired officer who once served in rural Perthshire said the lack of surveillance infrastructure often adds days — even weeks — to these cases. “You’re relying on sightings, dashcams, or anything unusual noticed by neighbours. But people don’t pass through Kilry. They go there on purpose.”
Emergency response timeline
A rough timeline pieced together from local accounts and emergency service activity suggests the woman’s body may have been in the water for some time before being found.
Here’s a breakdown of what happened based on available info:
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| ~4:00pm | Local resident reportedly spots something in water |
| 4:30pm | Emergency services officially called to the scene |
| 5:00pm | Police, fire and medical teams arrive at Kilry |
| 5:30pm–9:00pm | Scene secured, body recovered, cordon established |
| 9:30pm | Area re-opened; investigation declared ongoing |
No further information has been released regarding any belongings, identification, or whether the woman was reported missing prior to discovery.
The wait for answers begins
For now, there’s no official word on how the woman ended up in the river — whether it was a tragic accident, an intentional act, or something worse.
Police have not issued a public appeal, which suggests they may have some leads already or are proceeding cautiously.
One thing’s clear: this case has stirred unease in the tight-knit area. People who rarely lock their doors are now doing double takes at passing cars. “We feel safe here,” one woman told us. “But this… this unsettles you.”
The community’s patience will now be tested, as the wait for identification and cause of death continues. Some say they’ll sleep easier once they know who she was. Others aren’t sure sleep will come at all until they know why she was there.
