Scottish man who strangled girlfriend with stockings over cigarette dispute dies in jail

A Scottish man who strangled his girlfriend with her stockings has died in HMP Shotts.

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) confirmed Mark Ferguson died in the jail on Monday, January 13, at the age of 53. The matter will be reported the Procurator Fiscal in due course.

He killed Elizabeth Hunter, 47, in bed at a property in Falkirk in May, 2008, after she accused him of smoking their last cigarette.

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At the High Court in Glasgow, judge Lord Brailsford described the murder of Elizabeth as "a wicked and horrible crime", the Daily Record reports.

Before passing sentence, he read out part of a letter from Elizabeth's sister Janise Murrie, in which she said: "No sentence given to him will fill the hole in our family."

The judge then caged Ferguson for life and ordered him to serve at least 12 years before he was eligible for parole.

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The court heard how Ferguson choked the woman for some six minutes, until her struggles ceased.

He then dressed the deceased in her pants, bra and dressing gown and pulled the duvet cover over her, and had a drink of cider and went to sleep.

When he awoke, he realised he had killed Elizabeth and telephoned the police to confess to the murder.

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A spokesperson for the SPS said: "Mark Ferguson, 53, of HMP Shotts, has died on 13 January 2025.

"With each death in custody, Police Scotland are advised and the matter reported to the Procurator Fiscal. Fatal Accident Inquiries are held in due course."