Mikhail was discovered semi-naked and face down in a bedroom at a first-floor flat in Parkhead in August 2024. Police believe he had been dead for several hours. Toxicology reports later confirmed drugs and alcohol in his system, but pathologists also documented extensive bruising and stab wounds to his leg, including injuries inflicted after death.
Despite a year-long police investigation, the official cause of death remains unascertained.
Mikhail’s mother, Sheena Millar, has now spoken publicly for the first time, describing a year marked by grief, illness and unanswered questions. “My family are not getting any answers,” she told the BBC. “I haven’t slept the whole year. This was my child, my first-born.”
Mikhail, who was born Michael Murray, had been studying to become a nurse but left his course several months before his death. On the night he died, he had gone out drinking with a friend in Glasgow city centre before travelling by taxi to a flat in Springfield Road shortly after 3am.
According to the post-mortem report, several people later gathered at the property and continued drinking. At some point, Mikhail was seen consuming what were believed to be Valium tablets. What happened next remains unclear.
Police were not alerted until almost 19 hours later, when officers attended the flat following reports that another man had been assaulted and robbed with a knife. During that visit, Mikhail’s body was discovered in a bedroom.
The flat was being used as temporary accommodation for asylum seekers and was operated by Mears Group under a Home Office contract.
Pathologists identified alcohol and bromazolam, a powerful street tranquilliser, in Mikhail’s system. While the substances could have contributed to his death, experts noted the quantities were relatively low and his tolerance unknown.
More troubling were the physical injuries. Mikhail had bruises and abrasions across his face and body, as well as four stab wounds to his right leg. One wound fractured his fibula and was caused by a sharp object such as a knife or screwdriver. Blood patterns suggested the stabbing occurred after he had already died.
A retired forensic pathologist who reviewed the findings described the injuries as “extraordinary” and said the circumstances were suspicious, even if drugs were ultimately the most likely cause of death.
Three men were initially arrested during the early stages of the inquiry but were later released. The main criminal case related to the alleged robbery at the flat was eventually dropped due to a lack of evidence.
Throughout the investigation, Mikhail’s death was reported only as an unidentified body found in Parkhead. His family say this added to their distress.
“For 15 months, my little boy was just described as a body,” his mother said. “That’s heartbreaking.”
Police Scotland say extensive inquiries were carried out and no criminality was established. Prosecutors confirmed that no further action was required but said the case could be reviewed if new information emerges.
For Mikhail’s family, however, the absence of clear answers continues to haunt them.
