When Liam Smith was killed, police had little to go on, but a force's perseverance cracked the case.
It was a freezing cold and rainy day in November when Det Ch Insp Gina Brennand and Det Insp Lee Shaw were alerted to the discovery of a body covered in a mysterious white powder.
A passer-by had spotted the body, which was later identified as 38-year-old Liam Smith, on the pavement while driving down Kilburn Drive - a quiet residential street in the village of Shevington in Wigan shortly before 19:00 GMT on 24 November.Mr Smith's body was discovered on Kilburn Drive in Shevington
It was only after listening to a recording from a nearby house, which captured a loud bang about 15 minutes before the body was discovered, that they were both in no doubt about what had happened.It later transpired the father-of-two, who worked as an electrician, had been lured from his home and shot in the face before acid was then thrown over his face and body as he lay dying.
But new dashcam footage of the Shogun vehicle using a different registration plate had now come to light."It showed a man - later identified as Michael Hillier - doing hostile reconnaissance three weeks before Liam's murder," said Det Ch Insp Brennand.Image source,Hillier told the court he was concerned in the production and distribution of a large-scale cannabis operationThis in turn led to a second man, who it later transpired had been asked by Hillier to organise the purchase.