A member of a brutal gang who beat a man to death has been found dead in a pool of blood - after slashing his own throat with a broken bottle.
The body of Daniel McArthur was discovered outside a health centre in Moray, Scotland, on Monday night.
The 26-year-old, known as “Dobby”, had staggered along the street before collapsing in the car park.
Bloodstains could still be seen on the pavement yesterday, the Daily Record reported.
McArthur was a henchman for killer Jamie Nicol when a notorious brawl saw a drugs turf war end in murder in Elgin six years ago.
Gang leader Nicol, 29, was jailed for a minimum of 18 years but died from a suspected heroin overdose in Shotts prison in December 2012.
Close friends were in shock after McArthur’s death on Monday night.
Emergency services rushed to the scene outside Glassgreen Medical Centre in Elgin at about 9pm. The area was cordoned off and officers spent hours gathering evidence.
Inspector Graeme Allan said yesterday: “Inquiries into the incident are ongoing, however early indications suggest that there are no suspicious circumstances.
“We are treating this as an isolated incident and there was no threat to the public.”
Pals paid tribute to McArthur on social media. Georgie Williamson, from Inverness, said: “I’m really more than heartbroken to be saying RIP Daniel McArthur. You will always be loved by many.”
And James Donald added: “Always clowning about and having a laugh, love you brother. RIP big man.”
But McArthur had a violent past and had been involved in the drug trade.
In 2011, he faced murder and attempted murder charges at the High Court in Aberdeen after violence erupted in Elgin and the Aberdeenshire village of Blackburn over drugs.
Ringleader Nicol was eventually the only accused convicted of the brutal killing in June 2010 of father-of-six Stephen Johnston in Elgin. He was jailed for life.
The court heard Johnston was stabbed with a knife and bludgeoned with baseball bats, hammers, golf clubs and a For Sale sign. The accused were alleged to have fought with others and brandished weapons and were said to have been involved in supplying diazepam.
Hours earlier, the gang had left Derek Simpson “at death’s door” after they had arranged to buy £600 of cannabis from him in Blackburn.
Nicol, McArthur, then 21, and two others were charged with the attempted murder of Simpson.
A witness told the court that he saw Simpson being stabbed in the side by McArthur. He admitted a reduced charge of assault and was jailed for three-and-a-half years.
After the case Detective Inspector Paul McCruden said: “None of the accused have shown any remorse.”
Weeks after being freed on licence in 2012, McArthur was back behind bars after attacking a man with a boulder in Elgin.
Police investigating McArthur’s death said: “A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.”
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