True Crime Conversations

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CREDITS

Guests: Craig Cook & Allen Arthur

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

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Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

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Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

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The Adelaide Schoolgirl Abducted From Her Bed Without A Trace

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:30:00 +0000

On a summer evening in January 1983, 10-year-old Louise Bell went missing from her bedroom in Adelaide's Hackham West.

It was a case that horrified Australia, as every parent's worst nightmare became reality for the Bell family. How could a young girl tucked up in her bed in a safe, suburban neighbourhood just go missing in the middle of the night?

It would take 30 years, and advances in DNA technology, to find out who was responsible for the disappearance of Louise Bell.

Supporting audio supplied by ABC South Australia.

CREDITS

Guest: Candice Prosser

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

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Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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The Prison Guard Who Fell In Love With An Inmate

Sat, 03 Jan 2026 18:30:00 +0000

In 1992, career criminal Peter Gibb met prison guard Heather Parker while serving a 12-year sentence at the Melbourne Remand Centre. Heather claimed she didn’t notice Peter at first, but she quickly became smitten, and their relationship developed from flirtatious to physical.

When their affair was exposed, Heather was immediately transferred, with communication between the two forbidden. But they couldn’t be stopped, and with the help of another inmate acting as their middleman, the pair hatched a plan to break Peter out of prison.

Their escape sparked one of Australia's largest criminal pursuits and saw Heather and Peter dubbed Australia’s Bonnie and Clyde.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Megan Norris

Host: Claire Murphy

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Assistant Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

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Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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Should My Father Be Free? The Son of Australia's Most Notorious Bank Robber Speaks

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 18:30:00 +0000

Brenden Abbott, known as The Postcard Bandit, is one of Australia’s most notorious bank robbers and prison escapees. He's the guy who developed the “drop-in heist,” hiding in a bank’s ceiling overnight and dropping down as staff opened the vault.

Abbott continued a crime spree across Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland, robbing banks and avoiding police. Reports claimed he sent postcards to authorities while on the run, earning his infamous nickname.

Today, he remains in Casuarina Prison, having spent more time in solitary confinement than most inmates and serving longer than many murderers.

In this episode, we spoke to his son, James, and retired officer, Glen Porter, about whether it’s time for Abbott to finally be released.

You can watch the BINGE series, RUN, here and The Postcard Bandit from January 7 only on BINGE.

SURVEY

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CREDITS

Guests: James Abbott and Glen Porter

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Group Executive Producer: Ilaria Brophy

Audio Engineer: Jacob Round

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Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

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Michelle Steck Found Her Ex Hiding In The Roof, Weeks Later Her Daughter Was Dead

Sat, 27 Dec 2025 18:30:00 +0000

On New Year’s Day 1993, Perth woman Michelle Steck, 24, packed her bags and left her abusive four-year relationship with her violent partner’s words ringing in her ears. “You’re going to pay for your actions for a very long time,” spat Kevin East, 34.

Listen to the full story, with writer Megan Norris, at the link here.

THE END BITS

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If you have any details about this case, you can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or on their website.

CREDITS

Guest: Michelle Steck

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

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Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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Australia's Dark History Of Forced Adoptions

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 18:30:00 +0000

For nearly half a century, Australia was engaged in a shameful and shocking practice that would tear babies from the arms of their mothers, sometimes before they ever even laid eyes on their precious little faces.

Today, Amelia Oberhart shares with us the journey of her discoveries about her mother’s life before she was born in her podcast, Secrets We Keep, Shame, Lies and Family…and in the process of unveiling her own story, found the buried stories of women whose numbers will shock you.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Amelia Oberhardt

You can listen to her podcast Secrets We Keep here.

Host: Claire Murphy

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Russian Woman Who Hijacked A Helicopter To Free Her Aussie Lover

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 18:30:00 +0000

John Killick is one of Australia's most infamous criminals. Why? Because in 1999, he escaped from Sydney’s Silverwater Correctional Complex on a helicopter.

Killick was on remand for armed robbery, and his girlfriend at the time, Lucy Dudko, hijacked a helicopter, landed it in the prison, and flew him out.

In this episode, we speak with John Killick himself about his life of crimes, his days of reform now and that fateful day when he was broken out of prison on a helicopter.

You can read The Last Escape by John Killick, here and Mark Dapin's book, Prison Break, here.

CREDITS

Guest: John Killick & Mark Dapin

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Group Executive Producer: Ilaria Brophy

Audio Engineer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Murder Of Australian Schoolgirl Masa Vukotic

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 18:30:00 +0000

On March 17, 2015, 17-year-old Masa Vukotic left her Doncaster home for an evening walk through her local park, a routine she had followed countless times.

That night, her boyfriend, Timothy Draper, did not receive a goodnight text from Masa. By morning, police were at his door with devastating news: Masa had been brutally stabbed 49 times in Koonung Creek Linear Reserve, her screams having been heard by neighbours who called emergency services.

The man responsible, Sean Price—a previous offender out on bail—would go on to continue a spree of violence before eventually surrendering to police.

You can listen to Michael's podcast with The Age, Diagnosing Murder, here.

SURVEY

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CREDITS

Guest: Michael Bachelard

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Group Executive Producer: Ilaria Brophy

Audio Engineer: Tina Matolov

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Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

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The Man Who Wouldn’t Die: Inside The Nine Lives Of Untouchable Iron Mike

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 18:30:00 +0000

“Iron Mike” Malloy survived not one, not two, but more than nine attempts on his life before he finally met his end. Malloy became the target of a group of acquaintances later dubbed the “Murder Trust,” who conspired to kill him for insurance money. What followed remains one of the most astonishing strings of failed murder attempts in history.

The conspirators served him cocktails laced with poison, swapped in antifreeze, turpentine, and even rat poison—none of which seemed to affect him at all. When that failed, they tried abandoning him in a snowbank to freeze, and later even staged a taxi hit-and-run. Each time, Malloy recovered, defying their plans and cementing his status as a near-mythic figure in true-crime lore.

Writer Riley Knight has chronicled the story of Mike Malloy along with some of history’s other strangest deaths. Some true crime, others simply unbelievable.

You can read his book, History's Strangest Deaths, here and listen to his podcast, Half-Arsed History, here.

SURVEY

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CREDITS

Guest: Riley Knight

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Group Executive Producer: Ilaria Brophy

Audio Engineer: Tina Matalov

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Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

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Inside The Kidnapping Where 26 Kids Were Buried Alive

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 18:30:00 +0000

On July 15, 1976, a school bus carrying 26 children and their beloved driver, Ed Ray, left Chowchilla, California, after a hot day at summer school and never made it home.

Blocked by a mysterious white van, the bus was hijacked by armed, masked men and driven into a hidden slough, where the victims were transferred into dark, soundproofed vans. Over the next 16 hours, they would endure an ordeal that left lasting scars: being buried alive.

In this episode, we speak to Fox News Senior Correspondent Claudia Cowan, host of Nightmare in Chowchilla, to unpack the chilling ransom plot and its surprising perpetrators.

You can listen to the podcast Nightmare in Chowchilla: The School Bus Kidnapping here.

SURVEY

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CREDITS

Guest: Claudia Cowan

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Group Executive Producer: Ilaria Brophy

Audio Engineer: Tina Matalov

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Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

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Australia’s Forgotten Teens: The Vanishing Of Elaine Johnson & Kerry Joel

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 18:30:00 +0000

If two teenage girls went missing today, would police just assume they’d run away from home? That assumption is why two Australian teenagers, Elaine Johnson and Kerry Anne Joel, have never been found.

Elaine was 16, Kerry was 17, living a carefree 80s life in The Shire, south of Sydney. The girls were seen hitchhiking on the Princes Highway, but by the weekend, they were gone. No calls. No sightings. Years later, the families uncovered police oversights, lost documents, and a cold case that never should’ve gone cold.

Journalist and podcast host Kate Kachor is retracing Elaine’s final days, hoping someone out there finally comes forward.

You can listen to Kate's podcast Out from the Cold: Searching for Elaine, here.

SURVEY

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CREDITS

Guest: Kate Kachor

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Group Executive Producer: Ilaria Brophy

Audio Engineer: Tina Matalov

GET IN TOUCH

Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

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The Killer Clown Used Magic Tricks To Lure His Victims

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 18:30:00 +0000

Sixteen-year-old Timothy “Jack” McCoy spent Christmas 1971 with his relatives in Michigan, leaving on January 2, 1972, to return home to Nebraska. After arriving in Chicago for a bus connection, he met a man who offered him food and a tour of the city. Timothy accepted, but he would never be seen alive again. Fourteen years later, his family learned he had been the first known victim of John Wayne Gacy, the infamous “Killer Clown.”

Through the accounts of survivors and families, The Devil in Disguise series uncovers Gacy’s horrifying legacy and the failures that allowed his killing spree to continue for years.

You can watch Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy here.

SURVEY

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CREDITS

Guest: Patrick Macmanus

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Group Executive Producer: Ilaria Brophy

Audio Engineer: Tina Matalov

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Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

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Who Killed John Furlan? The Car Bombing Case Australia Forgot

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 18:30:00 +0000

On the morning of August 3rd, 1998, Melbourne businessman John Furlan followed his usual routine: coffee, newspaper, and off to work at his Coburg auto salvage yard. But at 8:45 AM, his white Subaru Liberty exploded on Lorenson Street, a blast so powerful it was felt five kilometres away. Windows shattered, cars burned, yet Furlan was the only fatality.

Police soon confirmed it wasn’t a gas explosion... it was a car bomb. But who planted it, and why?

Crime journalist Adam Shand speaks about the unsolved car bombing of John Furlan, its links to Melbourne’s underworld, and whether his death foreshadowed the Gangland Wars that gripped Victoria for years to come.

You can watch The Hunters here and find Adam's podcast, Real Crime, here.

SURVEY

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CREDITS

Guest: Adam Shand

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Group Executive Producer: Ilaria Brophy

Audio Engineer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

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Once Called "Australia's Worst Female Serial Killer." Kathleen Folbigg Sets The Record Straight

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 18:30:00 +0000

She was once called "Australia’s worst female serial killer." Kathleen Folbigg spent 20 years imprisoned for the deaths of her four children, convicted by a flawed system. In 2023, science proved she was innocent, leading to an immediate pardon and release.

In this deeply personal interview, Kathleen speaks about the trauma of her long ordeal and the bittersweet reality of her freedom. She reveals what it was like to be suddenly released, the pain of seeing her private diaries weaponised, and the enduring grief of belonging to the "unfortunate club of the childless mum."

This is a powerful, raw conversation about survival and the lifelong consequences of a devastating miscarriage of justice.

You can find out more about Kathleen and Tracy Chapman's book, Inside Out, here.

SURVEY

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CREDITS

Guest: Kathleen Folbigg

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Group Executive Producer: Ilaria Brophy

Audio Engineer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

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The Real Story Of Ed Gein: The Original Psycho

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 18:30:00 +0000

On September 8, 1960, Psycho shocked cinema audiences with a level of psychological horror never seen before. But Psycho wasn’t pure fiction. It was inspired by the gruesome true story of Ed Gein, the real-life Butcher of Plainfield.

When police raided Gein’s Wisconsin farmhouse in 1957, they uncovered a macabre scene: human remains crafted into lampshades, furniture, and clothing. These discoveries stunned the nation and sparked a media frenzy that would influence generations of horror storytelling.

In this episode of True Crime Conversations, host Claire Murphy speaks with acclaimed true crime author Harold Schechter, whose book remains the definitive account of Ed Gein’s crimes. Following the Netflix release of Monsters: The Ed Gein Story from Ryan Murphy, Schechter reflects on how Gein’s legacy has been interpreted, and sometimes distorted, by Hollywood.

You can find out more about Harold's book Deviant: The Shocking True Story of Ed Gein, The Original Psycho here.

CREDITS

Guest: Harold Schechter

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Group Executive Producer: Ilaria Brophy

Audio Engineer: Carl Step/Abe’s Audio

GET IN TOUCH

Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Double Life Of Dennis Rader: The BTK Killer

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 18:30:00 +0000

On January 15, 1974, 15-year-old Charlie Otero and his siblings came home in Wichita, Kansas, to find their family murdered - the first known victims of the BTK killer: Bind, Torture, Kill.

Dennis Rader, a father, church leader, and city worker, hid in plain sight while terrorising a community for decades. After years of taunting the police, he was finally caught in 2005. His daughter, Kerri Rawson, later shared her story.

In the new Netflix documentary My Father the BTK Killer, director Skye Borgman explores Kerri’s journey. She also directed Unknown Number, about Kendra Licari — the mother who anonymously harassed her own daughter online for nearly a year. Skye joins us to talk about both disturbing true crime stories.

Watch My Father, the BTK Killer here and Unknown Number: The High School Catfish here.

CREDITS

Guest: Skye Borgman

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Group Executive Producer: Ilaria Brophy

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unmasking Chopper Read: The Infamous Australian Criminal

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 18:30:00 +0000

Part criminal, part storyteller, and part myth. Mark “Chopper” Read is one of Australia’s most polarising figures.

Today, we dive into the life and legacy of the man behind the legend. From a violent childhood and years in Pentridge Prison to bestselling books, stage shows, and the iconic film portrayal by Eric Bana, Chopper’s story is as chaotic as it is captivating. Was he a violent criminal, a folk hero, or just a master manipulator of his own narrative?

Journalist and author Mark Dapin, who once featured in a Chopper tale himself, joins us to explore the truth, the fiction, and everything in between.

You can read Mark's book, The First Murderer I Ever Met, here.

Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

CREDITS

Guest: Mark Dapin

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

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We Take You Inside The New Amanda Knox Series And Real-Life Case

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 19:00:00 +0000

On a summer night in Italy in 2007, the brutal murder of Meredith Kercher shocked the world. Her American flatmate Amanda Knox, and her new boyfriend Raffaele, were instantly thrust into an international legal saga that spanned years.

For the first time ever, True Crime Conversations host Claire Murphy joins The Spill's Laura Brodnik for a can't-miss crossover that dissects the new Disney+ series, The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox. Whether you're a true-crime devotee or an entertainment junkie, you need to hear this.

In this episode, we bring you the full forensic detail of the Amanda Knox case, including the vital piece of contamination that crumbled the prosecution's DNA evidence. We also analyse the dramatic new TV series that puts you inside Amanda’s mind, depicting the terrifying interrogation police failed to record.

Discover the unsettling truth about the unflushed poo, the "see you later" text police misinterpreted, and the psychological tricks used to coerce a false confession from an exhausted, non-Italian speaking student.

We explain why the show's creators believe that only a drama - not a documentary or a memoir - can truly clear a name that has been dragged through the mud for a decade, and clear up exactly how Monica Lewinsky got involved.

THE END BITS
Hear Laura Brodnik every day on Mamamia’s twice-daily entertainment podcast The Spill. We post the latest celeb headlines you need to know at 8am, and an in-depth (and hilarious) look at the day’s biggest celebrity stories at 3pm. Follow our feed to get in the know.

Content warning: This article contains graphic details of violence, assault and sexual assault. If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Mamamia’s No Filter spoke exclusively to Amanda Knox - hear her own story here.

Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

CREDITS
Hosts: Claire Murphy and Laura Brodnik
Producers: Tahli Blackman and Monisha Iswaran
Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"I Was Held In A Soundproof Bunker By My Stalker": Samantha Stites Speaks Out

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 19:30:00 +0000

In October 2022, Samantha Stites was kidnapped and assaulted by a man who had stalked her for over a decade. After breaking into her Michigan home, he restrained her and took her to a soundproof bunker he had built inside a storage unit, where she was held captive for nearly 15 hours.

Despite a previous protection order, the man’s harassment had only escalated over the years. His stalking included following Samantha, leaving unwanted gifts, and even tracking her movements, creating a terrifying and relentless ordeal that ultimately led to her kidnapping.

Samantha joins us on the podcast to tell her story.

You can watch Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror on Apple TV+ + now. Watch here.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

CREDITS

Guest: Samantha Stites

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Group Executive Producer: Ilaria Brophy

Audio Producer: Tina Matolov

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inside The Mind Of Australia's Youngest Killer

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 19:00:00 +0000

What drives a teenager to become a killer?

In 2001, three-year-old Courtney Morley-Clarke was put to bed on a hot summer night on the NSW Central Coast. By morning, her bed was empty, the screen door wide open, and her nightie lay on the ground.

Police soon discovered Courtney hadn’t wandered off, she was abducted and murdered by her 13-year-old neighbour, Australia’s youngest convicted killer. He confessed it was practice for more killings.

After serving 22 years in prison, he’s now back in the community.

So, how can someone so young commit such a horrific act? Criminal psychologist Tim Watson-Munro joins us to explain.

Listen to the Motive & Method podcast here.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

CREDITS

Guest: Tim Watson-Munro

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

We finally have an Instagram! Follow us @truecrimeconversations

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

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Inside The Cecil Hotel: Dark Truths Behind Elisa Lam's Elevator Video

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 19:30:00 +0000

On a February morning in 2013, guests at the infamous Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles complained of brown, foul-tasting water. What the maintenance team discovered on the rooftop would spark a global internet frenzy - the body of 21-year-old Elisa Lam inside the hotel's water tank.

In the days leading up to her disappearance, Elisa was captured on the hotel’s elevator CCTV behaving erratically. The now-viral footage has since fuelled endless theories, speculation, and conspiracy. But for those who worked inside the walls of the Cecil, Elisa’s case wasn’t unusual. The hotel had a long, dark history of death, violence, murder and tragedy.

This week on True Crime Conversations, host Claire Murphy speaks with the Cecil Hotel's former manager, Amy Price who lived through the sheer horror and chaos. From eerie theories to the realities of running a place with such a dark history, Amy shares what it was like inside the hotel when one of the internet's most enduring mysteries unfolded.

If any of the contents in this episode has caused distress, there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

CREDIT LISTGuest: Amy PriceHost: Claire MurphySenior Producer: Tahli BlackmanAudio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCHWe finally have an Instagram! Follow us @truecrimeconversationsFollow us on TikTok @truecrimeconversationsWant us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

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"My Daughter Fell Victim To An Online Catfish"

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 19:30:00 +0000

When police raided the home of 48-year-old Garry Francis Newman in March 2007, they found him sitting in his lounge room, chatting online with a 14-year-old girl. She thought she was speaking to “Brandon,” a teenage American boy. In reality, Brandon was a carefully crafted fake identity Newman had used to lure girls online. Police would later uncover nearly 200 such identities.

One of those girls was Carly Ryan.

Newman lured Carly to a secluded beach, pretending to be Brandon, and brutally murdered her.

What followed was every parent’s nightmare and one mother’s mission to stop it ever happening again.

Donate to the work at The Carly Ryan Foundation through their website here.

Support is available if you need it:

Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation - https://www.accce.gov.au/

eSafety Commissioner - https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-topics

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Our new podcast Watch Party is out now, listen to our deep-dive into The Thursday Murder Club movie on Apple or Spotify.

CREDITS

Guest: Sonya Ryan

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

We finally have an Instagram! Follow us @truecrimeconversations

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

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Barry & Honey Sherman: Bodies Found Posed By The Pool

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 19:30:00 +0000

You don’t expect to find two billionaires posed like mannequins by their own pool.

But on December 15, 2017, realtor Elise Stern did just that when she entered Barry and Honey Sherman’s Toronto mansion. Honey was traveling, and Barry was at work, so Elise knew the couple wouldn’t be home.

As she showed potential buyers through the house, Elise pointed out quirky features, including life-size statues. When they reached the basement pool, she was shocked to see two figures hanging by their necks from the pool railing.

Realizing these were not statues, Elise called for help. The bodies of Barry and Honey Sherman—two of Canada’s wealthiest—had been discovered. Their deaths triggered an investigation that remains unsolved nearly eight years later, with a $35 million reward offered for information.

Listen to The Billionaire Murders podcast here. Read Kevin's book here.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Our new podcast Watch Party is out now, listen to our deep-dive into The Thursday Murder Club movie on Apple or Spotify.

Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

CREDITS

Guest: Kevin Donovan

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

We finally have an Instagram! Follow us @truecrimeconversations

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

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Sally Leydon Spent 30 Years Searching For Her Missing Mother

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 19:30:00 +0000

On October 19, 1997, Sally Leydon called her brother Owen to ask if their mum, Marion Barter—who was on a year-long trip overseas—had phoned for his birthday. When Owen said no, Sally felt uneasy. Marion never missed birthdays.

She’d last heard from her mum in August, calling from the UK. But it was the '90s—no constant contact, no photo trail. Marion had vanished.

Someone suggested checking her bank account. A bank employee paused when Sally mentioned Marion was overseas, saying that they were seeing large withdrawals from her account.

That moment sparked Sally’s decades-long search for answers. A missing mother, a hidden identity, and a trail of secrets would become the focus of one of Australia's most gripping podcasts: The Lady Vanishes.

Find out more about The Missing Matter podcast here.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Our new podcast Watch Party is out now, listen to our deep-dive into The Thursday Murder Club movie on Apple or Spotify.

Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

CREDITS

Guest: Sally Leydon

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

We finally have an Instagram! Follow us @truecrimeconversations

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

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The Honeymoon Drowning That Turned A Groom Into A Murder Suspect

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 19:30:00 +0000

In October 2003, newlyweds Gabe and Tina Watson travelled from Alabama to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef for their dream honeymoon. Just 11 days after their wedding, the couple prepared to dive the SS Yongala shipwreck, one of the world’s most famous dive sites. But within minutes of entering the water, Tina was pulled to the surface unconscious. Despite desperate attempts to save her, she could not be revived.

What began as a heartbreaking accident soon raised chilling questions. Why were Gabe’s stories inconsistent? And what really happened underwater that day?

In this episode, host Gemma Bath speaks with journalist and author Lindsay Simpson, co-author of Honeymoon Dive, to explore a case that captivated the world and still divides opinion more than 20 years on. You can find the book here.

THE END BITS

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

Click here to get 20% off your Mamamia subscription and we'll match it with a 20% donation to RizeUp, our charity partner supporting women and families affected by domestic violence. Offer ends August 24.

CREDITS

Guest: Lindsay Simpson

Host: Gemma Bath

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

We finally have an Instagram! Follow us @truecrimeconversations

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

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The Idaho Four College Murders

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 19:30:00 +0000

What began as a typical game day celebration for University of Idaho students would end in unimaginable horror on Saturday, November 12, 2022.

Xana Kernodle, a marketing junior, spent the day with friends, including her boyfriend Ethan Chapin and housemates Dylan, Bethany, Kaylee and Maddie at their shared home on 1122 King Road. After parties and celebrations, the group returned home in the early hours of Sunday morning.

At around 4am, Dylan heard disturbing sounds. When she cracked her door open, Dylan saw a masked man with bushy eyebrows holding what looked like a vacuum cleaner. The next day, when upstairs roommates wouldn't answer their phones, friends discovered the bodies of Xana, Ethan, Kaylee and Maddie - all brutally stabbed to death.

Vicky Ward, co-author of The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy, joins Claire to explore this devastating case. You can find her book here.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

CREDITS

Guest: Vicky Ward

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

We finally have an Instagram! Follow us @truecrimeconversations

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

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UPDATE: Snowtown Murderer James Vlassakis Has Been Granted Parole

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 19:30:00 +0000

In May 1999, two detectives followed a trail of suspicious missing persons cases to an old, red-brick bank in Snowtown, South Australia.

As they head inside, they head straight for the bank’s vault where they find six large plastic barrels containing human remains. They also find handcuffs, knives, a saw, boxes of disposable gloves and bottles of hydrochloric acid.

They’d come to realise they'd found the dumping grounds of Australia’s worst serial killings, crimes that would see four men sent to prison with lengthy sentences.

But now, one of these men, the youngest of the killers, has been granted parole.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Jeremy Pudney

You can find more info about his book Snowtown: The Bodies in Barrels Murders here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

The story is not the first time we've covered the Snowtown Murders. Hear our past episode with Debi Marshall here.

GET IN TOUCH

We finally have an Instagram! Follow us @truecrimeconversations

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Day Three Children Disappeared In Broad Daylight, Without A Trace

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 19:30:00 +0000

On a scorching summer day in Adelaide, January 26, 1966, the Beaumont children—Jane, Arnna and Grant—left for Glenelg Beach and never came home.

In a crowd of hundreds, they vanished without a trace, no evidence at all. Nearly 60 years on, the mystery still grips Australia, it's the cold case that can't go cold.

Joining us are author Stuart Mullins and former detective Bill Hayes, who believe a man known as “The Satin Man” is responsible for their disappearance.

Find out more about Stuart and Bill's book Unmasking the Killer of the Missing Beaumont Children here.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

CREDITS

Guests: Bill Hayes & Stuart Mullins

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

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For Years, Karlie’s Murderers Convinced Her Family She Was Still Alive

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 20:00:00 +0000

When two-year-old Khandalyce Pearce vanished, police were baffled that her mother, Karlie, hadn’t reported her missing. What no one realised was that Karlie Pearce-Stevenson had already been murdered years earlier, her remains discovered in Belanglo State Forest in 2010—eight years before Khandalyce’s name would make national headlines.

The true shock came from the killer’s calculated deception: for years after Karlie’s murder, her killers and their associates sent fake text messages and made calls using her mobile phone, convincing family and friends she was still alive.

Author Ava Benny Morrison joins Jessie to step through the case of Karlie and Khandalyce and explain how law enforcement agencies around the country managed to solve the case of The Lost Girls.

This episode first aired in 2019 and marked one of the earliest major cases on True Crime Conversations. We're re-releasing it today for listeners old and new.

CREDITS

Guest: Ava Benny Morrison

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

Senior Producer/Editor: Elise Cooper

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show, then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review. You can also leave a comment for us on Spotify.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lisa McVey: In Her Own Words, On Surviving A Serial Killer

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 19:30:00 +0000

Lisa McVey’s story is one of unimaginable pain and extraordinary power.

At 17, after surviving years of abuse, she was kidnapped and assaulted for 26 hours by a serial killer. But Lisa didn’t just survive; she outsmarted him. Blindfolded, she memorised her surroundings, manipulated his trust, and left clues that led to his arrest.

In this episode, we explore how Lisa turned trauma into strength and became a police officer and advocate. Her journey is raw, powerful, and deeply inspiring.

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of sexual assault, physical abuse, and suicide. Please listen with care.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

CREDITS

Guests: Lisa Mae (McVey)

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

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Lisa McVey: Inside The Minds Behind The Viral Film 'Believe Me'

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 19:30:00 +0000

At just 17, Lisa McVey was abducted by a dangerous man in Tampa, Florida. Over 26 long hours, despite unimaginable fear, Lisa stayed remarkably calm and sharp, leaving behind crucial clues that would help law enforcement catch a serial killer.

Filmmakers Jim Donovan and Jeff Vanderwal brought Lisa’s powerful story to the screen in Believe Me: The Abduction of Lisa McVey. Working closely with Lisa herself, who makes a special appearance in the film, they captured her extraordinary strength and resilience.

Next week, Lisa McVey joins us to share her story firsthand, in her own words.

Find out more about Jeff's work here.

Find out more about Jim's work here.

Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

CREDITS

Guests: Jim Donovan & Jeff Vanderwal

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bradley Murdoch Takes Peter Falconio’s Whereabouts To His Grave

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 19:30:00 +0000

Bradley John Murdoch was convicted of Falconio’s murder in December 2005 and sentenced to life in prison. Now, there’s been a significant development.

Murdoch died of throat cancer on July 15, 2025, at the age of 67. He had been diagnosed with the terminal illness in 2019 and was released from Alice Springs Correctional Centre last month to receive palliative care at Alice Springs Hospital. Chillingly, his death came just one day after the 24th anniversary of Falconio’s murder.

Despite years of investigation and repeated appeals from police, Murdoch never disclosed the location of Peter Falconio’s remains. His body has never been found.

In this episode, originally published in 2021, Jessie Stephens speaks with former Detective Superintendent Colleen Gwynne — the lead investigator into Peter Falconio’s disappearance and murder, about the details of this case.

This episode first aired in 2019 and marked one of the earliest major cases on True Crime Conversations. We're re-releasing it today for listeners old and new.

CREDITS

Guest: Colleen Gwynne

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

Senior Producer/Editor: Elise Cooper

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Killer Who Livestreamed His Mass Shooting On Facebook

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 19:30:00 +0000

On March 15, 2019, New Zealand was shattered by a terrorist attack unlike any in its history. Fifty-one worshippers were murdered and dozens more wounded when a gunman opened fire inside two mosques in Christchurch, livestreaming his rampage to the world.

We speak with journalist Joey Watson, creator of Secrets We Keep: Lone Actor, who traces the radicalisation of the attacker, from online echo chambers to a global network of extremists who silently supported his deadly mission.

What really motivated this Australian man to commit such horror? And what did law enforcement miss along the way?

You can listen to Secrets We Keep: Lone Actor here.

Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.

CREDITS

Guest: Joey Watson

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's Black Widow: The Story Of Dulcie Markham

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 19:30:00 +0000

Dulcie Markham has been called Australia’s most beautiful bad woman.

Underworld figures describe her as "Black Widow," like the spider known for sometimes killing its mate. A key figure in the underworld gangs of Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, Dulcie used her Hollywood good looks, rosy pink lips and whip-smart mind to manipulate the most evil of mobsters.

Author and historian Leigh Straw joins Jessie for this episode where she takes us through the life of Dulcie; how the 15-year-old started out in sex work in 1920s Wooloomooloo, rose to become one of the most influential female crime figures in Australia’s history only to wind up disappearing into suburban obscurity in her old age.

This episode first aired in 2019 and marked one of the earliest major cases on True Crime Conversations. We're re-releasing it today for listeners old and new.

CREDITS

Guest: Leigh Straw

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

Senior Producer/Editor: Elise Cooper

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"The Moment I Realised The Man I Loved Was A Serial Romance Scammer"

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:30:00 +0000

When Heather let “Jace” into her Toronto condo to fix a kitchen cabinet, she had no idea she was opening the door to one of Canada’s most prolific romance scammers.

Charming, confident, and seemingly genuine, Jason Porter, using yet another alias, had already conned dozens of women across the country. But this time, he picked the wrong target.

In this episode, Claire Murphy speaks with Heather, the woman who uncovered his lies, exposed his scam network, and helped take him down. You can watch more about her story in the Prime Video documentary ROMCON: Who the F**k is Jason Porter? here.

CREDITS

Guest: Heather Rovet

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kidnapped, Abused & Held In A Pig Shed: The Shocking Case of Davine Arckens

Sat, 05 Jul 2025 19:30:00 +0000

When 24-year-old Belgian backpacker Davine Arckens reached out to a man on Gumtree about working on his farm, she was excited. The 88 days of labour would mean she could stay in Australia on a tourist visa for an extra year. She couldn’t wait to spend more time in a country she thought was safe and full of nice people.

When Davine met the man, it didn’t take long for her to realise she’d made a terrible mistake. What followed was two harrowing days where she was held against her will and an escape that made national headlines.

Walkley award-winning journalist Richard Guilliatt reported on the story, and he joins Jessie Stephens to walk us through it.

This episode first aired in 2019 and marked one of the earliest major cases on True Crime Conversations. We're re-releasing it today for listeners old and new.

CREDITS

Guest: Richard Guilliatt

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

Senior Producer/Editor: Elise Cooper

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Gonzales Family Murders

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 19:30:00 +0000

At just 20 years old, Sef Gonzales murdered his entire family, his father Teodoro, mother Mary Loiva, and 18-year-old sister Clodine, in their Sydney home in 2001.

Struggling with an identity crisis, failing his medical exams, and facing rejection from his parents, who planned to disown him and cut off his inheritance, Sef devised a chilling plan. He brutally killed them and tried to stage the scene as a racially motivated hate crime. But the truth soon unravelled.

Nick Kaldas, then head of the New South Wales Homicide Squad, led the investigation that ultimately brought Sef Gonzales to justice. You can find his book, Behind the Badge, here.

CREDITS

Guest: Nick Kaldas

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Former Miss Australia Who Was Convicted Of Drug Dealing

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:30:00 +0000

Felicia Djamirze has lived many lives—counsellor, women’s justice advocate, three-time Miss Australia titleholder, and convicted drug dealer. Raised in a tough Sydney neighbourhood where crime and addiction were part of daily life, Felicia grew up believing survival was the best she could hope for. When her looks opened doors, she stepped through, even when they led into dangerous territory.

In her memoir Accessory, she shares her raw and unfiltered story: a childhood shaped by chaos, a youth spent among drug dealers and bikies, and the quiet moment that changed everything.

Felicia joins us to talk about resilience and reinvention. You can find out more about her book Accessory here.

This episode discusses domestic violence. If you need support, please contact 1800 RESPECT.

CREDITS

Guest: Felicia Djamirze

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Karen Read Found Not Guilty In Viral Murder Trial

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 19:30:00 +0000

Ever since the mysterious death of Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe on a snowy night in 2022, the town where he died has been deeply divided. Was he killed in a house full of law enforcement and the crime covered up, or did his girlfriend, Karen Read, strike him with her car and leave him to die?

The high-profile case gripped true crime fans worldwide, especially after Read claimed she was the victim of a corrupt cover-up. The first trial in 2024 ended in a mistrial.

In the 2025 retrial, after five days of deliberations, the jury found her not guilty of second-degree murder and leaving the scene, but convicted her of drunk driving, sentencing her to one year of probation.

Executive Producer Jessica Lowther from The Law&Crime Network and producer of the podcast series ‘Karen’’ joins Gemma Bath in this episode to dissect the case.

THE END BITS

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

You can watch Episode 1 of the Karen podcast by The Law&Crime Network and Wondery+ here.

CREDITS

Guest: Jessica Lowther from The Law&Crime Network and producer of podcast series 'Karen'

Host: Gemma Bath

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lauren Had No Idea She Married A Monster, Until She Learned the Truth

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 19:30:00 +0000

In 2015, Lauren Trevan’s husband was interviewed by police about messages he had sent to a teenage girl. He claimed they were harmless. They weren’t.

As the investigation unfolded, Lauren learned the full extent of his actions — and how much had been hidden. At the same time, she was navigating a controlling and emotionally abusive relationship herself.

In this episode, Claire Murphy speaks with Lauren about the intersection between coercive control and grooming behaviour — two forms of abuse that often remain unseen but have lasting impacts on victims.

Lauren shares her experience and discusses her fictionalised book Now I See You, written to help break the silence around complex forms of abuse. You can find the book here.

CREDITS

Guest: Lauren Trevan

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We Finally Know The Motive Behind Australia’s Deadliest Mass Shooting

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0000

Nearly 30 years have passed since the Port Arthur massacre — one of the darkest and most devastating events in Australia's history.

On April 28, 1996, a lone gunman, Martin Bryant, carried out the country’s deadliest mass shooting, killing 35 people and injuring 23 others in and around the historic Port Arthur site in Tasmania.

For decades, the question of why he did it has haunted survivors, investigators, and the nation. Now, new insights are finally beginning to shed light on what may have driven Bryant to commit such an unfathomable act.

This is the story of that day — the lives lost, the trauma endured, and the search for answers — as told through the eyes of survivor Anita Bingham.

CREDITS

Guest: Anita Bingham

Host: Jessie Stephens & Claire Murphy

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

Producer: Gia Moylan

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Woman Who Tricked 50 Doulas Into Believing She Was Pregnant

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 19:30:00 +0000

Kaitlyn Braun spun an elaborate web of lies, convincing over 50 doulas she was pregnant after a traumatic assault. Her deception confused and shattered trust in the doula community, leaving many unsure if they could continue their work.

Journalist Sarah Treleaven spent over eighteen months investigating Kaitlyn’s unusual story and the motives behind it. She brought these stories to life in her podcast, The Con: Kaitlyn’s Baby, where she details speaking to the doulas who were tricked, lied to and left disturbed by Kaitlyn's actions.

The question remains: why did Kaitlyn do it — and is her deception finally over?

Listen to The Con: Kaitlyn’s Baby here.

Warning. This story and this opening scene feature descriptions of pregnancy loss and stillbirth.

CREDITS

Guest: Sarah Treleaven

Host: Gemma Bath

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How A Broken Law Sent Kathleen Folbigg To Prison

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 19:30:00 +0000

After 20 years in prison, Kathleen Folbig, once labelled Australia’s worst female serial killer, was released in just 56 minutes. New genetic evidence cleared her of killing her four children, flipping one of the country’s most infamous cases on its head.

Kathleen’s story is one of loss and a justice system that got it badly wrong. But her fight isn't over.

In this episode, investigative journalist Quentin McDermott, author of Meadow’s Law, joins us to unpack how a flawed theory about SIDS helped send Kathleen to prison—and the science, advocacy, and determination that finally set her free.

You can find Quentin's book here.

CREDITS

Guest: Quentin McDermott

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hundreds Were Forced To Witness The Death Of Agnes Magnúsdóttir

Wed, 28 May 2025 19:30:00 +0000

She was young, poor, and alone in a harsh, unforgiving Icelandic landscape — and then she was sentenced to die. In 1830, Agnes Magnúsdóttir became the last person executed in Iceland, beheaded by axe for the murder of a powerful man.

Nearly 200 years later, her story still lingers. Was she a cold-blooded killer, or a woman trapped by circumstance?

In this episode, we speak to author Hannah Kent, whose bestselling novel Burial Rites reimagines Agnes’s final days. We explore how one woman’s life — and death — became legend, and why capital punishment remains a reality for half the world’s population today.

You can read Burial Rites here. You can also find Always Home, Always Homesick here.

CREDITS

Guest: Hannah Kent

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

William Tyrrell: Is This The Breakthrough We've Been Waiting For?

Wed, 21 May 2025 19:00:00 +0000

He was three years old, dressed in a Spider-Man suit, playing in his foster grandmother’s yard — and then he was gone. Nearly a decade later, the disappearance of William Tyrrell remains one of Australia’s most haunting mysteries.

For years, this case has been clouded in secrecy. With a high number of registered sex offenders living in the area where William vanished, investigators have long questioned whether he was deliberately targeted — and if so, by whom?

Now, nearly 11 years later, the team behind the podcast Witness: William Tyrrell believes they’ve uncovered crucial answers. Host Dan Box joins us to discuss their latest findings in a case that continues to captivate the nation.

You can find the Witness podcast here.

CREDITS

Guest: Dan Box

Host: Claire Murphy

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kat Torres: The Influencer Convicted Of Human Trafficking

Wed, 14 May 2025 19:00:00 +0000

Kat Torres had it all—famous friends, a jet-setting modelling career and a social media feed that painted the picture of a woman who had truly made it.

But behind the flawless photos and inspirational captions lurked a far darker reality. Torres wasn’t just living the influencer dream; she was building something far more dangerous. What began as a pursuit of fame spiralled into a cult-like following, where influence became control, and admiration, exploitation.

So, how does someone with a face as angelic as Kat Torres become a cult leader and accused sex trafficker?

Journalist and Don’t Cross Kat podcast host Chico Felitti joins us to uncover the disturbing truth behind the rise—and fall—of Kat Torres.

Find the podcast here: https://wondery.com/shows/guru/season/2/

CREDITS

Guest: Chico Felitti

Host: Claire Murphy

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tortured & Brainwashed: How Ben Shenton Survived Australia’s Most Disturbing Cult

Wed, 07 May 2025 21:51:07 +0000

At just 18 months old, Ben Shenton was handed over to a woman who claimed she was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ.

That woman was Anne Hamilton-Byrne, the leader of a secretive doomsday cult called The Family. For 14 years, Ben lived cut off from the outside world—beaten, starved, drugged, and taught to stay “unseen, unheard, unknown.” The cult twisted Christianity into a tool of fear and control.

Ben was finally rescued at age 15 during a police raid. Today, he’s an advocate for survivors and a pastor who still follows the teachings of Jesus Christ, just not the version the cult tried to force on him.

You can find Ben’s website, Rescue the Family, here, and his book Life Behind the Wire here.

CREDITS

Guest: Ben Shenton

Host: Claire Murphy

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"I Had to Kill Him": The Woman Who Survived Dirty John

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 19:30:00 +0000

"Dirty John" Meehan, a serial con artist and violent criminal, was Terra Newell's stepfather. He had married her mother and spent years manipulating and abusing her until she finally left him. Enraged by her departure, he sought revenge.

One day, after finishing her shift at work, Terra was walking to her car when John suddenly grabbed her from behind, wrapping his arm around her waist and trying to abduct her.

In a desperate attempt to escape, she bit him. But his response was brutal—he began stabbing her repeatedly with a large knife.

With every ounce of strength she had, Terra fought for her life. In a fierce struggle, she managed to knock the knife from his hand. Realising the only way to survive was to stop him for good, she knew she had to act fast.

This is the story of Dirty John’s demise, told by the woman who lived through it.

CREDITS

Guest: Terra Newell

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note to give us feedback or suggest a case for the podcast.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet Heston Russell: The Veteran Falsely Accused Of War Crimes

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 19:30:00 +0000

Heston Russell has lived a life most of us couldn’t imagine. A former special forces commander, he’s been shot at, dropped out of helicopters, and led troops through the chaos of Afghanistan and Iraq.

But it wasn’t until he came home that he faced his toughest fight yet — not against an enemy overseas, but against his own country. Heston and his men were accused of war crimes, and suddenly, he was battling to defend their names against the weight of national headlines and public judgment.

In this episode, we dive into Heston’s intense defamation case against the ABC, but we go deeper, too, into what it’s like to be a soldier at war and what you do when you’re wrongly accused of a crime you didn’t commit.

You can listen to The ABC’s of Heston Russell podcast here.

CREDITS

Guest: Heston Russell

Host: Claire Murphy

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note to give us feedback or suggest a case for the podcast.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Escaping One Of Australia's Most Secretive Cults [re-release]

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 19:30:00 +0000

Laura McConnell grew up in a fundamentalist sect with no name.

Along with no official title, the group also claims to have no registration around the world, no formal hierarchy, and no official places of worship.

According to Laura, it's this secrecy and denial that has allowed abuse to flourish within the community. She joins us today to expose what she witnessed and experienced inside the group she calls The Truth.

CREDITS

Guest: Laura McConnell

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note to give us feedback or suggest a case for the podcast.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Podcast Host Who Solved A Murder When Police Couldn't

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 19:00:00 +0000

In 1993, a teenage girl vanished on her way to school in a quiet town in Ontario, Canada. That morning, she’d argued with her mother, Mary Ann—nothing serious, just one of those everyday fights about going to school. It would be the last time they ever spoke.

Her name was Christine Harron. She never made it to class.

The case went cold for years—until filmmaker and podcast host David Ridgen started asking questions. He dug into old leads, uncovered long-buried secrets, and eventually helped bring a killer to justice.

But even now, one question remains... Where is Chrissy?

Listen to David Ridgen's podcast, Someone Knows Something, here.

CREDITS

Guest: David Ridgen

Host: Claire Murphy

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note to give us feedback or suggest a case for the podcast.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What We Know About Stephanie Scott's Death 10 Years On

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 19:30:00 +0000

Stephanie Scott was just days away from marrying her long-time partner when she went into her empty high school on Easter Sunday to prepare lesson plans for the substitute teacher. That morning, she was tragically murdered.

Vincent Stanford, the school janitor, was arrested after police found evidence linking him to the crime—scratches on his body, bloodstains in his car, and disturbing photos of Stephanie’s body on his phone.

He pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. But what we’ve learned since is that Stephanie wasn’t even his intended victim.

Sarah Crawford, a journalist who’s been following this case for the past decade, joins us now.

CREDITS

Guest: Sarah Crawford

Host: Claire Murphy

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note to give us feedback or suggest a case for the podcast.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Message From Gemma!

Sun, 06 Apr 2025 19:30:00 +0000

Hello, True Crime Conversations listeners! If your sharp investigative minds haven't already guessed, we're excited to share that our very own host, Gemma Bath, has been expecting her second child over the past nine months. However, her little girl made an early arrival, which brings us to an exciting update... it's time to introduce the new host of True Crime Conversations!

CREDITS

Host: Welcome, Claire Murphy!

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note to give us feedback or suggest a case for the podcast.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How The Deaths Of Two Girls, Eight Years Apart, Uncovered Tokyo’s Worst Predator

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 18:30:00 +0000

Carita Ridgeway from Australia and Lucie Blackman from England arrived in Japan eight years apart, both working as hostesses, earning $150-$400 a night while entertaining wealthy businessmen.

At 21, both planned to make money for world travel but encountered Joji Obara, a sadistic criminal mastermind. While there were hundreds of victims assaulted by Obara, they were the only ones known to have lost their lives.

Clare Campbell’s book Tokyo Hostess: Inside the Shocking World of Tokyo Nightclub Hostessing explores their stories, the Japanese sex industry, and the serial rapist who sparked an international investigation.

You can find her book here.

THE END BITS

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

CREDITS

Guest: Clare Campbell

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note to give us feedback or suggest a case for the podcast.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

53 Years Ago Robyn & Her Classmates Were Kidnapped. This Is Her Story.

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 18:30:00 +0000

On a Friday afternoon in 1972, in the small town of Faraday, Victoria, 10-year-old Robyn Howarth was playing musical chairs with her classmates when something unexpected caught her eye. She turned to the classroom door and saw two men standing there—one wearing a black mask, the other with dark sunglasses and a hat.

The taller man raised an enormous gun, aiming it at Robyn, her five classmates, and their 20-year-old teacher, Mary Gibbs. As Mary desperately pleaded with them, the men ordered everyone to "get in the van... now."

More than 50 years later, Robyn has written a book, Faraday: A Community Rediscovered, where she recounts, in vivid detail, the traumatic events that unfolded that day. For decades, she has kept her story to herself—until now.

You can buy Robyn's book here.

THE END BITS

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

CREDITS

Guest: Robyn Howarth

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note to give us feedback or suggest a case for the podcast.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Kapunda Triple Murder & An Unsuspecting Killer

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 18:30:00 +0000

In 2010, 18-year-old Jason Downie became obsessed with Chantelle Rowe, his friend’s girlfriend, after she rejected him. On the night of November 8th, in the quiet town of Kapunda, South Australia, Jason, consumed by jealousy, brutally took the lives of Chantelle, her father Andrew, and her mother Rose in their own home.

Chantelle’s older brother, Chris Rowe, was on holiday in the Gold Coast at the time. When he heard rumours of a major incident back home, he logged onto Facebook to find out more. He was reassured with the message, “All’s good,” but soon, he would learn of the devastating loss of his family.

Bryan Littlely, a journalist who covered the case extensively, is one of the only reporters to have interviewed Chris, the sole survivor, years later.

THE END BITS

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

CREDITS

Guest: Bryan Littley

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note to give us feedback or suggest a case for the podcast.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Four-Day Exorcism Of Joan Vollmer

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 18:30:00 +0000

In the remote outback of Victoria in 1993, Ralph Vollmer believed his wife, Joan, was possessed.

Ralph enlisted members of his local religious community to perform an exorcism, hoping to rid Joan of the ten demons they believed controlled her. What followed was a horrific four-day ordeal that ended in Joan’s death.

Margaret Thanos is the director of Furious Mattress, a play based on Joan Vollmer’s tragic story. It raises the question: what are the ethics of turning a real-life tragedy into entertainment?

You can find tickets to see Furious Mattress here.

THE END BITS

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

CREDITS

Guest: Margaret Thanos

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note to give us feedback or suggest a case for the podcast.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What It's Like To Find Out The Man You Love Is An International Con Man

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 18:30:00 +0000

Hamish McLaren is a serial fraudster. Remember the podcast Who the Hell Is Hamish? He defrauded victims of their money for more than 30 years before he finally saw the inside of a prison cell.

Tracy Hall was his last victim, losing over $317,000 of her life savings to Hamish while in a relationship with him for 18 months.

Hamish didn’t just financially manipulate Tracy; he emotionally destroyed her. It’s taken her years to recover from that kind of deceit. She processed it by writing a book, The Last Victim, which details her story.

You can find The Last Victim here.

RESOURCES

What to do if you're scammed, defrauded or there is a data breach. Find information here.

Find downloadable tips to avoid scams here.

Find Tracy's website here.

THE END BITS

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

CREDITS

Guest: Tracy Hall

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note to give us feedback or suggest a case for the podcast.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Moment That Could’ve Saved Gabby Petito [re-release]

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 18:30:00 +0000

In August 2021, Gabby Petito went missing while on holiday with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie. The pair were six weeks into a four month trip across the United States.

They'd been living out of Gabby's specially decked out van, documenting and filming every adventure so she could share it on her growing social media platforms. But when the 22-year-old suddenly stopped posting, her family began to fear the worst.

Gabby's high-profile disappearance sparked an unprecedented social media movement to find her. An unstoppable onslaught of amateur sleuths and armchair detectives exposed a story no one was prepared to ignore, as the world hung on each development in the nationwide search for Gabby, her fiance, and the truth.

THE END BITS

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

CREDITS

Guest: Sarah Abo

You can watch the 60 Minutes coverage of this case here.

Learn more about the Gabby Petito Foundation here.

Host: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Producer: Cassie Merritt

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet The Anonymous Host Of Casefile

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 18:30:00 +0000

To some, he’s the mysterious voice behind their favourite true crime podcast (besides True Crime Conversations, of course). Others know him as ‘Casey.’ But who is Casefile's anonymous host, really? Today, we get a chance to find out a little more about him.

In this exclusive chat, ‘Casey’ and Gemma talk about why he’s kept his identity a secret, how Casefile got started, the creative process behind the show, and the cases that have had the biggest impact on him.

He might not tell us his real name, but we’re sharing his story.

THE END BITS

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

CREDITS

Guest: 'Casey', anonymous host of Casefile

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note to give us feedback or suggest a case for the podcast.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"What REALLY Happened When I Confronted Belle Gibson"

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 18:30:00 +0000

In 2015, Australian con woman Belle Gibson was living the dream. Her app The Whole Pantry was hugely popular and she was about to launch a book of the same name.

With hundreds of thousands of followers online, Belle had become a celebrated wellness influencer who'd overcome terminal cancer and had cured herself with healthy eating and holistic therapies. But it was all a lie.

The truth came to light when her friend, Chanelle McAuliffe, noticed gaps in Belle's story. The moment she exposed her deception is now the focus of the Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar.

Today, Chanelle tells us what the show got right and wrong, the challenges she faced as a whistleblower, and how she feels about Belle and her crimes now, a decade on.

Very Special Kids is a non-profit organisation that provides holistic palliative care for children and young people with life-limiting conditions. You can find a link to donate here.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Chanelle McAuliffe

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note to give us feedback or suggest a case for the podcast.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maria Korp Was Left To Die In The Boot Of Her Car

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:30:00 +0000

Maria Korp, a 50-year-old mother of two from Melbourne, went missing in February 2005. She was discovered four days later in the boot of her car barely alive, after being strangled and left for dead.

Police first suspected her husband, Joe, but it was more complicated than that. As his mistress revealed, he was the one who provided her with the weapon telling her it was the "only way they could be together."

Former detective Narelle Fraser was the one who discovered Maria’s body in the boot that day, 20 years ago. It's a case she will never forget.

Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note to give us feedback or suggest a case for the podcast.

THE END BITS

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

CREDITS

Guest: Narelle Fraser

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

25 Years Ago, A Revengeful Man Set Fire To A Queensland Hostel

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 18:30:00 +0000

On June 23rd, 2000, just after midnight, Robert Paul Long set fire to the Childers Palace Backpackers Hostel in Queensland. He had recently been evicted for not paying his rent and in his anger, he sparked a tragedy.

There were 84 travellers in the hostel that night. They woke up gasping for air and choking on smoke in the pitch-black darkness.

15 people lost their lives, making this one of the deadliest fires in Australian history. Our guest, journalist Paul Cochrane, interviewed the survivors. In many instances, he was the only interview they gave.

Listen to Paul’s podcast Childers here.

Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note to give us feedback or suggest a case for the podcast.

THE END BITS

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

CREDITS

Guests: Paul Cochrane

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re Finally Telling The True Story About The Slender Man Stabbing

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 18:30:00 +0000

What started as a typical sleepover in Wisconsin in 2014 turned into one of the most chilling true crime stories in America.

Twelve-year-olds Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier lured their friend, Payton "Bella" Leutner, into the woods with a plan to kill her as a sacrifice to Slender Man, the creepy internet figure.

Both girls were charged as adults in a case that stunned the world.

Now, with Morgan’s 2025 release from psychiatric care, the case is back in the spotlight, except this time we’re having conversations the media steered clear of at the beginning.

Why did this happen? How did this happen? And what was going on mentally and psychologically for those two little girls?

You can read Kathleen's book Slenderman: A Tragic Story of Online Obsession and Mental Illness here.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guests: Kathleen Hale

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Man Who "Knows What Happened" To The Beaumont Children [re-release]

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 19:00:00 +0000

The disappearance of The Beaumont Children is burned into the collective conscious of Australia. It’s one of the longest-running cases in the nation’s history and has baffled law enforcement for more than half a century.

Stuart Mullins grew up down the road from the Beaumont children in Adelaide. Over the years he has researched and co-authored investigative writing into their disappearance. He walks us through the case, and why he believes he knows just who is responsible for the disappearance of Jane, Arnna and Grant on Australia Day in 1966.

For photos, maps and further details on the case you can join our closed Facebook group dedicated to the podcast. Just search for True Crime Conversations on Facebook.

GUEST: Stuart Mullins
HOST: Jessie Stephens
PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

The Satin Man: Uncovering the mystery of the Beaumont Children, Alan Whiticker and Stuart Mullins https://bit.ly/2leQGNx
Mother of missing Beaumont children, Nancy Beaumont, dies aged 92 - ABC News https://ab.co/2lfjDsE
The Beaumont Children: What Really Happened, Channel 7 https://bit.ly/2lNMVyE
The Beaumont Children Mystery: Crime Investigation Australia, Channel 7 https://bit.ly/2mIlwyu
Beaumont children search: Police end today’s dig, having found no human remains, The Adelaide Advertiser https://bit.ly/2lbGUvr

GET IN TOUCH:

Email the show at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

True Crime Conversations is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows here https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's Worst Mass Family Killer & His Shocking Second Life

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 18:30:00 +0000

He was sentenced to death, but because of changes to the law, he wasn’t killed. Instead, he was re-sentenced to life in prison and managed to serve just eight years before being released on parole.

He changed his name, his identity and created an entirely new family who knew nothing about his previous life or his crimes… until now.

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CREDITS

Guests: Craig Cook & Allen Arthur

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet The Former Australian Prosecutor With A Target On Her Back

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 18:30:00 +0000

Margaret Cunneen SC was one of Australia’s top Crown Prosecutors, renowned for securing convictions against some of the country’s most notorious criminals, including the Butcher of Bega and Robert “Dolly” Dunn.

She also led the prosecution of the Skaf gang rapes in 2000, where brothers Bilal and Mohammed Skaf orchestrated a series of brutal, ethnically motivated sex crimes. One of the most harrowing incidents involved 14 men and boys sexually assaulting a single woman.

Today, only one of the key perpetrators remains behind bars.

Margaret’s remarkable career, including her work on this case, is chronicled in The Boxing Butterfly, which you can find here.

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CREDITS

Guest: Margaret Cunneen SC

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According To A Criminologist, Keli Lane Shouldn’t Be In Prison.

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 18:30:00 +0000

On September 12, 1996, Keli Lane gave birth to a baby girl at Auburn Hospital in western Sydney. Two days later that baby seemingly disappeared.

After years of investigation, Keli was convicted of her daughter's murder in 2010 and sentenced to 18 years behind bars. But did they get it wrong?

Keli Lane’s story has been compared to the wrongful conviction of Lindy Chamberlain. It’s been pulled apart and analysed for years.

So is she a baby killer? Or is she a woman, misunderstood?

THE END BITS

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Listen to our episode with Richard Baker 'Inside One Of Australia’s Longest Running Cults' here.

CREDITS

Guest: Xanthe Mallett

You can listen to her podcast Motive And Method here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How ‘Cocaine Cassie’ Really Survived Three Years In A Colombian Prison

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 18:30:00 +0000

After she was caught trying to smuggle 5.8kg of cocaine out of Colombia in 2017, the media nicknamed her ‘Cocaine Cassie’. But Cassie Sainsbury’s life in a tough Colombian prison was so much more complicated. And interesting.

In this episode, she speaks to Mia Freedman about prison life: the abuse, the relationships, the sex. And what happened afterwards.

You can hear the second half of Mia's conversation with Cassie here.

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Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au

Need more lols, info, and inspo in your ears? Find more Mamamia podcasts here.

CREDITS:

Host: Mia Freedman. You can find Mia on Instagram here and get her newsletter here.

Executive Producer: Kimberley Braddish

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why Women Kill And The Lives They Live Behind Bars [fresh episode]

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 18:30:00 +0000

Women are responsible for only 10 per cent of homicides in Australia, Canada, England, and the US, and because it’s such a small sample size not much research has been done into the motives and behaviours that drive female killers.

Dr. Kathryn M. Whiteley, a feminist criminologist, has been researching women who kill for over 20 years. She’s spoken to more than a hundred women behind bars, many of whom are serving life sentences with no chance of parole.

Dr. Whiteley’s focus is on telling their stories and understanding their experiences and perspectives in their own words.

You can listen to Dr Kathryn’s conversations on her podcast Self Identities: Conversations With Convicted Women here.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Kathryn M. Whiteley

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Her Abuser Behind Bars, Dassi Erlich Is Ready To Talk

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 18:30:00 +0000

In 2023, Malka Leifer was sentenced to 15 years in prison for 18 counts of sexual abuse against Dassi Erlich and her little sister.

Leifer was the sisters' former high school principal, and when whispers of their allegations came to light in 2008, she fled from her home in Melbourne to Israel before any formal complaint could be made.

It took 70 extradition hearings and 13 years to bring her back to Australia. But finally last year, Dassi was able to breathe a sigh of relief. Leifer was finally going to pay for what she’d done.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Dassi Erlich

You can find out more about her memoir In Bad Faith here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Thom Lion

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eve Wiley’s Father Was A Serial Sperm Donor… And He’s Not Alone

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 18:30:00 +0000

Eve Wiley is one of the featured voices in the Netflix series The Man with 1000 Kids, but the story of how she came to be a fierce advocate for victims of fertility fraud is a deeply personal one…and one you have to hear to believe.

In this episode of No Filter, Eve Wiley tells Mia Freedman how she finally found out that she is the child of fertility fraud and how she discovered who her biological father was - a discovery that turned her world upside down and transformed her into a fearless fighter for the women and families who’ve been harmed by fraudulent and serial sperm donors.

Through her work, she’s successfully lobbied for the creation of laws that criminalise conception deception - but as you’ll hear, her fight is only just beginning.

You can learn more about Eve Wiley here.

If this story has brought up any hard emotions, please reach out to Lifeline on 13 11 14.

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Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.

CREDITS:

Host: Mia Freedman

You can find Mia on Instagram here and get her newsletter here.

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Audio Producer: Leah Porges

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicole Madigan Is Still Being Watched By The Woman Who Stalked Her [fresh episode]

Sun, 29 Dec 2024 18:30:00 +0000

In 2018, while taking a picture of her son at a gathering, Nicole Madigan had a brief encounter with a stranger who asked her if she was photographing a man named Adam.

The exchange felt bizarre, but Nicole thought little of it. That is, until later that night when she received a text from the woman. What started as one odd message soon spiralled into years of harassment, ultimately leading to the woman, Karissa, being charged with stalking. But even in 2024, a conviction hasn’t stopped her.

Nicole joins Gemma on True Crime Conversations to share her story. A journalist herself, with extensive experience investigating stalking, Nicole has written a book about her experience.

Read Obsession: A journalist and victim-survivor’s investigation into stalking, here.

THE END BITS

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

CREDITS

Guest: Nicole Madigan

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Doomsday Cult And Two Missing Kids

Fri, 27 Dec 2024 18:30:00 +0000

In November 2019, police conducted a welfare check on seven-year-old JJ Vallow. He hadn't been seen since September, and police will come to realise that neither had his teenage sister Tylee.

They've stumbled onto a web of lies that are about to unravel. Affairs, mysterious deaths, a doomsday cult, and at the centre of it all two missing children. And a mother who isn’t trying to find them.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Leah Sottile, author of When The Moon Turns To Blood

And host of the Two Minutes Past Nine and Bundyville podcasts.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tia Levings Escaped A Trad Wife Cult

Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:30:00 +0000

Tia Levings was raised within the same strict Christian fundamentalist ideology as the infamous Duggar family from 19 Kids And Counting. By the time she was 19 years old, Tia found herself in an abusive marriage where the violence was sanctioned by the church.

In this must-listen episode of No Filter, Tia tells Mia Freedman about the ways she was groomed to be a Trad Wife, and the moment she knew she had to run for her life. This is a story of indoctrination and survival, of reinvention and strength…but it is also about the thousands of other women who haven’t escaped the Trad Wife movement, and the new ones who are joining every day.

You can hear the second half of Mia's conversation with Tia here.

You can find out more about Tia and her book, A Well Trained Wife, here.

You can follow her on Instagram here.

And if you need to talk to someone, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

THE END BITS:

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

CREDITS:

Host: Mia Freedman

You can find Mia on Instagram here and get her newsletter here.

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Audio Producer: Leah PorgesMamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inside One Of Australia’s Longest Running Cults [fresh episode]

Sun, 22 Dec 2024 18:30:00 +0000

The Geelong Revival Centre, one of Australia’s longest-running cults, has been hiding in plain sight for years. Led by Pastor Noel Hollins until his death in 2024, the ultra-conservative church controls every aspect of its followers' lives.

For the past two years, investigative journalist Richard Baker has collected disturbing audio recordings from Hollins and testimonies from survivors. They’ve told him stories of alleged physical and sexual abuse, emotional stories of families being torn apart by strict rules and disturbing allegations of medicine being banned.

Due to legal constraints, he’s been unable to share it… until now. You can listen to Richard's podcast Secrets We Keep: Pray Harder here.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Richard Baker

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Baby Doll Serial Killer: America’s Most Unsuspecting Murderer

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 18:30:00 +0000

In the winter of 1999 in Detroit, Michigan, sex worker Monica Johnson entered a Jeep Wrangler with the licence plate 'Baby Doll' with a client.

That client, John Eric Armstrong, brutally murdered her and placed her body face down on the sidewalk, before returning home to his wife and young son.

Monica was one of several women he killed between 1992 to 1999 before the police finally closed in.

Journalist and author B.R. Bates, co-author of The ‘Baby Doll’ Serial Killer: The John Eric Armstrong Homicides, is one of the few individuals who has interviewed Armstrong himself.

You can find The ‘Baby Doll’ Serial Killer: The John Eric Armstrong Homicides here.

THE END BITS

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

CREDITS

Guest: B.R. Bates

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bonus: The French Rape Trial, A Victim-Survivor's Story Of Which She Has No Memory

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 18:30:00 +0000

It's the case that has shocked France and led to protests outside of an Avignon court house.

For 50 years, Dominique and Gisèle Pélicot were married, but for a decade of their marriage, Gisèle was being raped without her knowledge — drugged and sexually assaulted by dozens and dozens of men.

If this case were to unfold in Australia, what kind of laws would there be to protect victim survivors from ever having to experience this again?

If you or someone you know needs to speak to someone help is listed below:

Lifeline - 13 11 14

1800 RESPECT - 1800 737 732, The National Domestic Family And Sexual Violence Counselling Service

THE END BITS

Check out The Quicky Instagram here

The Lindt Cafe Terrorist Was Listening To Gemma Read The News

Sat, 14 Dec 2024 18:30:00 +0000

During the Lindt Café siege, True Crime Conversations host Gemma Bath was reporting the news live with a police negotiator by her side. She later learned that her voice was one of the sources of information the gunman Man Haron Monis was using, as he held his hostages captive.

In this bonus episode, Gemma looks back on that intense experience and talks about how it changed the way she approaches journalism, making her more mindful of the victims' perspective.

THE END BITS

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Read Gemma's full article here: 'As the Lindt Cafe siege unfolded, I was a radio newsreader. It was only after that I realised my mistake.'

Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

CREDITS

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

10 Years Ago A Man With A Gun Walked Into A Lindt Cafe In Sydney

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 18:30:00 +0000

On a sunny December morning in 2014, just 10 days before Christmas, breakfast was in full swing at the busy Lindt Café in Sydney’s Martin Place.

Around 8:30am, a customer noticed a man talking to the café’s manager, who seemed tense. Just over an hour later, at 9:44am, Man Haron Monis told everyone in the café that he had a bomb in his backpack and they were being held hostage. His demand? To speak with the Prime Minister on national radio.

Ten years have passed since the Sydney Siege, which tragically claimed the lives of two innocent people: café manager Tori Johnson and mother of three, Katrina Dawson. To mark the anniversary, Vikki Petratis, host of The Unthinkable podcast, revisits the events of that day and reflects on the lasting impact it has had on the city.

Listen to The Unthinkable podcast here.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Vikki Petratis

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amy Allwine Had No Idea A Stranger Online Was Paid To Kill Her

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 18:30:00 +0000

In 2020, journalist Carl Miller found himself staring at a murder-for-hire website on the dark web, introduced to him by a hacker friend who had stumbled upon it.

What he discovered was chilling: a woman named Amy Allwine had already been killed after an anonymous user paid $13,000 in Bitcoin to have her murdered. But Amy’s name was just one of many on the kill list.

After his discovery, Carl spent years intercepting kill orders and trying to warn people. He joins us to reveal the shocking cases behind the planned hits.

You can listen to the Kill List podcast here.

THE END BITS

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Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

CREDITS

Guest: Carl Miller

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Extra: What We've Finally Learned About Lilie James' Killer

Sat, 30 Nov 2024 19:00:00 +0000

Warning: This episode speaks of violence and suicide. Please take care when listening.

A year on from her death, Lilie James' parents have spoken publicly - remembering their beautiful, hardworking daughter.

Today we revisit the murder of Lilie James.

If you or anyone you know needs to speak with an expert, please contact 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732

Watch the 60 Minutes episode here

THE END BITS

Check out The Quicky Instagram here

Did you miss the latest episode of True Crime Conversations? Listen here.

Listen to more like this episode here:

He's Not A 'Good Bloke': Stop Defending Domestic Violence Killers

Women Shouldn't Need To Learn Self Defence, But Should We?

After The Rallies: What Can Actually Stop Gendered Violence

Frontline Domestic Violence Workers Tell Us What’s Really Happening

Want to try MOVE by Mamamia?
Click here to start a seven-day free trial of our exercise app.

GET IN TOUCH

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice note or email us at thequicky@mamamia.com.au

CREDITS

Host: Claire Murphy

Executive Producer: Taylah Strano

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'I'm Confident My Son Is Still Alive': The Case Of The Lost Boy

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 18:30:00 +0000

In March 2015, Fiona Lu showed up at her son Mike Zhao-Beckenridge's school to pick him up, only to find he was missing. Panicked, she called the police, convinced that her ex-husband John Beckenridge, whom Mike adored, had taken him.

By the time the authorities stepped in, John and Mike were already on the run. Days later, John’s car was discovered at the bottom of a cliff, but there was no sign of either of them.

Journalist Michael Wright, co-host of The Lost Boy podcast, explores two possibilities: either Mike and John died in March 2015, or they’re still alive today.

You can listen to the Stuff podcast The Lost Boy here.

THE END BITS

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Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

Join the Month of MOVE
Get $30 off a Mamamia subscription and get unlimited access to our feel-good exercise app. Head here to get a yearly subscription for just $39.

CREDITS

Guest: Michael Wright

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Something Is Not Right About Phoebe's Fall

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 19:00:00 +0000

In December 2010, the body of 24-year-old Phoebe Handsjuk was discovered at the bottom of a garbage chute in her Melbourne apartment building.

She had fallen 12 stories into a wheelie bin, where she ultimately succumbed to the injuries she sustained alone in the darkness of the rubbish room.

In 2013, a coroner ruled Phoebe’s death as accidental, a finding her family doesn't accept.

Investigative journalist Richard Baker, host of the podcast Phoebe's Fall, believes there’s more to the story. Was Phoebe’s death truly a tragic accident, or was she the victim of foul play?

You can listen to Richard's podcast with The Age 'Phoebe's Fall' here.

THE END BITS

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

Join the Month of MOVE
Get $30 off a Mamamia subscription and get unlimited access to our feel-good exercise app. Head here to get a yearly subscription for just $39.

CREDITS

Guest: Richard Baker

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Thom Lion

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Extra: Is There Really A Serial Killer In Byron Bay?

Sat, 16 Nov 2024 18:30:00 +0000

There's a serial killer on the loose in Byron Bay... allegedly.

People are starting to connect the dots between multiple cases of women going missing or being murdered in the Byron and New South Wales coastal areas, including women with their own first-hand encounters.

So how likely is it all these cases and run ins are linked? And what's the underlying lesson we can all take away from these experiences?

THE END BITS

Check out The Quicky Instagram here

Listen to True Crime Conversations here

Liked this episode? Listen to these:

Join the Month of MOVE
Get $30 off a Mamamia subscription and get unlimited access to our feel-good exercise app. Head here to get a yearly subscription for just $39.

GET IN TOUCH

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice note or email us at thequicky@mamamia.com.au

CREDITS

Host: Claire Murphy

With thanks to:

Laura Clare, Byron Bay local

Gemma Bath, Mamamia's News Editor & Host of True Crime Conversations

Executive Producer: Taylah Strano

Audio Producer: Tegan Sadler

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did America Just Execute An Innocent Man?

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 19:00:00 +0000

In 2001, Marcellus Williams was sentenced to death for the 1998 murder of reporter Felecia Gayle. After over two decades on Missouri’s death row, he was executed by lethal injection on September 24, 2024.

As time passed, doubts about his guilt grew. Marcellus’s defence team, the victim’s family, and even some jurors questioned his conviction. Despite this, the governor denied clemency, and the Supreme Court did not intervene.

One of the few people to interview Marcellus during his time on death row was Jack Laurence, a producer and podcast host, who believes the case against him was flawed. Laurence, like many others, feels the decision to execute Marcellus was a tragic mistake.

You can listen to Jack's interview with Marcellus Williams on his podcast One Minute Remaining here.

THE END BITS

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

Did you miss last week's episode? Listen to 'The Little Girl Murdered By The Man Around The Corner' here.

Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

CREDITS

Guest: Jack Laurence

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Thom Lion

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Extra: Meeting The Terrorist Who Killed My Son

Sat, 09 Nov 2024 18:30:00 +0000

James Foley’s death was unimaginable. He was a journalist held hostage by ISIS for two years in Syria and killed in 2014 as a threat to America. Footage of him wearing an orange jumpsuit, and forcibly reading a message before being beheaded was posted to Twitter. The media coverage of the event had the second most recognition in recent American history after 9/11. That was 10 years ago now.

His mother Diane Foley’s determination to understand her son’s fate led her to meeting with one of the men responsible.

This episode is about the profound impact of James’ life, he saw light in everything and everyone. His mother has been through the complexities of grace and empathy in the face of an unthinkable loss.

American Mother by Colum McCan with Diane Foley is available here.

Watch the documentary Jim: The James Foley Story on Amazon Prime or Apple TV.

You can donate to the James Foley Legacy Foundation here.

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CREDITS:

Host: Mia Freedman

You can find Mia on Instagram here and get her newsletter here.

Producers: Gia Moylan & Kimberley Braddish

Audio Producer: Leah Porges

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

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It Took 32 Years For Police To Find Kylie Maybury's Killer

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 18:30:00 +0000

In 1984, the body of six-year-old Kylie Maybury was found in a gutter in the early hours of the morning following Melbourne Cup Day.

So why did it take 32 years after her death for police to finally find her killer — a man with previous convictions for sexual assault and violence, who lived just around the corner?

Former Herald Sun journalist and true crime author Keith Moor has covered the case since the day Kylie's body was found. He has interviewed her grieving mother many times and considered her a friend. For the 40th anniversary of Kylie's death, Keith details this case.

You can read more about Keith and his work here.

This episode details the case of a child who was sexually assaulted and murdered. Please take that into consideration and listen with care. If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

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CREDITS

Guest: Keith Moor

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Thom Lion

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will The Menendez Brothers Be Released From Prison?

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 18:30:00 +0000

It’s August 1989, and a 911 call comes through from a Beverly Hills mansion on Elm Drive just before midnight. The call is from a hysterical Lyle Menendez, and you can hear his brother Erik crying in the background. The brother's parents, Jose and Kitty, are dead, shot a combined 16 times at close range while in their TV room. The crime scene is horrific.

At first, police suspect a Mafia or mob hit. But seven months later, it’s the brothers who are arrested for murder in a case that catapults them into worldwide infamy. Even 35 years later, we’re still discussing the Menendez brothers, asking why they killed their parents.

Robert Rand is an award-winning journalist who has been covering the Menendez brother's case since the day after the murders on August 21, 1989. He has a personal relationship with the brothers, speaking with them regularly. He helps us tell this story.

You can read his book The Menendez Murders here. You can watch The Menendez Brothers documentary on Netflix here.

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CREDITS

Guest: Robert Rand

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Thom Lion

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bonus: The Spill: The Best True Crime Documentaries Of All Time

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 19:00:00 +0000

True crime documentaries have always been a cornerstone of the pop culture world and with recent releases such as The Menendez Brothers documentary dropping on Netflix our appetite for these stories is at an all-time high.

So, we’ve brought in an expert whose job is hooked on watching every true crime documentary ever released and we’ve rounded up the best offerings out there, with true stories that will literally make your jaw drop.

And we haven’t forgotten about Weekend Watch! Today we have a new blockbuster with a sexy leading man to recommend to you, along with a new thriller you’ll want to binge this weekend.

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Find The Spill podcast on Instagram here.

Listen to more episodes of The Spill here.

Listen to The Spill episode: Liam Payne’s Life, Death And Complicated Legacy, here.

The Spill episode: The Comfort TV Shows You Need To Watch Immediately, listen here.

The Spill episode: A Brutally Honest Review of Nobody Wants This, listen here.

The Spill episode: A Brutally Honest Review of The Perfect Couple., listen here.

Listen to The Spill episode: A Brutally Honest Review Of Emily In Paris Season Four, here.

Subscribe to Mamamia

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Subscribe to The Spill Newsletter by clicking here.

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CREDITS

Hosts: Laura Brodnik & Em Vernem

Executive Producer: Kimberley Braddish

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Many Faces of Samantha Azzopardi: The Con Artist Who Just Won't Stop

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 18:00:00 +0000

It's October 2013, and two police officers in Dublin spot a distressed young girl outside the General Post Office. She’s crying and unable to speak, using her fingers to show she’s 14 years old. They take her to a nearby children’s hospital while trying to figure out who she is. Local media starts speculating about possible sex trafficking as interest in her case grows.

As a month goes by, police decide to release her photo to the public and are quickly flooded with calls from Australia. It turns out this isn’t a vulnerable 14-year-old girl in distress; the woman in the Dublin hospital bed is actually 25-year-old Samantha Azzopardi, a serial con artist. And as the years go by, this wouldn’t be the first alias she’s used to trick her victims.

Paula Bycroft from CJZ Productions is the Executive Producer of the Australian documentary series Con Girl, which details the life and crimes of Samantha Azzopardi. She helps us to tell this story.

You can watch Con Girl here. There’s also a Con Girl podcast series you can listen to here.

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Listen to the episode of No Filter about Samantha Azzopardi here.

Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

CREDITS

Guest: Paula Bycroft

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Thom Lion

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Judy Malinowski Testified At Her Own Murder Trial

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 18:00:00 +0000

At around 5pm on a hot August afternoon in 2015, a 911 call comes in about a fire at a service station in Columbus, Ohio. A man has poured two jerry cans of fuel over his partner, 31-year-old Judy Malinowski, and is watching as flames engulf her.

Judy is rushed to the hospital with 90 per cent of her body burned. Doctors warn her family that her chances of survival are slim, but against all odds, Judy survives. She endures severe ongoing pain and dozens of surgeries in the years that follow, dying two years after being set on fire. After she dies, she becomes the first person in history to testify at her own murder trial.

Director Patricia Gillespie seeks to honour Judy’s remarkable strength and raise awareness about domestic violence in her documentary, The Fire That Took Her. You can watch it here.

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Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

And if this episode has brought up anything for you or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

CREDITS

Guest: Patricia Gillespie

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Has The Long Island Serial Killer Finally Been Caught?

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 18:00:00 +0000

In the early hours of May 1, 2010, Shannan Gilbert called 911 from a Long Island house after working as an escort with a client she met on Craigslist. After seeking help from neighbours, she disappeared from the street before the police arrived.

Months later, extensive searches turned up no trace of the 23-year-old, but authorities discovered the bodies of four other young women, later known as “The Gilgo Four,” all escorts who found clients online.

Rex Heurmann has been charged with their murders, along with two others.

There are four more bodies found nearby, that detectives are still investigating. Shannan was also eventually found, but is her death linked?

True crime producer and investigative journalist Alexis Linkletter has extensively covered the case. You can listen to her podcast, Unravelled, here.

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Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

CREDITS

Guest: Alexis Linkletter

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Melbourne Mother Executed By Mistake

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 19:00:00 +0000

On an ordinary Melbourne afternoon in 1997, suburban mum of three Jane Thurgood-Dove pulled into her driveway with her kids in the back seat. As Jane got out of her car, a stolen Commodore pulled in behind her. A man with a gun chased her around the car and then shot Jane as her kids looked on in horror.

For years, police were convinced she was killed by a man with an obsession, but they were wrong. This murder of a young Melbourne mother is believed to be a devastating case of mistaken identity.

Australia’s longest-serving crime reporter, John Silvester, speaks with us today.

You can find John’s book Dark City here.

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Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

CREDITS

Guest: John Silvester

Host: Gemma Bath

Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Babysitter’s Deadly Obsession With The Girl Across The Road

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 19:00:00 +0000

When Rachel Barber failed to return home from dance practice one evening in 1999, her family reported her missing and launched a desperate search. They plastered Melbourne with over 2,000 posters, hoping for any news of her whereabouts.

After days of searching, their hopes shattered on day 12 when they learned Rachel had been murdered. Her killer was a 19-year-old former babysitter and family friend who had been consumed by jealousy and obsession with Rachel, stalking her for years.

Criminal court reporter Megan Norris co-wrote a book with Rachel’s mother, Elizabeth, titled Perfect Victim, detailing the families tragic loss and the details of the case.

You can find Megan’s book with Elizabeth Southall Perfect Victim here.

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CREDITS

Guest: Megan Norris

Host: Gemma Bath

Producers: Tahli Blackman & Christel Cornilsen

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cold Cases & Serial Killers: Inside The World Of A Famous Homicide Prosecutor

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 19:00:00 +0000

From solving cold-cases to putting multiple serial-killers behind bars, Matt Murphy is one of America’s top homicide prosecutors. Many of his cases are known as some of America’s biggest crimes that have made headlines worldwide, including the Dirty John case that became a global media phenomenon.

In this episode, we dive deep into the cold-case of Cathy Torrez that Matt successfully prosecuted, as well as what makes a serial killer different from a “one-off” murderer, and the dangers of online dating for women.

After never losing a homicide case and spending 17 years assigned to the Homicide Unit of Orange County, California, Matt has released his first book: THE BOOK OF MURDER: A Prosecutor’s Journey Through Love and Death, available here.

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Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

And if this episode has brought up anything for you or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

CREDITS

Guest: Matt Murphy

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producers: Liv Proud & Christel Cornilsen

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Murder That Broke A Detective

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 19:00:00 +0000

From domestic violence to murder, sexual assaults, and abuse against children, former Australian detective, Luke Taylor, has sadly seen it all.

But after struggling with his mental health from the job, one murder was the final catalyst for Luke's retirement: an attack on an unsuspecting nurse, killed by her very own family.

Luke Taylor has since founded Crime Story Australia, hosting workshops where school students recreate crime scenes to learn how to problem solve and analyse crimes.

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Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

And if this episode has brought up anything for you or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

CREDITS

Guest: Luke Taylor

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Christel Cornilsen

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

If you’re looking for something else to listen to why not check out our award winning parenting podcast How To Build A Human. Or click here to listen to the hosts of Mamamia Out Loud open up about creativity and how they stay inspired.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inside The Mind Of A Sexual Predator

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 19:00:00 +0000

Brent is a former police officer who has done extensive work investigating sex crimes, which led him to become one of Australia’s top experts on the methods and psychology of rapists.

For the last 30 years, he has dedicated his career to sex crime education, teaching over one million people about sex crimes and how to protect yourself from a dangerous situation.

When he's not teaching students, Brent hosts his own podcast, Crime Insiders. He's also the author of ‘How Dangerous Men Think: And How to Stay Safe for Life.’

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CREDITS

Guest: Brent Sanders – Former Policer Officer, Author, Educator

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Christel Cornilsen

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Cop Cover-Up Or A Killer Girlfriend: Is Karen Read Being Framed?

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 19:00:00 +0000

Ever since the mysterious death of Boston Policeman John O’Keefe, during a snowy night in 2022, the small town where he died has been divided. There are two very distinct camps. Was John killed by those at a house party, inside a house full of police and law enforcement, who then proceeded to cover up his murder? Or did his girlfriend Karen Read kill him with her car, before he even made it through the front door?

The case has since snowballed into an international debate fueled by both The Free Karen movement that's taken over TikTok and evidence that the defence claims points to a clear-cut police cover-up.

Executive Producer Jessica Lowther from The Law&Crime Network and producer of the podcast series ‘Karen’’ joins us to dissect the case.

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Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

You can watch Episode 1 of the Karen podcast by The Law&Crime Network and Wondery+ here.

CREDITS

Guest: Jessica Lowther from The Law&Crime Network and producer of podcast series 'Karen'

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Christel Cornilsen

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian Filmmakers Determined To Solve America’s Burger Chef Murders

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 19:00:00 +0000

The bodies of Danny, Jayne, Mark and Ruth were found two days after their final shift at Burger Chef in late 1978, 20 miles away in a rural field.

They’d been shot, stabbed and bashed - each of their murders telling its own devastating tale of the teenagers' last terrifying moments alive.

Their deaths shocked their small tight-knit community and now, 40 years later, two Australian filmmakers are searching for answers.

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Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

THE SPEEDWAY MURDERS is NOW available to buy and rent at home on Apple TV, Amazon, YouTube, Fetch and Foxtel. You can watch the trailer here.

And if this episode has brought up anything for you or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

CREDITS

Guest: Co-writers & co-directors of The Speedway Murders, Luke Rynderman and Adam Kamien

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Liv Proud

Audio Producer: Leah Porges

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mother And Daughter Murder Australia Forgot

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 19:00:00 +0000

In 1984, Margaret Tapp and her nine-year-old daughter Seana were found dead in their beds, still in their nightgowns.

The killer surely strangled Margaret first. It's inconceivable she would not have fought to save her little girl.

9-year-old Seana died the same way, except she was raped first.

Journalist and author of Life & Crimes, Andrew Rule covered the story when it first broke in the 1980s and now years later, he's adamant that reporters and police sometimes get it wrong - including him.

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Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

And if this episode has brought up anything for you or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

CREDITS

Guest: Journalist, podcaster and author of Life & Crimes, Andrew Rule

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Liv Proud

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three Months After Her Wedding, Anthea Bradshaw Was Murdered

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 19:00:00 +0000

In 1994, the body of 26-year-old Anthea Bradshaw was found on the floor of the apartment her husband Jeff Hall was living in just three months after their wedding day.

So why did it take four years after her death for Anthea's family to find out that her husband was not only an official suspect - but the only suspect - in her murder?

Nine Senior Reporter Ben Avery is on a mission to uncover what really happened to the Adelaide teacher, in a new podcast called The Anthea Bradshaw mystery.

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Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

Listen to Just Married: The Anthea Bradshaw Mystery here.

Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

And if this episode has brought up anything for you or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

CREDITS

Guest: 9News reporter and host of podcast Just Married: The Anthea Bradshaw Mystery, Ben Avery

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Liv Proud

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Real Story Behind The Attempted Assassination Of Donald Trump

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 18:45:00 +0000

Thomas Crooks managed to send eight bullets flying in 26 seconds, before he was shot dead by secret service agents.

He missed his target Donald Trump, but managed to draw blood - grazing the former president’s right ear with a bullet.

Now, as more details emerge, Host of ABC podcast If You're Listening? Matt Bevan joins us to delve into the details of the crime, the shooter, and the aftermath that we might have missed.

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Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

For more on Trump, the assassination attempt and the upcoming US election, listen to Mamamia's The Quicky podcast here and Mamamia Out Loud podcast here.

Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

And if this episode has brought up anything for you or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

CREDITS

Guest: Host of ABC podcast If You're Listening? Matt Bevan

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Liv Proud

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inside The Deadliest Police Shooting In Queensland History

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 19:00:00 +0000

On December 12, 2022, Constables Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold were killed in the line of duty.

A neighbour, Alan Dare, also died that day. As did the three people who were firing at them.

But there are still many unanswered questions from that night, which will be examined when an inquest gets underway at the end of this month.

9News presenter and host of podcast The Ultimate Sacrifice, Melissa Downes, joins us to discuss the deadliest shooting in Queensland Police history.

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Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

Listen to The Ultimate Sacrifice here.

Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

And if this episode has brought up anything for you or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

CREDITS

Guest: 9News presenter and host of podcast The Ultimate Sacrifice, Melissa Downes

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Liv Proud

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Affair, A Murder And A Cover-Up: Inside The Missing Campers Trial

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 19:00:00 +0000

The Wonnangatta Valley is the perfect place for anyone hiding a secret, or anyone who doesn’t want to be found. The perfect place to have an affair. But also, the perfect place to get away with murder.

Over the years, several people have gone missing there, never to be found again, and that very nearly happened to 74-year-old Russell Hill and 73-year-old Carol Clay.

But thanks to some careful police work, detectives were able to track down a man named Greg Lynn. And with his trial just concluded, the former Jetstar pilot is waiting to find out how long he’ll spend behind bars.

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Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

Read more about Sarah's research into how mental illness and personality disorder are handled more broadly by our public institutions here.

And if this episode has brought up anything for you or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

CREDITS

Guest: Award winning author Sarah Krasnostein

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Liv Proud

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah Everard And The Policeman She Should Have Been Able To Trust

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 19:00:00 +0000

In March 2021, Sarah Everard’s body was found in a stream in Kent, wrapped in a bag. The 33-year-old had been raped and murdered after being abducted off the street in London’s south.

But Sarah wasn’t dragged away kicking and screaming. She went willingly with her captor because - as a serving police officer - he pretended to arrested her.

We speak to LBC journalist Henry Riley to revisit this crime, the impact it had on us and the changes that have been made since.

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CREDITS

Guest: Henry Riley, LBC News Reporter

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Liv Proud

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How The Amish Wife’s Husband Got Away With Murder

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 19:00:00 +0000

When Ida Stutzman perished in a barn fire on a warm summer night in 1977, her husband Eli’s side of the story didn’t add up from the start.

But the Stutzmans were part of the Amish community. The very nature of their insular world meant the suspicious nature of Ida’s death went unspoken for many years. They rarely talk to outsiders, which is why author Greg Olsen had his work cut out for him when penning his latest book The Amish Wife.

But slowly, with the help of his researcher Robin Lassen, a story of cover-up, lies and an investigation that never stood a chance started to reveal itself.

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And if this episode has brought up anything for you or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

CREDITS

Guest: Robin Lassen - Researcher for The Amish Wife author Gregg Olsen

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Liv Proud

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hedley Thomas Is Searching For Bronwyn

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 19:00:00 +0000

The disappearance of Bronwyn Winfield was barely covered by the media in 1993.

It took 11 days for her husband Jon Winfield to report her as missing after that Sunday night. Very little was done in the way of a police investigation in those early days, in fact it would be years until her case was actually taken seriously.

A coronial inquest nearly a decade later determined that Bronwyn had likely been murdered. It went as far as recommending Jon be prosecuted - but that never happened.

Hedley Thomas's podcast The Teacher's Pet helped to solve the disappearance of missing mother Lynette Simms - formerly known as Lynette Dawson. Now, in his latest investigation, he's hopeful of getting some answers for Bronwyn’s family.

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Listen to The Australian's Bronwyn podcast here.

And if this episode has brought up anything for you or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

CREDITS

Guest: National Chief Correspondent of The Australian, Hedley Thomas

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Liv Proud

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How The Parents Of A School Shooter Ended Up Behind Bars

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 19:00:00 +0000

What a 15-year-old student unleashed on Oxford High School in 2021, didn’t just land himself in prison, he took his mother and father down with him.

Jennifer and James Crumbley became the first parents convicted in a US mass shooting, each receiving at least 10 years in prison.

Speaking with Sins of the Child podcast creators Jessica Lowther and Cooper Moll, we aim to unpick some of the most complex questions within this story about community, school responsibility and the role parents have in their children’s lives.

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Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

Read more about Sarah's research into how mental illness and personality disorder are handled more broadly by our public institutions here.

And if this episode has brought up anything for you or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

CREDITS

Guest: Creators of Sins of the Child Podcast, Jessica Lowther and Cooper Moll

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Liv Proud

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eurydice Dixon Was Just Walking Home

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 19:00:00 +0000

It’s been six years today since the rape and murder of 22-year-old comedian Eurydice Dixon as she was walking home in Melbourne. Six years since her boyfriend, Tony, and her family learnt the horrendous details of her death. Six years since Australia erupted with anger at the circumstances surrounding her murder.

Our guest Sarah Krasnostein is a criminal law expert and award-winning author of The Trauma Cleaner, The Believer and the Quarterly Essay Not Waving, Drowning: Mental Illness and Vulnerability in Australia.

Sarah joins us to discuss how the sentencing of Eurydice's killer Jaymes Todd unfolded and what needs to change to ensure women are safe on the streets.

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Find out more about Mamamia's charity partner RizeUp Australia here.

Read more about Sarah's research into how mental illness and personality disorder are handled more broadly by our public institutions here.

And if this episode has brought up anything for you or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

CREDITS

Guest: Award winning author Sarah Krasnostein

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan and Liv Proud

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Unravelling Of Jennifer Pan’s Double Life

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 19:00:00 +0000

As police arrive at an ordinary suburban home to find a mother dead, a father seriously injured, three people on the run and a terrified Jennifer Pan, they soon discover that something doesn't seem right.

Was the 24-year-old really the Olympic-caliber figure skater, award-winning pianist and straight-A student she had led her parents to believe? Or was she a high school drop out who had hired hitmen to brutally carry out their murder?

Ahead of a controversial retrial, House of Mystery Radio Show host and bestselling author Alan R. Warren unpacks the lies that lead to this fateful night in his book Deadly Betrayal: The True Story of Jennifer Pan, Daughter From Hell.

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CREDITS

Guest: Alan R.Warren - Bestselling Author and Host of the House of Mystery Radio Show

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Liv Proud

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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There Were 105 Bruises On Her Body

Wed, 29 May 2024 19:00:00 +0000

When Kirra-Lea McLoughlin died on a property near Gympie, Queensland, law enforcement and medical examiners were baffled.

Kirra’s former partner would claim she went to sleep after a fight and simply didn’t wake up. Family said there had been a party at the property the night before, but neighbours disputed that. Kirra’s body had 105 signs of bruising, and there was a 12 hour period where emergency services weren’t contacted about her rapidly declining state.

Former police officer Jamie Pultz met Kirra McLoughlin before her death. His podcast Beenham Valley Road investigates the case, talking to Kirra’s friends and family, and looking into the events leading up to and following her death.

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And if this episode has brought up anything for you or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

CREDITS

Guest: Jamie Pultz host of the Beenham Valley Road: The Kirra McLoughlin Story podcast

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jennifer & Jack Edwards Had Just Come Home From School

Wed, 22 May 2024 20:00:00 +0000

On July 5th, 2018 Jennifer and Jack Edwards were murdered in their home on Hull Street in the Sydney suburb of West Pennant Hills.

Their mother Olga Edwards returned from work that day to a wall of lights and sirens in front of her home. Police wouldn't let her inside, but she knew almost instantly who was responsible for whatever evil had happened inside her house. She knew there was only one reason police would be at her doorstep.

“It’s my husband,” she told police. “It’s my husband. We have the final court hearing in two weeks.”

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And if this episode has brought up anything for you or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

CREDITS

Guest: Sally Rawsthorne

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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Tara Did Everything 'Right'

Wed, 15 May 2024 19:00:00 +0000

Tara Costigan was murdered in 2015, one day after taking out a DVO on her ex-partner Marcus Rappel. The day he laid a finger on her was the day he murdered her. Before that the abuse had been verbal. Emotional.

Tara did everything ‘right’. She followed advice and took steps in the system designed to protect her, even though she was nervous about how he might react.

And then she died, in the most horrendous of ways, while cradling her one-week-old daughter. Her murder changed the fabric of Canberra and the conversation surrounding domestic violence.

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CREDITS

Guest: Heidi Lemon author of The First Time He Hit Her

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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Luke Just Wanted A Few Extra Minutes With His Dad

Wed, 08 May 2024 19:00:00 +0000

In 2014, 11-year-old Luke Batty was murdered by his father at Tyabb cricket ground on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.

The following year a coroner ruled that no one could have predicted that Luke would be killed by his father, but the inquest did point out several gaps in the family violence system in the lead-up to his death.

Ten years on, Luke's mother Rosie remains on the frontline campaigning for change.

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And if this episode has brought up anything for you or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

CREDITS

Guest: Rosie Batty

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Woman Counting Australia’s Murdered Women

Wed, 01 May 2024 19:00:00 +0000

This month, we’re doing things differently. Over the next few weeks well be revisiting stories from our archives to highlight crimes involving male violence against women in Australia because right now the rate at which we are losing women is alarming and terrifying.

But first, we wanted to talk to someone who lives and breathes violence against women every single day.

Sherele Moody is a journalist and the founder of The Red Heart Campaign and the Australian Femicide Watch. She has created a moving and chilling memorial online, that tracks every known Australian woman and child killed as a result of murder, manslaughter or neglect from white settlement to now.

Sherele joins us to discuss her work and what we can actually do to see change.

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Keep this conversation going: Over on our daily news podcast The Quicky we're exploring the next steps to stopping gendered-based violence. Hear what happens after the national rallies here.

CREDITS

Guest: Sherele Moody

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The News Snowtown Victims Families Have Been Dreading

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 19:00:00 +0000

In May 1999, two detectives followed a trail of suspicious missing persons cases to an old, red-brick bank in Snowtown, South Australia.

They’d come to realise they'd found the dumping grounds of Australia’s worst serial killings, crimes that would see four men sent to prison with lengthy sentences.

But now, 2 years later, two of these men could soon be eligible for release.

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CREDITS

Guest: Jeremy Pudney

You can find more info about his book Snowtown: The Bodies in Barrels Murders here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

The story is not the first time we've covered the Snowtown Murders. Hear our past episode with Debi Marshall here.

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

Tell us what you really think so we can give you more of what you really want. Fill out this survey and you’ll go in the running to win one of five $100 gift vouchers.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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A Triple Murder And A Broken System

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 19:00:00 +0000

In May 2016, police arrived at a farmhouse in Hillier, north of Adelaide. The scene that awaited them was horrifying beyond words.

Stephen Graham Peet had just murdered three people. The bodies of his girlfriend, Adeline Yvette Rigney-Wilson, and her two young children were inside.

But as his crimes unravelled in court, something became clear. Those two little kids shouldn’t have died. Their deaths, at least, were preventable. It was a series of failures from government agencies designed to protect them that actually, left them in the path of a killer.

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CREDITS

Guest: Sean Fewster

You can listen to his podcast Just Lawful here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

The story is not the first time we've covered systemic failures within domestic violence cases. If you found this episode interesting you might like to listen to one of these next:

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note, and one of our Podcast Producers will come back to you ASAP.

Tell us what you really think so we can give you more of what you really want. Fill out this survey and you’ll go in the running to win one of five $100 gift vouchers.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According To A Criminologist, Keli Lane Shouldn’t Be In Prison.

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 19:00:00 +0000

On September 12, 1996, Keli Lane gave birth to a baby girl at Auburn Hospital in western Sydney. Two days later that baby seemingly disappeared.

After years of investigation, Keli was convicted of her daughter's murder in 2010 and sentenced to 18 years behind bars. But did they get it wrong?

Keli Lane’s story has been compared to the wrongful conviction of Lindy Chamberlain. It’s been pulled apart and analysed for years.

So is she a baby killer? Or is she a woman, misunderstood.

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CREDITS

Guest: Xanthe Mallett

You can listen to her podcast Motive And Method here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Tell us what you really think so we can give you more of what you really want. Fill out this survey and you’ll go in the running to win one of five $100 gift vouchers.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dorothea Puente: The Serial Killer Granny

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 18:00:00 +0000

To the outside world, Dorothea Puente presented herself as a kind grandmotherly figure who cared for the disabled and vulnerable residents of her boarding house in downtown Sacramento. But behind closed doors, nothing was as it seemed…

Not only was she stealing the money of her tenant, but she was also a serial killer. Allegedly murdering up to nine people.

In today's episode, we explore the crimes of the ‘Death House landlady’ who even after she was convicted managed to win over people with her sweet, grandmotherly ruse.

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CREDITS

Guest: Genie Ortiz, author of The Corpse Collector: The True Story of Dorothea Puente

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Tell us what you really think so we can give you more of what you really want. Fill out this survey and you’ll go in the running to win one of five $100 gift vouchers.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Secrets On Death Row: America’s ‘Killer Clown’

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 18:00:00 +0000

John Wayne Gacy is one of the worst serial killers in American history, murdering at least 33 teenage boys and men in the late 1970s.

He was executed by lethal injection in 1994, but many are confident he killed even more victims than the ones he admitted to, and took plenty more secrets to the grave.

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CREDITS

Guest: Karen Conti. You can find out more about her book Killing Time With John Gacy here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Tell us what you really think so we can give you more of what you really want. Fill out this survey and you’ll go in the running to win one of five $100 gift vouchers.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inside The Rise & Fall Of Ruby Franke

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 18:00:00 +0000

Ruby Franke and her husband Kevin started posting their family online in 2015 under the pseudonym 8 Passengers. Things like birthday parties, grocery hauls, tips on getting toddlers to sleep through the night, and Sunday baking. It was an all-access pass inside their lives, and people loved it.

But over the years, the criticism grew about the way Ruby and Kevin were choosing to discipline their kids. Fast forward to 2024, and Ruby and her business partner Jodie Hildebrandt were both charged with aggravated child abuse against the YouTuber's youngest two children.

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CREDITS

Guest: Paula Barros & Jessica Lowther.

You can listen to Episode 1 of their podcast, The Rise And Fall Of Ruby Franke here.

Stay up to date with the latest updates about the Ruby Franke case with Mamamia's news podcast The Quicky.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Tell us what you really think so we can give you more of what you really want. Fill out this survey and you’ll go in the running to win one of five $100 gift vouchers.

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How A Perth Girl Ended Up In A Thai Prison

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 18:00:00 +0000

Holly Deane-Johns grew up in a wealthy area of Perth. When her family’s real estate business went bust, her mother started a successful escort agency to keep their lavish lifestyle intact. But her parent’s relationship was abusive, and when they finally split Holly’s mum met someone new that changed everything.

Simon was a heroin addict. Pretty soon her mother was too, and the family’s comfortable lifestyle collapsed as addiction took over. It didn’t take long for Holly and her siblings to also become reliant on heroin.

By the age of 20, Holly was in prison on drugs charges. By the age of 21 her mother had died of an overdose. But Holly’s hell was only just beginning.

In August 2000, she was arrested in Thailand on more drugs charges - except there, the ramifications were much, much more serious.

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CREDITS

Guest: Holly Deane-Johns. You can find out more about her book Holly's Hell: Seven Years in a Thai Prison here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scotland’s ‘Lynette Dawson’ Case

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 18:00:00 +0000

In April, 1998, Arlene Fraser disappeared from her home in Elgin, north-east Scotland.

On a seemingly normal Tuesday morning, the 33-year-old waved her two children off to school and was never seen again.

Arlene’s disappearance sparked the biggest missing person search in Scotland’s history. To this day her body has never been found.

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CREDITS

Guest: Dale Haslam host of Vanished: The Arlene Fraser Murder podcast.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘Sit Down & Shut Up. The Man In The Coffin Has Something To Say’

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 18:00:00 +0000

Bill Edgar is the world's only Coffin Confessor.

He attends people’s funerals, sits quietly amongst the mourners, and then at a time pre-determined by the deceased, he stands up and confesses.

Sometimes, it’s a shocking secret. Sometimes, it's their last wish.

What started as a favour for a friend, has turned into Bill's life calling. And as he’ll tell you, it’s not an easy job, but it’s worth it.

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CREDITS

Guest: Bill Edgar

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Australia’s ‘Bug Whisperer’ Solves Crimes

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 18:00:00 +0000

Insects never lie. And in Paola Magni’s job, she's the person who helps translate what these tiny little witnesses have to say to give justice to victims of crime.

Known as Australia’s ‘bug whisperer’, Paola is the global face of the specialist forensic science that uses insects and other small creatures to help solve murders, suspicious deaths and cold cases.

She joins us today to take us behind the scenes of forensic entomology.

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CREDITS

Guest: Paola Magni

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Escaping One Of Australia's Most Secretive Cults

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 18:00:00 +0000

Laura McConnell grew up in a fundamentalist sect with no name.

Along with no official title, the group also claims to have no registration around the world, no formal hierarchy, and no official places of worship.

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CREDITS

Guest: Laura McConnell

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet The Man Who Does 200 Autopsies A Year

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 18:00:00 +0000

Johan Duflou has seen a lot of dead bodies.

In his four decades as a forensic pathologist, he estimates he’s done about 200 autopsies a year. Sometimes the people on his table have been the victim of a crime. Sometimes they’ve simply died unexpectedly and he’s been tasked to find out why.

As he’ll tell you, the job is not like what you see in movies or on TV.

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CREDITS

Guest: Johan Duflou

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Come With Us Behind The Scenes Of Crime...

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 03:24:57 +0000

Mamamia’s True Crime Conversations is back for 2024, exploring the world’s most notorious crimes, by speaking to the people who know the most about them.

And over the next month we're taking you behind the scenes of crime, interviewing a forensic pathologist, a cult survivor, a forensic scientist who uses insects and other small creatures to help solve crimes, and the world’s first and only Coffin Confessor.

Hear True Crime Conversations’ Behind The Scenes Of Crime Special throughout February, right here on your favourite podcast app.

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CREDITS

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Her Abuser Behind Bars, Dassi Erlich Is Ready To Talk.

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 18:00:00 +0000

In 2023, Malka Leifer was sentenced to 15 years in prison for 18 counts of sexual abuse against Dassi Erlich and her little sister.

It took 70 extradition hearings and 13 years to bring her back to Australia. But finally last year, Dassi was able to breathe a sigh of relief. Leifer was finally going to pay for what she’d done.

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CREDITS

Guest: Dassi Erlich

You can find out more about her memoir In Bad Faith here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Thom Lion

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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The Complicated Crimes Of Gypsy Rose Blanchard

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 18:00:00 +0000

In 2016, Gypsy Rose Blanchard pled guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

She admitted to planning and orchestrating the stabbing death of her mother Dee Dee at the hands of her boyfriend Nick Godejohn, who was convicted of first-degree murder.

Nick remains behind bars, but in December 2023, Gypsy was released after serving eight years of her sentence.

This case is about more than just murder. It’s one of the most famous cases involving the alleged diagnosis of Munchausen by proxy - known nowadays as ‘Factitious disorder imposed on another’.

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CREDITS

Guest: M.J. Pack

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inside The Life Of An Australian Prison Guard

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 18:00:00 +0000

Stevie Munro is a Senior Correctional Officer with Moree Court Escort services, in charge of things like processing offenders who’ve just been arrested, and escorting them to and from court.

She deals with prisoners from all over Australia, and has seen it all. Kicking, screaming, lashing out, attempted suicide…

She is dealing with people during their most emotional times in prison. But as she will explain, her toughest days have nothing to do with the criminals themselves.

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CREDITS

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mamamia Investigates The Disappearance Of Peng Shuai: But Will She Ever Be Free?

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 18:00:00 +0000

This episode was originally published as part of Mamamia’s Extraordinary Stories podcast.

In the lead-up to the Beijing Winter Olympics, the world began to wonder how and if Peng Shuai would be used in the games, and whether the IOC was going to have anything to say to the Chinese Government about their silencing of the tennis star. So how did the Chinese propaganda juggernaut shift its attention to the global sporting stage? And what happens when the international community’s peak sporting body is accused of silencing a sexual assault survivor?

Plus, we investigate China’s Me Too movement. What does the story of Peng Shuai tell us about feminism in China?

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GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mamamia Investigates The Disappearance Of Peng Shuai: Proof Of Life

Sun, 07 Jan 2024 18:00:00 +0000

This episode was originally published as part of Mamamia’s Extraordinary Stories podcast.

For three long weeks in November 2021, the tennis community, news organisations and human rights advocates the world over had one question; Where Is Peng Shuai? In the aftermath of a Weibo post detailing allegations of sexual assault against one of China’s top political figures, concerns for Peng Shuai's freedom were escalating swiftly. Then suddenly, proof of life. On this episode, we’ll learn more about the Chinese propaganda machine, and how it’s working to convince the world of Peng Shuai's safety, whilst censoring her story.

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GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mamamia Investigates The Disappearance Of Peng Shuai: The Tennis Star Who Vanished

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 18:00:00 +0000

This episode was originally published as part of Mamamia’s Extraordinary Stories podcast.

It was after 10 pm, on November 2nd, 2021 when 35-year-old Peng Shuai - China’s beloved global tennis star - sat down and began typing. Truncated sentences of an open letter, detailing an affair and sexual assault involving one of China’s highest-ranking political figures, would go on to rock the international community. It took only a few minutes before the post had amassed thousands of shares, likes, and comments. But within half an hour, it vanished. And moments later, so too did Peng Shuai.

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GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mamamia Investigates Belle Gibson: Reckoning & Reinvention

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 18:00:00 +0000

This episode was originally published as part of Mamamia’s Extraordinary Stories podcast.

Belle Gibson spent years lying about her health. From those early skater chatroom claims that she had died on the operating table during heart surgery, to a terminal brain cancer diagnosis, and finally, revelations that cancer had spread through her entire body. She had built a business out of peddling her strategy for treating that cancer; with food. She said it was curing her, and could (for a small fee) cure you, too. But in March 2015, everything came undone, and it wasn't only Belle's followers who wanted answers. The police did too.

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GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mamamia Investigates Belle Gibson: The Email No One Wanted To Believe

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 18:00:00 +0000

This episode was originally published as part of Mamamia’s Extraordinary Stories podcast.

Belle Gibson was travelling to Queensland for a funeral when she was first contacted by Melbourne newspaper, The Age. Reporters were seeking clarification. They wanted to know exactly how much of the money that Belle was making was going to charity. By 2015, The Whole Pantry had become a hugely successful app, blog and book. Belle had always publicly pledged that a sizeable chunk of the money it was making was being redistributed to charities and various worthy causes, but was that true? In this episode of Extraordinary Stories, we’ll learn how it all came crashing down for the so-called 'Wellness Warrior,' Belle Gibson, and how a woman who once provided hope for some of the nation's most vulnerable people, exploited them for cash and clout.

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GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mamamia Investigates Belle Gibson: From Teen Mum To Internet Infamy

Sun, 24 Dec 2023 18:00:00 +0000

This episode was originally published as part of Mamamia’s Extraordinary Stories podcast.

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GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Adelaide Schoolgirl Taken From Her Bed

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 18:00:00 +0000

On a summer evening in January 1983, 10-year-old Louise Bell went missing from her bedroom in Adelaide's Hackham West.

It would take 30 years, and advances in DNA technology, to find out who was responsible for the disappearance of Louise Bell.

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Supporting audio supplied by ABC South Australia.

CREDITS

Guest: Candice Prosser

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Murdaugh Murders

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 18:00:00 +0000

The Murdaughs were one of South Carolina's most prominent legal families for nearly a century. They were so influential in the area, that locals nicknamed the county they practised in ‘Murdaugh country.’

But in 2019 a fatal boating accident put the family under a microscope, and what was uncovered about the Murdaughs over the next four years is almost too shocking to believe.

This story is complicated. You’re about to hear about the deaths of five people in South Carolina, all with ties to the Murdough family.

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CREDITS

Guest: Michael DeWitt, author of The Fall of the House of Murdaugh

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inside The Mind Of The Hoddle Street Killer

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 18:00:00 +0000

On a Sunday night in August 1987, 18-year-old Julian Knight unleashed terror on the streets of Melbourne.

It was just after 9:30pm when the recently discharged army cadet opened fire on innocent civilians, murdering seven people and seriously injuring 19 more.

After the incident, a group of psychologists were tasked with analysing Knight to try to understand the motivations of such a callous, unprovoked attack. Our guest today was part of that team.

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CREDITS

Guest: Tim Watson-Munro

Tim's joined us before to discuss black widow killers and also his career as a criminal psychologist.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Baby In The Mailbag

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 18:00:00 +0000

In May 1965 a horrific discovery was made at a Darwin post office.

A package carrying the remains of a newborn baby boy had been sent there from the Russell Street post office in Melbourne. The sender and the intended recipient were unable to be identified at the time.

Now, almost 60 years later, there are new leads in the case. Finally, after all this time, detectives might be on the precipice of solving this cold case.

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If you have any details about this case, you can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or on their website.

CREDITS

Guest: Meni Caroutas, Host of The Missing Podcast

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shanelle Dawson: Coming To Terms With The Teacher's Pet

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 18:00:00 +0000

The murder of Lynette Dawson was a crime that unravelled in real-time via a podcast called The Teacher’s Pet in 2018. It was a groundbreaking investigation. One that forced police to re-investigate things they’d filed away as unimportant decades prior.

Shanelle Dawson, Lynette's daughter, had already pieced together the truth before investigative journalist Hedley Thomas came knocking. But his podcast helped put her father behind bars.

Since then, Shanelle has released her own story, in her own words via a memoir called My Mother’s Eyes. On this episode of True Crime Conversations, she joins Mamamia's Mia Freedman to give incredible insight into what it’s like to grow up with a father who did an unthinkable crime, and spent years lying to her about it.

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You can hear our recent episode with Hedley Thomas, looking behind the scenes of making The Teacher's Pet podcast here.

CREDITS

Guest: Shanelle Dawson

Interviewer: Mia Freedman

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Forgotten Victims Of Malcolm Naden

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 18:00:00 +0000

Malcolm Naden was once Australia's most wanted man.

The prime suspect for the murder of his neighbour, as well as in the disappearance and suspected murder of his cousin, Naden was on the run from 2005 until 2012.

Today’s guest, Dimity Clancey, followed this story as it unfolded and was the journalist who first acquired and published Naden’s confession in 2016.

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CREDITS

Guest: Dimity Clancey. You can watch her award-winning coverage of Malcolm Naden's confession here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Most Famous Poisoning Murder You’ve Never Heard Of

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 18:00:00 +0000

On New Year’s Eve, 1927, Ethel Griggs and her baby daughter Alwyn returned home to Victoria after six months away in Tasmania.

After eating supper with her husband Ethel quickly became ill, and just over 48 hours later she was pronounced dead.

At first, it was thought to be heart trouble or even sea sickness that caused her death, but when police exhumed her body just two weeks after Ethel was laid to rest, they found enough arsenic inside her stomach to kill not just Ethel, but several people.

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CREDITS

Guest: Michael Adams, host of the Forgotten Australia podcast and author of The Murder Squad. You can listen to his past episode with us about The Murder Squad here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inside Australia's Most Infamous Prison

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 18:00:00 +0000

For more than a century, Australia's infamous Pentridge Prison was an ominous presence just 30 minutes away from Melbourne’s CBD.

A place of murder and mayhem, it was home to Victoria’s worst criminals. Everyone from Ned Kelly and Chopper Read, to mass murderers Julian Knight and Craig Minogue.

Pentridge officially closed in 1997 after decades of controversy. Over the years, everybody in Victoria had an understanding that Pentridge was a bad place, and the criminals who spent time inside can attest to that. They describe it as hell.

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CREDITS

Guest: James Phelps, author of Australia's Most Infamous Jail: Inside the walls of Pentridge Prison

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Six Deaths. One Uncomfortable Truth.

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 21:38:05 +0000

Over the last two years, Indigenous Affairs Reporter Douglas Smith and his team have been looking into the deaths of six Indigenous women, from three different states across Australia.

Each case occurred in different jurisdictions, involving different individuals, but the investigation conducted by Doug's team uncovered a commonality that is impossible to ignore.

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CREDITS

Guest: Douglas Smith host of the Dying Rose podcast.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hunting The Kimberley Killer

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 18:00:00 +0000

In June 1987, Australia's top end lost it's innocence.

The murders of five tourists across the Northern Territory and Western Australia marred the reputation of this idyllic tourist region, sparking fear in locals and visitors alike.

These horrific events sparked one of the biggest manhunts in Australian history and saw today's guest, Former WA Police Inspector Bob Brown, on the front lines of the hunt for Josef Thomas Schwab: ‘The Kimberley Killer’

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If you have any details about this case, you can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or on their website.

CREDITS

Guest: Former WA Police Inspector Bob Brown

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Journalist To Witness: Inside The Teacher's Pet Podcast

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 19:00:00 +0000

In 2018, Hedley Thomas’ podcast The Teacher's Pet captivated millions of listeners around the world as he unravelled the disappearance of Lynette Simms in real time, week by week.

Throughout his meticulous investigation more evidence and information came to light, leading to the arrest of Lyn's former husband Chris Dawson.

In 2022, Hedley found himself a witness in Dawson's high-profle murder trial. He joins us today to discuss the podcast that landed Hedley in the courtroom, and Dawson behind bars.

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If you have any details about this case, you can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or on their website.

CREDITS

Guest: Hedley Thomas, host of The Teacher's Pet podcast and author of the newly published book of the same name.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wrongful Conviction of Evaristo Salas

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 18:00:00 +0000

Evaristo Salas Junior was just 16 when he was sent to an adult men’s prison convicted of the murder of Jose Arreola in 1995.

But in the nearly three decades since his conviction, the evidence has been re-examined in great detail. Cracks, lies and omissions have been uncovered by journalists and documentary makers alike, leading to Evaristo's exoneration and release in August of this year.

So how did this happen? How did the justice system fail him so monumentally, and why did it take so long to get him out?

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If you have any details about this case, you can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or on their website.

CREDITS

Guest: Jack Lawrence, host of the One Minute Remaining podcast.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Disappearance Of Rhianna Barreau

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 19:00:00 +0000

In October 1992, 12-year-old Rhianna Barreau disappeared.

On the day she went missing it was school holidays, and Rhianna had spent the morning wandering to the local shops to buy her American pen pal a Christmas card. When her mother got home at 4pm, expecting to find Rhianna, she was nowhere to be found.

It's one of South Australia's most enduring cold cases. Her disappearance didn’t just change the lives of her family, it changed her community and the streets of Adelaide forever.

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If you have any details about this case, you can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or on their website.

CREDITS

Guest: Rebecca Brice

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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Australia’s Biggest Terror Campaign You’ve Never Heard About

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 19:00:00 +0000

In September 1988 a campaign of terror was unleashed upon Perth’s Chinese community through a series of targeted firebombings that decimated a number of restaurants around the city.

The motive behind the attacks was impossible to ignore, but it would take a drastic escalation of violence for WA police to start taking the firebombs seriously.

Once they finally started to piece the crimes together and close in on the culprits, police realised they’d happened upon a plot in the making that was a lot more sinister than the destroying of restaurants.

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CREDITS

Guest: Alex Mann and Crispian Chan

You can listen to their podcast Firebomb here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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Australia's Dark History Of Forced Adoptions

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 19:00:00 +0000

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CREDITS

Guest: Amelia Oberhardt

You can listen to her podcast Secrets We Keep here.

Host: Claire Murphy

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Murder Squad

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 19:00:00 +0000

In Australia in the 1920s a 'murder wave' gripped the country, as the desperation of The Great Depression rippled through society.

Cases like The Human Glove, The Hammer Horror, The Park Demon, The Bungendore Bones, and most famously The Pyjama Girl, were splashed across tabloid headlines. At the same time a new age of methods and technologies were being rolled out to help investigate crimes that would've previously gone unsolved.

In NSW there was an elite group of hardened and cunning detectives who were tasked with solving all these crimes. They became known as The Murder Squad.

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CREDITS

Guest: Michael Adams

You can find out more about his book The Murder Squad here.

Host: Claire Murphy

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inside The Trial Of Lucy Letby

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 19:00:00 +0000

Last week, 33-year-old nurse Lucy Letby was found guilty of murdering seven newborns, and attempting to kill six others who were under her care in 2015 and 2016.

During her time in the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital in northwestern England, her colleagues noticed a significant rise in the number of babies dying and suffering serious collapses in the unit.

Police and medical experts were called in for a large-scale investigation and discovered one common factor linking these occurrences: Lucy Letby.

She's only the fourth woman in UK history to receive a whole-life sentence, earning her the title of Britain’s worst modern day child serial killer.

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CREDITS

Guest: Caroline Cheetham

You can listen to her podcast The Trial Of Lucy Letby here.

Host: Claire Murphy

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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Karen Bell Escaped Her Husband, But She Couldn’t Save Her Children

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 19:00:00 +0000

Karen Bell met Gary Poxon in 1993. She was 17, he was 29.

By 2008, the pair were living in an isolated farmhouse in Pericoe with their three children - Maddie, Jack and Bon. Their 15 year long relationship was filled with emotional and physical abuse, with multiple AVOs taken out against Gary to protect Karen. He faced charges more than once for assaulting her, but he'd never once hurt their kids.

They were his trump card. Every time Karen tried to leave Gary he would withhold them. 'You can go,' he would tell her, 'but the kids stay with me.' It was an impossible position.

Eventually Karen fled, fearing for her life if she stayed. It would be the last time she ever saw her children alive.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Megan Norris

You can find out more details about her book Look What You Made Me Do here.

Host: Claire Murphy

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Assistant Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘Look What You Made Me Do’: The Murder Of Mimi Acar

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 19:00:00 +0000

What little kid doesn’t want their Dad to take them to the shop and get them a kinder surprise?

That’s what Ramazan Acar told his ex partner Rachelle D’Argent in November 2010, when he turned up at her Melbourne home, breaking yet another intervention order that she had taken out against him. He just wanted to take his daughter to the little shop down the road and get her a treat.

But Yazmina Acar would never return from that trip with her dad. Angry and upset over his perception that he was being wronged by his ex, Acar took the innocent little girl, just a few days shy of her third birthday, and ran. What happened next will haunt Rachelle for the rest of her life.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Megan Norris

You can find out more details about her book Look What You Made Me Do here.

Host: Claire Murphy

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Assistant Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Just by reading our articles or listening to our podcasts, you’re helping to fund girls in schools in some of the most disadvantaged countries in the world - through our partnership with Room to Read. We’re currently funding 300 girls in school every day and our aim is to get to 1,000. Find out more about Mamamia at mamamia.com.au

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Murder On The West Gate Bridge: The Story Of Darcey Freeman

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 19:00:00 +0000

In January 2009, Darcey Freeman’s father, Arthur Freeman, was driving her to her first day of school when he acted out of revenge. He threw his four-year-old daughter off Melbourne’s 58-metre-high West Gate Bridge. Darcey’s mother, Peta Barnes never got the chance to say goodbye to her only daughter.

Today, we are joined by Megan Norris, the author of Look What You Made Me Do: Fathers Who Kill, to examine Peta’s story and how the system placed blame on everyone but the aggressive and abusive father.

THE END BITS

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If you have any details about this case, you can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or on their website.

CREDITS

Guest: Megan Norris

You can find out more details about her book Look What You Made Me Do here.

Host: Claire Murphy

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Assistant Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fathers Who Kill: The Revenge Murder Of Kelly East

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 19:00:00 +0000

You can listen to our first-hand interview with Michelle Steck here.

In 1993, Michelle Steck lost her daughter Kelly at the hands of her former partner Kevin East. It was an horrific act classified as retaliatory filicide, when domestic violence perpetrators use their children to get back at their partners who dare to leave them.

Today we're joined by Megan Norris, the author of Look What You Made Me Do: Fathers Who Kill, to examine Michelle's story and the systemic failures that left a vulnerable little girl at the mercy of her violent and abusive father.

THE END BITS

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If you have any details about this case, you can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or on their website.

CREDITS

Guest: Megan Norris

You can find out more details about her book Look What You Made Me Do here.

Host: Claire Murphy

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Assistant Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Cold Case Still Haunting Australia’s Cape York

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 19:00:00 +0000

When Bevin and Brad Simmons went missing off the coast of the Cape York Peninsula in 2003, a massive air, land and sea search was launched to find the pair.

The operation covered a huge area but in the days and weeks that followed, no evidence was found. Not their boat, not a body, not even a piece of fishing gear that may have floated away if they'd capsized.

To this day, the final resting place of Bevin and Brad is unknown. But the story uncovered during the investigation - of an ongoing turf war between two rival fishing families, that seemingly took a fatal turn - would eventually lead to charges being laid.

THE END BITS

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If you have any details about this case, you can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or on their website.

CREDITS

Guest: Justine A Rosenthal

You can watch the Stan original documentary, The Cape here.

Host: Claire Murphy

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Assistant Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The McCulkin Murders

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 19:00:00 +0000

The notorious Whisky Au Go Go nightclub fire in Brisbane in 1973 left behind questions that remain unanswered to this day.

Who was really behind it, who was there that night, why did 15 people have to die and did it go beyond just criminal activity to include corrupt police too?

But the deaths of 15 people that night wouldn’t be the only ones linked to the blaze.

When the McCulkins, 34 year old Barbara, 13 year old Vicky and 11 year old Leanne went missing in 1974, the investigation into their disappearance would find very little.

But a confession from another criminal many years later, would send two men to jail and again cause the convictions around the Whiskey Au Go Go fire to be questioned.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Matthew Condon

You can hear his podcast Ghost Gate Rd here.

Host: Claire Murphy

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Assistant Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Murders In The Nightclub: Inside Queensland's Worst Firebombing Incident

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 19:00:00 +0000

The Whisky Au Go Go Fire is just as much a mystery today as it was in the hours after the tragedy that took the lives of 15 people in Fortitude Valley on March 8th 1973.

Police would start a major investigation that would drag in some of Brisbane’s most well known criminals, gangsters, bosses and violent offenders who had spent time together in jails over decades, creating networks and ties that spread down the coast into Sydney.

But the investigation would also expose police and political corruption, with a group of officers, who were on the take from those very criminals, potentially using this fire to help some club owners cash in.

Was it meant to escalate as it did? Were those 15 people meant to be victims or were they just in the wrong place at the wrong time with an arson attack that went far more successfully than the perpetrators planned?

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Matthew Condon

You can hear his podcast Ghost Gate Rd here.

Host: Claire Murphy

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Assistant Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Check out our TikTok here.

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prison Guard Who Fell In Love With An Inmate

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 19:00:00 +0000

In 1992, career criminal Peter Gibb met prison guard Heather Parker while serving a 12-year sentence at the Melbourne Remand Centre. Heather claimed she didn’t notice Peter at first, but she quickly became smitten and their relationship developed from flirtatious to physical.

When their affair was exposed Heather was immediately transferred, with communication between the two forbidden. But they couldn’t be stopped, and with the help of another inmate acting as their middleman, the pair hatched a plan to break Peter out of prison. Their escape sparked one of Australia's largest criminal pursuits and saw Heather and Peter dubbed Australia’s Bonnie and Clyde.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Megan Norris

Host: Claire Murphy

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Assistant Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Surviving The Butcher Of Bega

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 19:00:00 +0000

You can listen to our interview with a second victim or Dr Reeves here.

In the later months of 1995, 28-year-old Jayne Mansfield found herself in need of an obstetrician. She was pregnant with her first baby and, as most first-time mums do, she put her trust in the medical professional her GP had referred her to - a doctor named Graeme Reeves at The Hills Hospital in Sydney’s Baulkham Hills.

Throughout her pregnancy care, Jayne felt there was something not quite right about her doctor, but it wasn’t anything specific, nothing she could really put her finger on. And as far as she knew she was receiving expert care… who was she to question the methods of a doctor with the relevant qualifications and over a decade of experience?

In 1996, Jayne delivered her bouncing baby boy, and the unnerving memories of her obstetrician’s strange behaviours quickly disappeared in the busy haze of new parenthood. It would be years before she saw his face again, this time it was on the TV during the news, the words The Butcher Of Bega emblazoned under his image.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Jayne Mansfield

Host: Claire Murphy

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Guest Booking: Cassie Merritt

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Butcher Of Bega

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 19:00:00 +0000

Listen to our interview with a survivor of the Butcher Of Bega here.

In 2011 gynaecologist Graeme Stephen Reeves was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm on one of his patients. A case that was just one of many allegations of heinous offences against his female patients, that dated back nearly two decades.

Claims of assaults, molestation and mutilation plagued his career from the 90s, and in 1997 the NSW medical board banning Reeves from practising obstetrics. Despite that, he took a job in 2001 as a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist for the Greater Southern Area Health Service, working unregistered in Bega and Pambula.

When he was finally struck off the medical register in 2004, a trail of traumatised women were left in his wake, most too embarrassed or mortified to tell their stories. But the ones that did pushed for reform, so that no other women would ever go through what they had.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Margaret Cunneen

Host: Claire Murphy

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Producer & Guest Booking: Cassie Merritt

Audio Producer: Scott Stronach

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Abuse, Fraud & Control: Unravelling Hillsong

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 19:00:00 +0000

Pentecostalism has been practised in Australia since the 1920s. But it wasn’t until husband and wife team Brian and Bobby Houston launched Hillsong church in 1983 that Pentecostal Christianity really began to surge in popularity.

From its humble beginnings in Sydney’s Baulkham Hills, by 2018 Hillsong had 80 branches in 21 countries. But after a spectacular and meteoric rise to international popularity, over the last several years Hillsong has been dogged by controversy. Allegations of fraud, coercive control, and abuse eroding its stronghold on Pentecostal believers.

But what’s life actually like inside this megachurch? And what next for the followers who've been left disillusioned.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Marc Fennell

You can watch his documentary The Kingdom on SBS On Demand.

Host & Producer: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Where Does Kathleen Folbigg Go From Here?

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 19:00:00 +0000

Earlier this week, in an historic decision, the NSW attorney general made the extraordinary announcement that Kathleen Folbigg had been granted a pardon after 20 years in prison.

In 2003, Kathleen was sentenced to thirty years for the murders of three of her children and the manslaughter of a fourth. And while she always maintained her innocence, it wasn’t until a second inquiry into Kathleen's convictions, that new scientific developments led to revelations that three of her children could have died of natural causes.

As the dust settles from this week’s announcement, attention has turned to understanding the failures that put her in jail, the scientific advancements that freed her, and quashing her convictions once and for all.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Dr Xanthe Mallett

The latest episode of her podcast, Motive & Method, saw Xanthe and her cohost interview Kathleen's best friend Tracy Chapman. Listen here.

Host & Producer: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Tegan Sadler

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After 20 Years In Prison, Kathleen Folbigg Has Been Pardoned

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 02:07:14 +0000

After 20 years behind bars, Kathleen Folbigg has been pardoned, and released from prison.

A landmark inquiry saw NSW’s top prosecutor accept there was reasonable doubt about her convictions over the deaths of her four children.

If you’re not aware or Kathleen’s story, you’re about to hear our episode with investigative journalist Jane Hansen who unpacked the forensic evidence that was to be examined in the inquiry. The evidence that has now led to Kathleen Folbigg’s freedom...

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

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The Disappearance Of Gordana Kotevski

Wed, 31 May 2023 19:00:00 +0000

In November, 1994, 16-year-old Gordana Kotevski was abducted while walking home from a local shopping centre in the Newcastle suburb of Charlestown.

Gordana was just moments from her aunt's front door when she was dragged into a white Toyota Hilux by two men, and never seen again.

Her loved ones have spent years since her kidnapping in an unrelenting search for answers. But despite wide scale police searches and multiple eye-witness accounts, as well as ongoing public appeals and rewards, Gordana’s body has never been found.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Amelia Saw

Host & Producer: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s Most Wanted Father & Son

Wed, 24 May 2023 19:00:00 +0000

Listen to part two of this conversation with Nino, here.

In the mid 90s, the Stoccos seemed like any other Aussie family. A mum and dad, Connie and Gino, and their two teenage kids, Mark and Christina.

But in 1997, the breakdown of this seemingly happy family marked the beginning of a dark new chapter for Gino of crime and violence. It was a path he wouldn’t walk alone though, as little by little, Gino’s son Mark, would join him in his offending. What started as stolen groceries or a fall out with an employer would manifest into serious lawlessness. The likes of which would see the pair listed amongst Australia’s most wanted criminals.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guests: Nino Bucci, author of The Stoccos: Like Father, Like Son

Host & Producer: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wrongful Conviction That Divided New Zealand

Wed, 17 May 2023 19:00:00 +0000

The murders of Harvey and Jeannette Crewe in June 1970 were labelled the death of innocence in New Zealand, and would go on to become one of the country’s most infamous cold cases.

In the immediate aftermath, a man named Arthur Allan Thomas was found guilty of the crime. His fate sealed by a piece of evidence so compelling that a jury had no doubt he was the killer. A piece of evidence that years later would be revealed to have been planted.

Thomas was granted a royal pardon after serving nine years in prison. But the question of who really killed Harvey and Jeannette Crewe remains to this day.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guests: Kirsty Johnson & James Hollings

Host & Producer: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘I Was Stalked For 3 Years’: Nicole Madigan’s Story

Wed, 10 May 2023 20:36:37 +0000

The phenomenon of stalking is as prolific as it is insidious. The breadth of quiet suffering perpetrators calculate and inflict on their subjects often leads to victims being completely unable to identify what’s happening to them, and to seek help.

Journalist Nicole Madigan was stalked by a woman she barely knew for three years. Her experience led her to investigate the power, fixation and control that drives stalkers, and the havoc they wreak on the lives of their victims.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Nicole Madigan

You can learn more about her new book Obsession here.

Host & Producer: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Black Widow Of Adelaide

Wed, 03 May 2023 19:06:27 +0000

Michelle Burgess is one of Australia’s most infamous ‘black widows’ - a term given to female psychopaths who either kill or organise other men to kill other men.

In 2001, Michelle plotted two murders. The targets were her husband Darren, and a woman named Carolyn Matthews - a mother of three whose husband Kevin had become involved in an affair with Michelle.

While Michelle & Kevin would only see through one half of this twisted plan before they were stopped, they would eventually be served with two of the longest non-parole periods in South Australia's history.

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CREDITS

Guests: Dr Xanthe Mallett & Tim Watson-Munro

Listen to their new podcast Motive & Method here.

Host & Producer: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Clifftop Murder Of Janet Fisicaro

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 19:00:00 +0000

In 2010, 52-year-old Des Campbell was found guilty of murdering his wife Janet Fisicaro. The pair had only been married six months when they embarked on a camping trip in the Royal National Park, south of Sydney. A trip that sadly only Des would survive.

Initially he would tell police that Janet had fallen from a 50-metre cliff, but investigators would soon come to realise that the 49-year-old hadn’t fallen at all… she’d been pushed.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Ian W. Shaw

You can hear his previous episode of True Crime Conversations about Melbourne's Brownout Strangler here.

Host & Producer: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Life In Prison With No Parole: The Man Who Killed Karen Chetcuti

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 19:00:00 +0000

In January 2016, 49-year-old Karen Chetcuti was viscously attacked on her property in Whorouly, a rural town in north-eastern Victoria.

What happened to Karen at the hands of her neighbour, Michael Cardamone, was described as so unfeeling, so excessive and sadistically executed that those prosecuting him worked to make sure that Michael would never walk freely amongst the community again.

The Chetcuti family’s lawyer, John Suta, joins us today to discuss the investigation and legal proceedings that eventually saw Karen's killer put behind bars for the rest of his life.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: John Suta

Host: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Frankston Murders: Why A Serial Killer Could Walk Free

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 19:00:00 +0000

In the early 1990s, 21-year-old Paul Denyer terrorised the Victorian suburb of Frankston. He preyed on the local women; stalking, abducting and eventually murdering three young victims.

Their names were Elizabeth Stevens, Deborah Fream and Natalie Russell.

But after three decades behind bars, a parole board in Victoria must now consider an application to free the man behind what became known as the Frankston Murders.

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CREDITS

Guest: Vikki Petraitis

You can listen to her podcast The Frankston Murders here.

Host: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Rhiannon Mooney & Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The South Australian Woman Who Turned To Stone

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 19:00:00 +0000

In 1951, the discovery of a petrified female body in the raging floodwaters of the Murray River triggered an investigation that spanned multiple Australian states. And while evidence suggested foul play, the truth of her identity and what really happened to her would remain a mystery, with the death of a vital witness in the aftermath of the discovery leaving the case cold.

But seven decades on, investigative documentary filmmaker and author Peter Butt believes he’s uncovered new information. And that the facts laid out in his new book The Petrified Woman could be key in exhuming the unnamed woman and solving this mystery once and for all. He joins us today.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Host: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Junior Producer: Cassie Merritt

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Moment That Could’ve Saved Gabby Petito

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 18:00:00 +0000

In August 2021, Gabby Petito went missing while on holiday with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie. The pair were six weeks into a four month trip across the United States.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Sarah Abo

You can watch the 60 Minutes coverage of this case here.

Learn more about the Gabby Petito Foundation here.

Host: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Producer: Cassie Merritt

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fake Identities, Kidnapping & Murder: Uncovering The True Identity Of Sharon Marshall

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 19:09:14 +0000

In April 1990, a 21-year-old woman was found dead on the side of a highway in Oklahoma City.

The investigation into her death, which initially seemed like a straight forward hit-and-run, would lead police to uncover a violent trail of lies, abuse, false identities, kidnapping and murder, spanning multiple decades.

Journalist Matt Birkbeck, our guest today, spent two decades researching this case and played an integral role in uncovering the woman's true identity.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Matt Birkbeck

Matt's research into Suzanne Sevakis' case is detailed in two books, A Beautiful Child & Finding Sharon as well as the Netflix documentary The Girl In The Picture. The documentary includes interviews with Megan Dufrense, the woman who was eventually identified as Suzanne's biological daughter, who was put up for adoption in 1989.

Host: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Producer: Cassie Merritt

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Secret History Of Catholic Orphanages

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 18:00:00 +0000

Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, impoverished populations within urban areas were struggling to keep up with the rising number of abandoned children. And with little support or infrastructure in the way of social and government services, the responsibility to house these children fell largely on local parishes.

The image of these grand manors, large estates surrounded by manicured lawns, of a safe space for innocent children could not have been further from the truth of what was occurring behind closed doors.

It would take several decades before the atrocities that unfolded within these church-led homes would begin to come to light, thanks to the bravery of those willing to share their accounts of abuse, and remarkable survival.

Journalist Christine Kenneally, our guest today, extensively investigated the secret horrors hidden deep within Catholic orphanages, in the US and here in Australia, until as recently as the 60s and 70s.

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CREDITS

Guest: Christine Kenneally

You can find out more about her book Ghosts Of The Orphanage here.

Host: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Producer: Cassie Merritt

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Cruise Ship Death Of Dianne Brimble

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 18:00:00 +0000

On the 23rd of September 2002, Dianne Brimble stepped aboard what should have been a ten-day cruise through New Caledonia and Vanuatu with her family. But within less than 24 hours, Dianne was found unconscious, in a strangers room.

The cabin belonged to four men, travelling as part of a bigger group of eight. The Adelaide Eight, as they’d soon become known. A group of young men ready to indulge in the vices of the infamous party cruise industry.

The death of Dianne Brimble exposed a dangerous culture on board these ships, but the mystery surrounding her final hours would lead to a search for answers for the better part of a decade.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Geesche Jacobsen

You can find out more about her book Abandoned here.

Host: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Junior Producer: Cassie Merritt

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ‘Child Bride’ Who Brought Down Australia’s Biggest Doomsday Cult

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 18:00:00 +0000

William Kamm is the self-proclaimed Messiah behind Australia’s biggest doomsday cult.

After the inception of The Order of St Charbel in the late 1980s, Kamm spun of web of lies, peddling end of the world prophecies to coerce his trusted flock into subservience, with the promise of salvation.

But when a young girl’s diary surfaced, the true horrors of life inside the community were revealed. A life of strict hierarchy, coercive control, and abuse. All hidden from the outside world.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Megan Norris

You can find out more about her book The Messiah's Bride here.

Host: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Producer: Cassie Merritt

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Just by reading or listening to our content, you’re helping to fund girls in schools in some of the most disadvantaged countries in the world - through our partnership with Room to Read. We’re currently funding 300 girls in school every day and our aim is to get to 1,000. Find out more about Mamamia at mamamia.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Deal With The Devil To Find Matthew Leveson

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 18:00:00 +0000

In September 2007, after a night out on Sydney’s iconic Oxford Street, 20-year-old Matthew Leveson went missing.

Although police investigated his disappearance at the time, it would be a decade before they finally uncovered his body.

His 43-year-old boyfriend, Michael Atkins, was the last person to see Matt alive. His aversion to telling the truth about that night would torment Mathew’s family, see a murder acquittal, a coronial inquisition, and an historic immunity deal.

CREDITS

Guest: Grace Tobin

You can find out more about her book Deal With The Devil here.

Host: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Producer: Cassie Merritt

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet The Woman Who Caught The Mornington Monster

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 18:00:00 +0000

Today’s episode is about one of Victoria’s most disturbing cases of familicide.

The death of Anna Kemp & her daughter Gracie at the hands of John Sharpe, the husband and father who’s crimes would see him branded ‘The Mornington Monster’.

Our guest, Narelle Fraser, is a former Victorian Police officer, whose discoveries were instrumental in solving the case and bringing John to justice. She joins us to discuss this shocking case, and her role in finding out what happened to Anna & Gracie.

CREDITS

Guest: Narelle Fraser

You can listen to her podcast Narelle Fraser Interviews here.

You can find tickets to her live show in Victoria on the 25th of February 2023 here.

Host: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Producer: Cassie Merritt

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inside The Mind Of Australia’s Most Perverted Killer

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 18:00:00 +0000

In 1969 Derek Percy was arrested for the brutal killing of 12 year old Yvonne Tuohy.

While he was held responsible for that crime, a string of unsolved heinous child murders in the 60s bear chilling resemblance to that violent crime that put him behind bars.

But Derek Percy never confessed to, nor was he convicted of the crimes he’s strongly suspected of having committed. He died in custody in 2013 as Victoria's longest serving prisoner, taking to the grave all his secrets. Depriving families of the closure they’d spent decades longing for.

Alan Whiticker, our guest today, spent 4 years researching Percy trying to fill in the blanks that Derek never would.

CREDITS

Guest: Alan Whiticker, the author of Derek Percy: Australian Psycho

Host: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Junior Producer: Cassie Merritt

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Re-Opening The Closed Case Of Sandrine Jourdan

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 18:00:00 +0000

Sandrine Jourdan vanished from a Queensland property in July 2012. A coroner would eventually rule her death a probable suicide. But her body has never been found, and while most in her life have concluded Sandrine is probably dead, many suspect she may have met with foul play.

Among them is retired detective-turned-private investigator Graeme Crowley who's been investigating the case for the Bring Home Sandrine podcast. He joins us today.

CREDITS

Guest: Graeme Crowley

Host: Emma Gillespie

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve Got Some News

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 19:00:00 +0000

Our host Gemma Bath is taking a short break, while she's on maternity leave a familiar voice will be stepping in to keep the mic warm...

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Daniella Was 15 When She Escaped A Cult

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 18:00:00 +0000

Daniella Mestyanek Young was born into the Children Of God religious cult. Her childhood was lived out behind the tall gates of a commune in Brazil, where the children were subjected to physical, emotional, and sexual abuse masked as religious discipline and divine love.

At fifteen years old, she escaped. But the effects of what she experienced have had lasting impacts.

CREDITS

Guest: Daniella Mestyanek Young

You can find out more details about her book Uncultured here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gary Jubelin’s Life As A Homicide Detective

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 18:00:00 +0000

After 34 years in the police and 25 years in homicide, it was former Detective Inspector Gary Jubelin’s job to catch killers. He worked on some of the biggest criminal cases in Australia, including the Lindt Cafe siege, the Bowraville murders, and the gruesome killing of drug dealer Terry Falconer.

But it was the case of William Tyrrell that would cost Gary his career. In 2020, he was convicted for illegally recording four conversations with a person of interest in that investigation. Overnight, he was taken off a case he’d spent four years searching for answers on. And now, many in his old career refuse to associate with him.

So instead, he’s been befriending criminals who’ve done their time. Hardened ones…. the ones he used to be tasked with locking up. He wants to understand badness from the other side, to unpack what makes a human do evil things.

He joins Gemma Bath today to talk about that journey.

CREDITS

Guest: Gary Jubelin

You can find out more about his new book Badness here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crime Through The Eyes Of A Psychic Detective

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 18:00:00 +0000

Debbie Malone is used to sceptics. She’s been brushed aside, turned away, and sworn at by people who say she’s a liar. That she’s making things up.

You see, Debbie is a psychic. For the past 30 years, she’s been using her abilities to help police investigate murders and find missing people, working on everything from the Ivan Milat backpacker killings, the disappearance of Bob Chappell, and the murder of six-year-old Keisha Weippeart.

Debbie's worked with some of the most highly respected police officers and departments in the country, helping them make sense of clues, find murder scenes and burial sites, and provide context as to how and where someone died, often, through the eyes of the killer themselves.

CREDITS

Guest: Debbie Malone

You can find out more about Debbie's books here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet The Woman Who Cleans Up Crime Scenes

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 18:00:00 +0000

Lee Iordanidis has been cleaning crime scenes for over thirty years. Her job has her brushing up against things most of us couldn't even imagine in our worst nightmares, and on a rare occasion, it even had her coming face to face with the person responsible for the crime scene she was cleaning.

It's a job not many of us would choose for ourselves, but if it weren't for Lee many families would be left to clean up their loved one's remains alone.

This is a True Crime Conversation that's stuck with us ever since we hung up the phone with Lee and it's one of the most surprising episodes we've ever made.

CREDITS

Guest: Lee Iordanidis

You can watch The Cleaner - the TV show based loosely on Lee's line of work - exclusively on BritBox

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inside The Mind Of A Criminal Psychologist

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 18:00:00 +0000

Tim Watson Munro has sat across from the worst of the worst.

Rapists. Terrorists. Mass murderers.

Tim’s a psychologist, who started his career in the prison system as the resident psych at Parramatta jail, before turning to the private sector - where he mainly worked for defence lawyers defending alleged crooks.

He’s assessed everyone from Julian Knight, the man responsible for the Hoddle Street massacre, to members of The Family, a so-called doomsday cult.

But it’s a job that took its toll over the years, as he absorbed the horrors his clients had both experienced and perpetrated on others. And as he discovered over the course of his career, it’s hard to get out the other side unscathed, when you’ve been dancing with other people’s demons.

CREDITS

Guest: Tim Watson-Munro

You can find out more about his books Dancing With Demons and Shrink In The Clink here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Catching Sydney’s North Shore Rapist

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 18:00:00 +0000

Graham James Kay is known in the media as The North Shore Rapist. In the 1990s he terrorised the suburbs of Balgowlah, Artarmon, Epping, Eastwood, and Wollstonecraft with victims ranging in age from 16 to 39.

Today's guest, Craig Goozee, was one of the officers that brought Graham to justice in 1996. He joins us to discuss the operation that saw The North Shore Rapist put behind bars and the criminal justice system that saw a repeat offender back out on our streets in 2015.

CREDITS

Guest: Craig Goozee

You can hear his podcast Conviction - The Craig Goozee Story here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Missing To Matricide: Inside Melbourne’s Society Murders

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 18:00:00 +0000

In April 2002, millionaire socialite Margaret Wales-King and her husband Paul King disappeared after a dinner at her son Matthew's house in Melbourne. Less than a month later their bodies were found in a shallow grave just outside the city and it didn't take long for police to piece together what had happened.

On this week's episode we're joined by barrister Hilary Bonney & former detective Charlie Bezzina to take you through this case that captivated Australia.

CREDITS

You can find out more about Hilary's book The Society Murders here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Disappearance Of Olivia Newton-John’s Lover

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 18:00:00 +0000

On June 30, 2005, Korean American cameraman Patrick McDermott went missing from an overnight fishing trip off the coast of Los Angeles.

Initial investigations proved difficult with no other passengers or crew members having noticed his disappearance, but when the media realised that the missing man was also the on-again off-again boyfriend of superstar Olivia Newton-John, a whirlwind of speculation began.

Did Patrick fall overboard? Was he murdered? Did he take his own life? Or, as has been rumoured for the past 17 years, did he fake his own death to start a completely new life?

CREDITS

Guest: Poppy Damon

You can listen to her podcast Casefile Presents: Pseudocide here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Cafe Recruiting For One Of Australia’s Most Sinister Cults

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 18:00:00 +0000

The Twelve Tribes are a Christian fundamentalist sect with followers all around the world, from Germany to America and even here in Australia.

Their cafes in Katoomba and Picton have rave reviews but behind these storefronts is a community masked in secrecy and disturbing allegations.

Journalist Tim Elliot has spent over a decade investigating their practices. He joins us on today's episode to discuss what he's uncovered.

CREDITS

Guest: Tim Elliot

You can listen to his podcast Inside The Tribe here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 93 Victims Of Samuel Little

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 18:00:00 +0000

Samuel Little is known as the 'most prolific serial killer in US history'. It's believed he murdered more than 90 women over the course of almost four decades before he was finally caught in 2005.

In today's episode, journalist Jillian Lauren takes us through Sam's crimes and victims, as well as the unconventional relationship they developed while she was researching his case.

CREDITS

Guest: Jillian Lauren

You can watch her documentary Confronting A Serial Killer here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Australia’s Worst Female Serial Killer Innocent?

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 18:00:00 +0000

Kathleen Folbigg has been described as 'Australia’s worst female serial killer' and 'Australia’s most hated woman'... but what if she never actually committed the crimes she was convicted of.

In 2003 she was found guilty of three counts of murder and one count of manslaughter over the deaths of her four children, but now over 150 world-renowned scientists are petitioning for Kathleen's release, with a fresh inquiry underway this week reexamining the evidence of the case.

CREDITS

Guest: Jane Hansen

Listen to Jane's podcast Mother's Guilt here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mysterious Deaths Of Dr Bogle and Mrs Chandler

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 18:00:00 +0000

In the early hours of New Year’s Day, 1963, the body of a man and woman were discovered on the banks of Lane Cove River in Sydney. They were half naked and arranged bizarrely a few metres apart, but there was no obvious sign of injury.

The pair were quickly identified as Dr Gilbert Bogle and Mrs Margaret Chandler, and while their deaths became front page news for years to come their cause of death remained a mystery for decades.

CREDITS

Guest: Peter Butt

Listen to Peter's podcast Who Killed Dr Bogle & Mrs Chandler? here.

Or you can read his book of the same name. Find out more here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Murder In The Goldfields With Caroline Overington

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 18:00:00 +0000

On March 19, 2015, Ray and Jennie Kehlet went fossicking with their friend Graham in the goldfields outside Sandstone, WA.

A week later when police came across their campsite they found half-empty coffee cups, dirty dishes, and clothes still hanging on a makeshift clothesline. But they couldn't find Ray & Jennie.

The couple's disappearance sparked the biggest and most expensive search in WA history at the time. To this day police and their families are still searching for answers.

(Please note there is some breathing audible in this episode. It's our guest's dog. We did our best to stop the issue during the interview, as well as fix it in the editing stage, but ultimately we decided to air the episode as we wanted to give airtime to this important story instead of having to abandon the interview. )

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CREDITS

Guest: Caroline Overington

You can watch Murder In The Goldfields here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 'Love Triangle' And A Death Sentence

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 18:00:00 +0000

In February 2009, 26-year-old Heather Strong went missing. She stopped turning up to her waitressing job at a diner in Florida and stopped contacting her family.

Her estranged husband said she'd left the kids with him and was taking some time to herself to figure things out, but their abusive relationship left people questioning his version of events. And when police started to investigate, it wasn't just Heather's husband who became their prime suspect. His girlfriend Emilia, who was eight months pregnant with his child, was also interrogated for answers.

What they uncovered was a crime so horrible, it saw Emilia become the youngest Florida woman to be sentenced to death, for a crime she now says she had nothing to do with.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Jack Laurence

You can hear his podcast One Minute Remaining here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wanda Beach Murders

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 18:00:00 +0000

On an overcast January day in 1965, teenagers Marianne Schmidt and Christine Sharrock went missing in the sand hills of Wanda Beach.

What happened to them remains one of Australia’s most infamous unsolved murders, despite more than 14-thousand interviews, and 5-thousand suspects.

Today we're joined by author Alan J Whiticker to discuss how the case unfolded and the one suspect who hasn't been ruled out

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Alan J Whiticker

You can find out more about his book WANDA here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'The Most Violent Woman In Sydney'

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 18:00:00 +0000

Iris Webber was no stranger to the inside of a police cell. Labelled a 1920s gangster and the ‘most violent woman in Sydney’ in the history books, she lived during a time in our history when male homosexuality was criminalised and lesbianism was admonished.

Married to two men during her short life, Iris was also in relationships with women. Something the police were well aware of. Her rap sheet between the years of 1932 and 1937 alone was extensive. She was charged with everything from murder and attempted murder to assault, illegal busking, illegally selling alcohol, indecent language….the list goes on.

Today we go beyond the headlines and delve into the life and crimes of a queer girl gangster who rose to notoriety on the streets of Sydney, nearly 100 years ago.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Fiona Kelly McGregor

You can find out more about her book Iris here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Where Is Theo Hayez?

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 18:00:00 +0000

In the early hours of Saturday, June 1st, 2019, 18-year-old backpacker Theo Hayez disappeared from the streets of Byron Bay.

He'd been in Australia for six and a half months and was due to head home to Belgium in a matter of days. But Theo never checked out of his hostel.

This is a missing person case that stopped Australia in its tracks. One that attracted a $500, 000 reward for information. A story that to this day, four years later, has left so many questions, unanswered.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Ken Gamble

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finding Jill Meagher’s Murderer

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 19:00:00 +0000

On Friday September 21, 2012, Jill Meagher went out for celebratory drinks with her colleagues at ABC Melbourne. That night she didn't make it home.

It's been 10 years and what happened to Jill continues to haunt the women of Australia, as they do something as simple, as walking home alone.

In this episode, Gemma Bath is joined by journalist and author Megan Norris to discuss the investigation that brought Jill's killer to justice.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Megan Norris

You can find out more about her new book Out Of The Ashes here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UPDATE: Tasmania’s Most Controversial Murder Conviction

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 19:00:00 +0000

In the last week you might’ve seen the news that Sue Neil Fraser, who was found guilty of murdering her partner Bob Chappell aboard their yacht in Tasmania in 2009, has been granted parole.

Sue’s expected to leave prison within weeks, after serving more than 13 years behind bars. Up until now, she’d always maintained her innocence and her supporters insisted she wouldn’t apply for parole.

In light of this new information, this week we’re revisiting our conversation with true crime author Robin Bowles about the murder of Bob Chappell.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Robin Bowles, author of Death On The Derwent & Collateral Damage.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrea Yates & The Unspeakable Side Of Post Partem Psychosis

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 19:00:00 +0000

On the morning of June 20, 2001, Andrea Yates took the lives of her five children in her home in Houston, Texas.

After struggling with mental illness throughout her life, it was the birth of Andrea's children that saw her pushed to breaking point.

Today we explore how and why this unspeakable tragedy occurred.

THE END BITS

Crimes of the Century - Andrea Yates - S01E03

CREDITS

Guest: Dr Sohom Das

You can hear more of his analysis of criminal cases on his YouTube channel - A Psych for Sore Minds

Host: Rebecca Davis

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

SUPPORTING AUDIO

Crimes That Changed Us - Andrea Yates

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gary Jubelin Used To Catch Criminals, Now He Befriends Them

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 19:30:00 +0000

He joins Gemma Bath today to talk about that journey.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Gary Jubelin

You can find out more about his new book Badness here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s Most Notorious Bank Robber

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 19:00:00 +0000

In the late 1990s Brenden Abbott was notorious around Australia.

Known as 'The Postcard Bandit', he was the most wanted man in the country after escaping prison not once but twice. While on the run it's estimated he robbed up to 30 banks, making off with $5 million.

Today Gemma Bath's joined by journalist Derek Pedley as well as Brenden's former lawyer Chris Nyst to discuss Abbott's life and crimes.

THE END BITS

Australian Outlaw: The True Story Of Postcard Bandit Brenden Abbott

CREDITS

Guests: Derek Pedley & Chris Nyst

Millen by Chris Nyst

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Drug Smuggling Grannies

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 19:00:00 +0000

In 1977, retirees Vera Hays and Florice Bessire were offered a trip of a lifetime. All they had to do was drive a motorhome from Germany to India for Vera's nephew. What they didn't know was that there'd be two tonnes of hashish hidden in the vehicle.

Journalist and author Sandi Logan joins Gemma this week to tell us how two American women who unwittingly became Australia's 'Drug Grannies'.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Sandi Logan

You can find Sandi's book Betrayed here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Melbourne’s First Terror Attack

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 19:00:00 +0000

On March 27, 1986, Constable Angela Taylor was standing in front of the Russell Street Police Headquarters complex in Melbourne when a car bomb was detonated, injuring dozens of people.

She was the sole fatality from the attack and the first female police officer to be murdered in Australia in the line of duty, at the age of just 21.

It was a crime that terrified the country. An act of pure evil by a gang of criminals with a hatred for authority.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Vikki Petraitis

You can find Vikki's new book The Unbelieved here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inside Australia's Most Elaborate Diamond Heist

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 19:00:00 +0000

In the 1980s, up to $50 million of Argyle Pink Diamonds were smuggled out of one of the world’s most secure mines, seemingly without anyone noticing.

The gems were dispersed from Western Australia around the world to Hong Kong, New York and Switzerland with only a few ever recovered.

Journalist Sinead Mangan joins Gemma Bath this week to discuss her investigation into this previously unsolved case.

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CREDITS

Guest: Sinead Mangan

You can hear Sinead's full investigation of this case, including first-hand interviews with those closest to the case in her podcast EXPANSE: Pink Diamond Heist

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Solving The Somerton Man Mystery

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 19:00:00 +0000

After 74 years, Australia’s most baffling mystery has finally been solved.

When the body of a man was found slumped on Adelaide's Somerton Beach in 1948, with no clear identity and no clear cause of death, it set off an investigation that spawned curiosity, concern, and conspiracy theories.

But after decades of following leads, The University of Adelaide’s professor Derek Abbott and US forensic genealogist Colleen Fitzpatrick finally have a name.

Colleen joins Gemma today to discuss their findings.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Colleen Fitzpatrick & Fiona Ellis-Jones

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Kingsgrove Slasher

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 20:00:00 +0000

From 1956 to 1959, Sydney's southern suburbs were terrorized by a knife-wielding menace known as The Kingsgrove Slasher.

He made 18 attacks over that three-year period, with his victims ranging from grown women to a little girl only two years old.

It's a case that over the decades has fallen through the cracks of history, until now.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Glen Humphries, author of Night Terrors: The True Story of the Kingsgrove Slasher

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tasmania’s Most Controversial Murder Conviction

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 19:00:00 +0000

On the night of January 26, 2009, Bob Chappell disappeared from his yacht in Tasmania's Derwent Estuary. Police were alerted to trouble when the boat was seen sinking the next morning.

When they examined the scene there were signs of foul play... but no sign of Bob.

His partner Sue Neill-Fraser would soon become the prime suspect in Chappell's disappearance. But was her conviction sound?

Crime author Robin Bowles joins Gemma this week to discuss why many of Australia's leading legal minds have said her conviction is `the greatest miscarriage of justice since Lindy Chamberlain'.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Robin Bowles, author of Death On The Derwent & Collateral Damage which is available in store now.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Melbourne’s Brownout Strangler

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 20:00:00 +0000

In 1942, the streets of Melbourne were dim and eery. To assist with World War II efforts, the city was complying with a 'brownout' order, similar to a blackout but less severe.

This low lighting was the backdrop for a series of murders committed by Edward Joseph Leonski, a 'smiling psychopath' who became known as The Brownout Strangler.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Ian W. Shaw, author of Murder at Dusk

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Unsolved Mystery Of Sharron Phillips

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 19:00:00 +0000

In 1986, 20-year-old Sharron Phillips disappeared from the side of the road in Wacol, Brisbane. She used a payphone to make two calls to a friend after running out of petrol, but by the time he arrived she was nowhere to be found.

Those calls were the last time anyone ever heard from Sharron. And her disappearance remained a mystery for 30 years until a deathbed confession changed everything.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Kate Kyriakou

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Kidnapping Of Eight-Year-Old Graeme Thorne

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 19:00:00 +0000

On July 7, 1960, eight-year-old Graeme Thorne went missing from the corner store near his family's Bondi home. It was five weeks after his parents, Bazil and Freda, had won a massive $100,000 in an Opera House lottery.

His disappearance was the country's first well-known kidnap for ransom, and would lead to the biggest manhunt in Australia’s history.

In this episode, Gemma Bath is joined by Mark Tedeschi QC to discuss how the case unfolded and why it's imprinted in the Australian psyche.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Mark Tedeschi QC

You can read more about his work on this case in his book Kidnapped.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UPDATE: Ghislaine Maxwell Sentenced For Sex Trafficking Crimes

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 02:28:20 +0000

News has come through overnight that Ghislaine Maxwell has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for sex trafficking.

From 1994 to 2004, Ghislaine Maxwell conspired with her late partner Jeffrey Epstein to recruit, groom, and sexually assault underage girls.

In this episode, Gemma Bath takes you through the early years of Ghislaine Maxwell, the power that the men in her life held, and the trial that would convict her as a criminal.

THE END BITS

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

CREDITS

Guest: Nigel Cawthorne

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Doomsday Cult And Two Missing Kids

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 20:00:00 +0000

In November 2019, police conducted a welfare check on seven-year-old JJ Vallow. He hadn't been seen since September, and police will come to realise that neither had his teenage sister Tylee.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Leah Sottile, author of When The Moon Turns To Blood

And host of the Two Minutes Past Nine and Bundyville podcasts.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

QLD’s Most Crooked Cops

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 19:00:00 +0000

From the late 1950s through to the late 80s, the streets of Queensland were dominated by a trio of crooked cops known as The Rat Pack. They ran a complex system of bribery and extortion as they pocketed the profits of local sex workers for decades.

In this episode, Gemma Bath is joined by investigative journalist Matt Condon to discuss their operation and the women who had the courage to bring them down.

THE END BITS

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CREDITS

Guest: Matt Condon, the host of DIG - Sirens Are Coming

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Leah Porges and Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Family Court Murders

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 19:00:00 +0000

Want to hear more about the Family Court Bomber? Find our extra True Crime Conversations episode here.

From 1980 to 1985 Sydney was ravaged by a domestic terror crime spree that became known across Australia as The Family Court Murders.

All of the attacks - including four murders, two shootings, and five bombings - were carried out by a man who was motivated by a drawn-out custody battle with his ex-wife.

In this episode, investigative journalist Debi Marshall discusses how he managed to avoid prosecution for decades, and how he was eventually brought to justice.

THE END BITS

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

CREDITS

Guest: Debi Marshall

You can watch Debi's four-part series on the Family Court Murders here.

And you can read her book The Family Court Murders here.

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Day In The Life Of A Crime Scene Cleaner

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 19:00:00 +0000

Lee Iordanidis gets a phone call.

“Hi Darlin, how are you? How you feeling?”

She asks the person on the other end of the line.

It’s compassion first, always, and then she gets down to business.

She’s been flown to New Zealand, Germany, England. Not to mention right across Australia. There’s only four individuals with her expertise in this country and she’s in hot demand.

That’s because she’s doing a job most people would run away from. A job that has her brushing up against maggots, rats, flies and human decomposition that seeps its way through carpet, floorboards and down into the cement below.

Nothing ever shocks her. She’s seen it all.

But as Lee will tell you, you never get used to the smell of death - even, as a crime scene cleaner.

THE END BITS

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

CREDITS

Guest: Lee Iordanidis

You can watch The Cleaner - the TV show based loosely on Lee's line of work - exclusively on BritBox

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ghislaine Maxwell: From Favourite Child To Child Trafficker

Wed, 25 May 2022 20:36:01 +0000

The name Ghislaine Maxwell is synonymous with one of the most notorious child trafficking crimes the world has ever known.

From 1994 to 2004, Ghislaine Maxwell conspired with her late partner Jeffrey Epstein to recruit, groom and sexually assault underage girls.

But how did the favourite child of 10 grow up to be someone the world knows as a monster?

Join Gemma Bath as she takes you through the early years for Ghislaine Maxwell, the power that the men in her life held and the trial that would convict her as a criminal.

THE END BITS

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

CREDITS

Guests: Nigel Cawthorne

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Madeline Joannou

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Assassination Of Robert Maxwell

Wed, 18 May 2022 19:00:00 +0000

It’s 4:45am on the 5th of November 1991 and English media mogul Robert Maxwell is aboard his $35 million dollar yacht, the Lady Ghislaine, cruising through water off the Canary Islands in Spain. He’s on the phone with a crew member.

"The temperature is now too cold. Turn the air-conditioning off," he says gruffly down the line from his luxurious master suite.

He’d only called 20 minutes earlier complaining it was too hot…and “could they turn the air-conditioning up??”

They’re the last conversations Maxwell - one of the richest men in the world at the time - is known to have had.

At 5:25pm later that day, the 68-year-old’s naked body is found floating in the Atlantic. And his family, employees, and the police are left to discover the hundreds of millions he’s been stealing from his own staff.

To this day, his death remains mysterious.

Did he kill himself, aware that his fraudulent finances would soon be revealed?

Was it just an awful accident? A slip off the side under the cover of darkness.

Or was it murder? A cold-blooded assassination to cover up a top-secret double life as a superspy for one of the largest espionage agencies in the Western world.

THE END BITS

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

CREDITS

Guests: Martin Dillon

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mosman Collar Bomb

Wed, 11 May 2022 19:00:00 +0000

It’s about 2pm on a crisp Wednesday afternoon in August 2011, and 18-year-old Madeleine Pulver is in her family’s three-story waterfront mansion in the glitzy Sydney suburb of Mosman. She’s studying for her HSC trials, the practice run before the final exams for Year 12s in the state of NSW.

The house is quiet today. Her two younger brothers are at school and her older brother is away. Her dad Bill, head of a multi-million-dollar global software company, is in his city office and her mum Belinda is out consulting with her landscape gardening company. Madeleine’s home alone.

Suddenly, the silence is broken by a man wearing a rainbow ski mask carrying a baseball bat, who bursts into the room.

“Sit down and no one needs to get hurt,” he tells her.

The masked man pulls out a black box that’s being held up by what looks like a bike chain, which he fastens around her throat.

After locking it, he places a lanyard holding a USB stick and two pages of demands around her neck. Then he walks away. But not before he tells a terrified Madeleine to count to 200.

“I’ll be back…” he warns. “If you move…. I can see you…. I’ll be right here.”

THE END BITS

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

CREDITS

Guests: Gil Taylor & Mark Morri

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Rhiannon Mooney

GET IN TOUCH:

Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Widow Of Walcha

Wed, 04 May 2022 19:00:00 +0000

It’s just after 2am on an icy, winter morning in 2017. Frost glistens on the paddocks of Pandora, a sprawling property in country NSW owned by local grazier Mathew Dunbar.

The old homestead on the outskirts of the town of Walcha, five hours drive north of Sydney, sits on 1200 acres on Thunderbolts Way.

On this Wednesday morning, Mathew’s girlfriend Natasha Darcy is leaning over him in the bedroom, panicked, as a triple-zero operator guides her through chest compressions.

Distressed, Natasha tells the operator: “He’s warm.”

“Is he awake?” They ask.

“No.”

“Is he breathing?”

“No.”

“And you found him like that?”

“Yes.”

Blue and red lights flash through the windows as paramedics arrive, rush into the bedroom, and take over CPR.

By 2:44am, 42-year-old Mathew is declared dead. And it doesn’t take long for police to declare the homestead a crime scene.

CREDITS

Guest: Journalist Emma Partridge, author of The Widow Of Walcha

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Rhiannon Mooney

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand’s Most Controversial Disappearance

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 19:00:00 +0000

It’s New Year’s Eve, 1997, and 17-year-old Olivia Hope is getting ready for a party at Furneaux Lodge, a beautiful old residence that sits at the head of one of the bays and coves that make up The Marlborough Sounds. A picturesque holiday spot on the northern end of New Zealand’s south island where the bush meets the sea.

The lodge is only accessible by boat, so Olivia, her older sister, and their friends have booked a chartered yacht called Tamarack that will deliver them to the celebrations after an afternoon basking in the sun.

Furneaux is the place to be on New Years and the local teenagers are getting ready to dance away the night with 15-hundred other partygoers.

Over in Punga Cove, just across the inlet, Ben Smart is partying the afternoon away with mates. He too has plans to join the fun at Furneaux and hitches a ride over on a boat as the party gets started.

But what happens to Ben and Olivia after the clock strikes midnight, will become one of the most high-profile and hotly contested murder investigations New Zealand has ever seen.

CREDITS

Guest: Journalist Mike White

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Rhiannon Mooney

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Murder of Allison Baden-Clay

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 19:00:00 +0000

It’s the early hours of Friday, April 20, 2012, and police are knocking on the door of a blue weatherboard home in Brisbane’s west, after reports a mother of three young girls has gone missing.

Her husband, Gerard Baden-Clay, answers. He’d called triple zero at 7:15am that morning to tell them he hadn’t seen his wife, Allison, since the night before.

'Allison often went for a walk in the morning around 5am,' he told the operator. He assumed that was where she was when he woke up to an empty bed. But it was unusual that she wasn’t home yet. 'She was supposed to leave for a seminar in the city around 7am'

As he relays his story again to the responding officers, they’re quick to notice the scratches on the real estate agent’s face. 'A shaving injury,' he tells them. Peering into his home they’re taken aback by how clean it is. Like someone has made an effort to tidy up ahead of their arrival.

Over the next ten days Gerard’s story will be unravelled, exposing a double life with deadly consequences. While officers and local volunteers comb backyards, rivers and streets police will piece together a damning case of what really happened to Allison Baden-Clay.

CREDITS

Guest: Former Detective Superintendent Mark Ainsworth

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Rhiannon Mooney

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michelle Carter: The Girl From Plainville

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 20:00:00 +0000

Six days after the death of her boyfriend Conrad Roy in 2014, Michelle Carter sent a text to her friend. “I just had it all planned out. Now I have to do something different, maybe something better, I just don't think that that's possible. He was my person you know?” she wrote.

Except in Michelle and Conrad’s reality, their relationship was so private neither of their families knew they were even an item. It was a relationship that had blossomed almost exclusively on text. Thousands of them. Sent over years. Michelle & Conrad were texting the night Conrad drove into a Kmart car park, alone, in Fairhaven, - an hour’s drive from where Michelle lived in Plainville - and took his own life.

In today’s episode, Gemma is speaking with political theorist Dr. Mark Tunick, about the now infamous texting-suicide case of Michelle Carter & Conrad Roy III.

CREDITS

Guest: Dr. Mark Tunick

Host: Gemma Bath

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Madeliene Joannou

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Message From Jessie...

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 00:37:59 +0000

Introducing the new host of True Crime Conversations, Gemma Bath.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The System That Failed Hannah Clarke

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 19:00:00 +0000

It was a summer morning in Camp Hill, an eastern suburb of Brisbane, when 31 year old Hannah Clarke helped her three children, six year old Aaliyah, four year old Laianah, and three year old Trey, get ready for the day ahead.

It was Wednesday, February 19, 2020, and the morning was characteristically chaotic.

Hannah was staying with her parents, following the breakdown of her relationship with Rowan Baxter, a man who had become increasingly abusive.

As Hannah buckled her three small children into the car, Baxter emerged, having been watching her nearby. He forced her into the driver’s seat, and slipped himself into the passenger seat, holding a knife to her throat and telling her to drive.

Within minutes, their three children would be dead. Hannah would sustain injuries so horrific, she would later die in hospital.

The story of Hannah Clarke and her three children sent shock waves across the country, as we learned this was a woman who had a domestic violence order out against her former partner.

The murder of four people was an endpoint in a reign of terror Baxter had subjected his family to for years. And an inquest, which finished only last week, shined a spotlight on the events leading up to that day, in February 2020.

CREDITS

Guest: Kate Kyriacou

Host: Jessie Stephens

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Rhiannon Mooney

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Double Murder That Shocked Australia

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 18:00:00 +0000

Women like Dorothy Davis, a 74-year-old widow, rarely go missing.

She lived in the seaside suburb of Lurline Bay in south-east Sydney. She had friends, children, and grandchildren. Her life was peaceful. She was financially comfortable. The people who loved her knew where she would be on any given day. She had a lot to live for.

But in May 1995, Dorothy went to visit a friend, and never came home.

Kerry Whelan, a healthy and well-liked 39-year-old, was also not the kind of woman who goes missing. She was married to Bernie Whelan, the CEO of a large multinational company that made forklifts called Crown Equipment. With their three children, the family lived on their sizable property at Kurrajong in north-western Sydney.

But in May 1997, Kerry made a trip to Parramatta, and never came home.

These two women didn’t know each other. But they did have one thing in common.

They both happened to know a man named Bruce Burrell.

CREDITS

Guest: Mark Tedeschi QC, author of Missing, Presumed Dead

Host: Jessie Stephens

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Rhiannon Mooney

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Jaw Bone At Kingscliff Beach

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 18:00:00 +0000

It’s the 23rd of September, 1979, and a cabin cruiser, known as the Nocturne, is cruising through deep blue waters just off the far north coast of NSW.

It’s a near-perfect day for the five passengers on board. A light nor-easter is blowing and the sun is glistening off the boat’s sleek, white hull.

But as the day wears on conditions begin to change… clouds form on the horizon… but the Nocturne presses on with its voyage.

As night falls the warm breeze of the day disappears, replaced by the icy chill of a southerly buster. The wind picks up speed...20 knots...40 knots...60 knots. That white hull that had been shining in the sun just hours earlier, is now being beaten by unrelenting, ten-metre high seas.

A rogue wave smashes through one of the boat’s windows, flooding the interior. Moments later, the engines fail. As the boat begins to sink, the passengers have no choice but to abandon ship.

Of the five people on board that night, only three make it to shore. What happened to those lost at sea remains a mystery that will only be unravelled 32 years later when a badly weathered bone fragment washes ashore at Kingscliff Beach…

CREDITS

Guest: Adam Shand, host of the Lost At Sea podcast.

Host: Claire Murphy

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Rhiannon Mooney

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Bain Family Murders

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 18:00:00 +0000

It’s the 20th of June 1994, and the residents of Andersons Bay, in Dunedin, are waking up to a crisp, dark morning. Ice frosts the roads and despite it being after 7 o’clock the sun is still yet to appear in the sky.

Three police officers stand alert on the doorstep of 65 Every Street, a ramshackle house home to the six members of the Bain Family. Eleven minutes earlier, a distressed call was made to emergency services from this location…

The officers try to gain access to the house. They kick the door but it doesn’t budge. Luckily there’s a stack of firewood on the veranda, they grab a piece and use it to break the glass pane, reaching through to let themselves inside.

As they enter they see a man on the floor in the foetal position. He’s crying. And as they inch closer he starts yelling ‘They’re all dead. My family is all dead.’

What they find will haunt New Zealand and stump investigators to this day. And will become the most controversial case New Zealand has ever seen…

CREDITS

Guest: Journalist Martin Van Beynan

Author of Black Hands: Inside the Bain Family Murders
Host of the BLACK HANDS - A Family Mass Murder podcast

Host & Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Rhiannon Mooney & Gia Moylan

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sallie-Anne Huckstepp: The Ultimate Whistleblower

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 17:00:00 +0000

It’s 1981 and Sallie-Anne Huckstepp sits across from Ray Martin on 60 Minutes, one of Australia’s most-watched current affair programs.

She speaks clearly and emphatically. With a piercing blue stare, and a cigarette hanging from her right hand, she tells a story that Australia is not yet ready to hear.

Every word of it, we now know, is true.

Sallie-Anne’s boyfriend, a man she loved, had been murdered the week before in broad daylight. She knew the perpetrator. Everyone did. The story had made it into the papers. But what had happened to her boyfriend wasn’t reported as a murder. It was reported as brilliant police work. The man holding the gun was Roger Rogerson, an award-winning, highly respected NSW Detective Sergeant. No one had questioned his retelling of events.

But Sallie-Anne decided to do the unthinkable.

She told secrets that many had taken to their graves. She explained exactly what was happening, and how the crimes currently ravaging Sydney were not as they might appear.

Sallie-Anne knew that speaking to Ray Martin was one of the most dangerous things she could do.

She did it anyway.

And eventually, she would pay the ultimate price.

CREDITS

Guest: Liz Hayes, host of Under Investigation

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Rhiannon Mooney & Gia Moylan

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Double Life Of Herman Rockefeller

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 18:00:00 +0000

It’s the 21st of January, 2010, and Vicky Rockefeller is in her house in the affluent suburb of East Malvern - roughly 8 kilometres southeast of Melbourne's CBD. Her two children are out. And she’s expecting her husband, Herman, any minute now.

Herman has been away on a business trip, a regular practice for his line of work as a property developer, and had messaged her earlier to say his flight had been delayed. Herman was good like that, he’d text her updates so she wouldn’t worry while he was away and he would always call her once he landed. But Herman hadn’t called her tonight. So she waits, assuming he’d just forgotten this one time and that his blue Toyota Prius will pull into the driveway at any moment.

But the minutes tick by into hours, with no sign of Herman. She texts and calls, but nothing.

Just after midnight, Vicky calls the police. Her husband’s plane landed at 9:35pm. So the question is where is Herman Rockefeller?

CREDITS

Guest: Hilary Bonney

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Rhiannon Mooney & Gia Moylan

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

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If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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The Disappearance of Sarah MacDiarmid

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 18:00:00 +0000

Kananook railway station is located on the Frankston line in Victoria, about 50 minutes from Melbourne’s CBD.

At approximately 10:20pm, on the 11th of July, 1990, a 23-year-old woman named Sarah MacDiarmid can be seen alighting from the train and walking in the direction of the poorly lit car park, where she parked her red Honda Civic that morning.

She is no doubt in a hurry to get home. She has work in the morning, and her train had been running 20 minutes late.

Despite it being late on a Wednesday night, there are people around. They see the woman, with blonde hair, holding a tennis racket.

She crosses the footbridge. Someone will later remember a female voice shouting “Give me back my keys”. We won’t know if that voice belongs to Sarah.

Between the footbridge and sliding into the driver’s seat of her car, Sarah vanishes into thin air. There are traces that she made it to her vehicle, but someone, or perhaps a group of people, targeted her. But who? And why?

Will we ever know for certain what happened to Sarah MacDiarmid on that night, in the middle of winter, three decades ago?

CREDITS

Host: Jessie Stephens

Guest: Vikki Petraitis

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Leah Porges & Gia Moylan

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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The Day Noosa Lost Its Innocence

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 17:00:00 +0000

It’s 1987 and a coastal town named Noosa Heads in Queensland is about as idyllic as it gets. On the Sunshine Coast, Noosa Heads isn't yet the popular and developed tourist destination that it is today. It is surrounded by rivers, lookouts, bays, national park and of course expansive coastline. Families feel proud to bring their kids up in such a beautiful and safe coastal town, where they often play outside until the sun goes down.

Sian Kingi is 12 years old, tall for her age with long blonde hair and dark brown eyes. She’s described as the kind of girl who would accidentally knock her opponent in netball, and stop to make sure she was okay. She’s shy, popular but never cruel.

It’s a Friday afternoon on November 27, and after school, Sian and her mother Linda go shopping. She has a party that weekend, and so Linda takes her to a fabric shop so together they could make Sian something to wear.

At 4:30pm, the pair finish up and head home. While Linda walks home, Sian takes her bike, and for most of the journey, they’re together. But when they get to a local park, Linda walks around it, while Sian cycles through it, passing the tennis courts.

When Linda walks through the door, she figures Sian will be a moment behind her. But she waits and waits.

What happened to Sian Kingi that day remains every parent’s worst nightmare and would change the beachside town forever. Hers is a name so many Australians won’t ever forget.

CREDITS

Host: Jessie Stephens

Guest: Dot Whittington

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Ian Camilleri & Gia Moylan

RESOURCES

Crime Investigation Australia: Murder Of Innocence - Sian Kingi

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

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The Singh Family Murders: Did They Get The Right Man?

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 17:00:00 +0000

It was a Tuesday in April 2003, when an emergency phone call was made from a visitor at 20 Grass Tree Close, Bridgeman Downs in Brisbane's north.

The phone call was made by a 33-year-old man named Massimo Sica, known to most as Max. The purpose for his visit, according to his testimony, was to see his on and off again girlfriend, 24-year-old flight attendant Neelma Singh.

Neelma was the second eldest child of Shirley and Vijay Singh, who had migrated to the northern suburb of Brisbane 10 years prior from Fiji, along with their four children.

At the time of the emergency phone call in 2003, Shirley and Vijay were away visiting Fiji.

Max would later tell police that once he ventured inside the house, he noticed bloodstains on the carpet of Neelma’s upstairs bedroom. He followed the blood. But as he got closer to her parent's bedroom, he heard the sound of running water.

When Max stepped inside the ensuite of the main bedroom, he claims to have found blankets piled into the spa bath. There was water covering the floor, overflowing to such an extent that the ceiling below was buckling under the weight.

As he removed the blankets, he says he uncovered the body of Neelma.

Inside that spa bath, were also the bodies of her brother, 18-year-old Kunal Singh, and her 12-year-old sister, Sidhi Singh. They had all been murdered.

Suddenly, police were looking at a triple homicide in a quiet Brisbane suburb. What unfolded would become the longest murder trial in Queensland history. According to some experts, however, there remains a number of questions that still, almost 20 years later, do not have answers.

CREDITS

Host: Jessie Stephens

Guest: Graeme Crowley, host of Loose Ends: A Singh Family Tragedy

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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Catching Daniel Morcombe's Killer

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 17:00:00 +0000

Daniel Morcombe, a 13-year-old boy with bright blue eyes and dark brown hair, stands at a bus stop beneath an overpass. Today, he is wearing a bright red t-shirt.

It’s Sunday, the 7th of December 2003, at 2:10pm. He’s waiting for a bus to take him to the Sunshine Plaza Shopping Centre so he can get a haircut and buy some Christmas presents. At home, are his parents, Denise and Bruce Morcombe, his identical twin brother Bradley, and his older brother, Dean.

A bus passes but doesn’t stop. On it, is a 13-year-old girl who notices the boy on the side of the road. There’s a gaunt man standing behind him. Another girl on the bus, who is 17 years old, also notices the pair. She will remember the man with him as having long hair, a goatee and sunglasses, with a sports bag by his side.

The bus driver motions to the boy that there is another bus coming.

But by the time the bus gets there, the boy in the red shirt is gone.

In the years afterwards, police would identify and befriend the paedophile they believed targeted Daniel that day. It would become one of the most remarkable police stings in Australian history, providing chilling insight into one of our country’s most evil killers.

CREDITS

Host: Jessie Stephens

Guest: Kate Kyriaku, author of The Sting

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Ian Camilleri & Rhiannon Mooney

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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Part Two: The End Of The Razor Wars

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 17:00:00 +0000

It’s the 7th May, 1929. Nearly two years since gangster Norman Bruhn was gunned down in the inner-city Sydney suburb of Surry Hills. The man who’d tried to interfere with the stronghold Tilly Devine and Kate Leigh had on East Sydney had failed, and paid with his life in the process. But two years on from his death, the streets are still dripping with the blood of razor victims. With or without Norman Bruhn, chaos still reigns on the streets of Darlinghurst.

Tilly’s brothel empire is raging, and locals still can’t get enough of Kate’s sly-grog, but there’s another organised crime kingpin in town. His name is Phil Jeffs, and in Kings Cross, if you’re looking for somewhere to gamble or something to snort, he’s your man. He fancies himself as Australia’s very own Al Capone. Smartly dressed and well-spoken, he might look the part, but Phil Jeffs isn’t to be trusted.

Phil runs the fourth floor of a building on William St, Wooloomooloo, called the 50/50 club. It’s a den of debauchery, where police take back-alley payments to turn a blind eye to rife prostitution and drug dealing. It’s inside the 50/50 club where he’s been cheating his suppliers. The cocaine on the streets of East Sydney is being cut with washing powder, boric acid and other substances. Diluted. It means the likes of Tilly’s girls and Kate’s standover men are being sold an adulterated product. It means Phil Jeffs is ripping them off.

The rival gangs have found out about Phil’s trick and they want blood. So in scenes reminiscent of a Hollywood Western, angry gangsters challenge Phil and his men to settle their dispute on the streets of Kings Cross. They’re there to show Phil how they feel, in the only way these mobsters know how to. With violence.

It’s just after 10pm in Eaton Avenue, a shadowy street off Bayswater Road. It’s no mistake these gangs are gathered here. Eaton Avenue is better known as Blood Alley by locals. A notoriously rough spot where muggings and street brawls are commonplace.

The men on Blood Alley know exactly what they’ve come for, and it’s not just cut-throat razors to fear. Whatever they can get their hands on, boots, clubs, bricks all fly through the air. Many of the men are heavily armed, and for thirty long minutes, gunfire illuminates this dimly-lit patch Kings Cross.

Finally, the police arrive. The mobsters disperse and Phill Jeffs escapes by jumping on the back of a car. But the battle of blood alley follows him home. And before Phil Jeffs goes to bed on this chilling May night, gangsters will break into his home and shoot him multiple times, as Razorhurst continues to live up to its name.

CREDITS

Host: Emma Gillespie

Guests: Larry Writer & Leigh Straw

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Part One: The Razorhurst Wars

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 17:00:00 +0000

It’s 1926, and Sydney’s underworld is held tightly in the hands of Kate Leigh and Tilly Devine. But down in Melbourne? They’ve got a fella called Joseph Theodore Leslie Taylor running the show, or ‘Squizzy’ as he was better known. Squizzy Taylor is a bonafide gangster in every sense, backed up by a handful of savage henchmen and crooks, known as The Fitzroy Gang.

Norman Bruhn is one of Squizzy’s closest confidants. Well, he was. Until…he crossed him. Usually, a betrayal of the kingpin would cost you your life, but Norman Bruhn had been spared, under one condition. That he get the hell out of Melbourne quick-smart, and never, ever return.

So Norman, his wife, and their two sons pack up and head north, to Sydney. A fresh start, he thinks. This man is a hardened gangster, a standover man, thief, and pimp, and he doesn’t think much of two women running the streets of Sydney. Norman thinks he can shake things up around Darlinghurst. He wants to take a slice of the pie that in his mind, has been in the wrong hands for too long.

It doesn’t take him long to assemble a crew of villains, a gang who would roam the streets of East Sydney carrying not guns to intimidate their enemies, but cut-throat razors. Sharp enough to cause serious damage to anyone caught on the wrong side of Norman Bruhn or one of his boys. Not only are these razors serious weapons, they’re a cheap and easy way to protect yourself, and fly under the radar of police, who are busy targeting mobsters carrying illegal firearms.

Momentarily, life will get more difficult for Tilly and Kate under the disruption their new Victorian competitor brings. But Norman Bruhn is about to bite off more than he can chew. Kate and Tilly are already in a never-ending battle to dominate Darlinghurst and its surrounds. This town? It just ain’t big enough for three of them.

In a few short months, Norman Bruhn will be dead. And it will be just the beginning of bloodshed between East Sydney’s cruelest and most cunning gangsters.

CREDITS

Host: Emma Gillespie

Guests: Larry Writer & Leigh Straw

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Kate Leigh: The Worst Woman In Sydney

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 17:00:00 +0000

It’s the 4th of February 1964. Once dubbed ‘The Worst Woman in Sydney,’ Kate Leigh lies unresponsive in a hospital bed at St Vincent's in Darlinghurst. She suffered a severe stroke just a few days earlier, and she’s about to take her final breath. But the twilight years of Kate Leigh’s life have not been marked by the debauchery and violence of her heyday. There’s no more sly grog, no diamonds and fur, no more cocaine, and no more razor gangs.

She was once one of the wealthiest and most powerful underworld figures in the country. But as Kate Leigh slips away at St Vincent’s Hospital, the 82-year-old has lost almost everything. From changes to alcohol laws, increased police powers, and a rather unwelcome knock at the door from the taxman, Kate Leigh will die bankrupt and impoverished.

But she hadn’t quite lost everything. Kate Leigh never moved away from the pocket of East Sydney she once ran, and locals never forgot about their infamous Aunty Kate. Despite her criminal past, ties to violent razor fights and deadly shootouts, some 700 mourners packed out St Peter’s Catholic Church in Kate’s Surry Hills for her funeral. Among the attendees? Kate’s long-time rival, her once ferocious enemy, Tilly Divine. And though it may have seemed the ruthless antics of Kate and Tilly were put to bed, at their prime, they were giants. Equal parts revered and feared by those who crossed them. Long before their time would be up, these force-to-be-reckoned-with women left an indelible mark on one of Sydney history’s most notorious chapters. The Razor Wars.

CREDITS

Host: Emma Gillespie

Guests: Larry Writer & Leigh Straw

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Tilly Devine: The Brothel Queen Of Darlinghurst

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 17:00:00 +0000

The year is 1927. Sydney is in a post-war party that’s been raging on for almost a decade. The suburb of Darlinghurst is the beating heart of it all, and the surrounding areas of Kings Cross, Potts Point, Woolloomoloo and Surry Hills are slums of debauchery, crime and vices. It’s an underworld run by two rival crime queens. Kate Leigh and Tilly Divine.

In an effort to stamp out excessive alcohol consumption, pubs have shut at 6pm since 1916, giving rise to what they call the six o'clock swill - where punters attempt to drink as much as they can in the final minutes before 6, before being tossed out of the pub. Thirsty working-class Sydneysiders have the money and appetite for more. So the sly-grog business is born. Unlicensed hotels and liquor-stores are concealed behind butcher shops and florists. There’s one on every corner and chances are, if you’re somewhere in East Sydney, Kate Leigh supplied the Sly Grog you’re drinking.

As you sip that over-priced, watered down whiskey, you’re probably no more than a stone's throw from one of Tilly Devine’s parlours. The London born madam has a gift for acquiring brothels. She’s just 26 and controls some 20 brothels in Darlinghurst alone.

Kate Leigh and Tilly Devine have a stranglehold on their respective businesses, but in a city of sin, with egos like theirs, blood will spill over and over again for control of the streets of Darlinghurst, or Razorhurst as it’s about to become known.

CREDITS

Host: Emma Gillespie

Guests: Larry Writer & Leigh Straw

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Coming Soon: Sydney's Razorhurst Wars

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 18:00:00 +0000

This month on True Crime Conversations we’re examining the life and crimes of Kate Leigh and Tilly Devine, and the violent razor wars that erupted between their two gangs with special guest host Emma Gillespie. Coming to your ears from January 6th.

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The Life & Disappearance Of Melissa Caddick

Wed, 29 Dec 2021 17:00:00 +0000

It’s the 21st of February, 2021, a summer’s day on the south coast of New South Wales.

A small group of campers are walking along Bournda Beach, an incredible expanse of pristine sand, and clear, blue water, surrounded by national park. Along the shore, washed up, they spot a single, grey, Asics shoe. It is only when they look more closely that they realise inside it holds human remains. The group, visiting for a surfing trip, are alarmed. Quickly, they contact the police.

It wasn’t long before the police were able to identify who the DNA belonged to. It is Melissa Caddick, who had disappeared three months prior from her Dover Heights home, some 438 kilometres from the south coast beach. What the discovery didn’t answer was what exactly happened to Caddick. Did she take her own life? Was she murdered by her enemies? Or, is it possible that the foot was not evidence she was dead at all. Could Melissa Caddick, a woman accused of stealing more than $30 million, still be alive?

CREDITS

Host: Jessie Stephens

Guest: 7News Journalist & Presenter Michael Usher

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Ian Camilleri & Rhiannon Mooney

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Weeping Woman

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 19:00:00 +0000

It’s an unusual place to start a true crime story - at the National Gallery of Victoria in 1985.

The director of the gallery, a man named Patrick McCaughey, purchases a single painting for $1.6 million. Due to currency fluctuations, the cost increases to $2 million, the most expensive purchase ever made by an Australian gallery. The painting is by Pablo Picasso, titled The Weeping Woman. The work represents suffering - oddly fitting for the story that was about to unfold.

Also oddly fitting is the statement made by McCaughey upon announcing the purchase. He said of the Weeping Woman: “This face is going to haunt Melbourne for the next 100 years.”

And haunt Melbourne it did.

CREDITS

Host: Jessie Stephens

Guest: Marc Fennell, host of FRAMED

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 | beyondblue.org.au

Lifeline: 13 11 14 | lifeline.org.au

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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An Eerie Silence: Inside A Hospital On 9/11

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 19:28:17 +0000

A plane colliding with the South Tower at 9:59am, on September 11, 2001, would become the first terror attack watched in real-time by millions of people around the world. News anchors struggled to maintain composure. New York, and more broadly, the United States, was under attack.

The north tower continued to burn. Images and video footage were broadcast on every news channel. For a generation, those images would become imprinted on our psyches. We watched as the buildings collapsed, thousands of people still inside them.

In a nearby hospital, stood an Australian woman named Liz. For her, it was an otherwise normal day at work. That all changed when she heard an emergency siren.

CREDITS

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Most Critical 17 Minutes Of 9/11

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 17:00:00 +0000

It’s a clear, still Tuesday morning in New York City. The autumn sky is bright blue and the two World Trade Centres mark the highest points of the Manhattan skyline.

At 8:30am the business district is bustling. Workers are making their way into elevators or stopping for a quick coffee. Their minds are on their morning meeting or the kids they just dropped off at school. Most don’t notice the plane flying too low, far too low, until they hear it. A terrible sound pierces through one of the biggest cities in the world, as a passenger plane flies directly into the north tower. Within minutes, the story will go live across the globe.

What they don’t know is that in 17 minutes, a second plane will collide with the south tower. This isn’t an accident. It’s an attack.

On September 11, 2001, 2,976 people were killed as a result of four hijacked commercial airliners. Two crashed into the World Trade Centers, a third targeted the Pentagon, with a fourth aiming for the U.S. Capitol building but brought down in a field by several brave passengers.

Five men have been charged with these acts of terrorism, and the case is the largest criminal prosecution in U.S. history in terms of the number of victims.

But this episode is not about the men responsible.

It’s about how that day truly unfolded, and the nearly 3000 victims who did not know those early hours of September 11 would be their last.

CREDITS

Guest: Garrett Graff, author of The Only Plane In The Sky

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Rhiannon Mooney & Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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The Teenager Who Came Back From The Dead

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 17:00:00 +0000

It’s May 9, 2001, and the family of missing teenager, Natasha Ryan, are holding a memorial service in Bundaberg, Queensland. Today would have been her 17th birthday.

Natasha, with dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and fair, freckled skin, had disappeared on August 31, 1998. She was 14 years old. For almost three years, there has been no trace of her.

Her father, Robert Ryan, and mother, Jenny Ryan, have accepted that their daughter is dead. They may never find her remains. But at this memorial, they say their final goodbyes. Their pain is palpable to everyone around them.

But - as they will later learn - Natasha Ryan is still alive. She’s about 25 minutes away. And in a story unlike anything seen anywhere in the world, Natasha will appear at her own murder trial two years later.

Her story is one Australia won’t ever forget.

CREDITS

Guests: Tara Brown & Paula Doneman

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Disappearance of Shelly Miscavige

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 18:59:13 +0000

It was December 1982, when 21-year-old Shelly Barnett, described by Vanity Fair as a willowy beauty with strawberry blonde hair, married 22-year old David Miscavige in Los Angeles.

She would become the First Lady of Scientology.

Those who knew her described her as shy, often appearing lonely and isolated. At the same time, some witnesses say she was prone to losing her temper, much like her husband.

In all the years they were together, members of Scientology who have gone on the record say they cannot remember any affection between the two. They did not hug or kiss. Theirs was very much a working relationship. They were both dedicated to the Church of Scientology above all else and were busy attracting high-profile celebrities to their church. Their project worked. They recruited Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, Elisabeth Moss, Danny Masterton, and Nancy Cartwright.

By 2004, Claire Headley, an ex Scientologist who worked closely with Shelly, said she had begun to crack. “Shelly was cowed,” she said. “She was always stressed. She was never sleeping. She was just run ragged. Because of that, she was often in a bad mood and that’s where some people would just say they hated her. But she was never an evil person... It was just a god-awful situation.”

And then, suddenly, Shelly Miscavige, the most high-profile woman in Scientology, vanished.

It was as though she had never existed.

CREDITS

Guest: Tony Ortega

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

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Who Killed Shandee Blackburn?

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 17:00:00 +0000

Mackay is a city on the Coral Sea coast of Queensland, Australia, located about 970 kilometres north of Brisbane.

It’s known as the sugar capital of Australia, producing more than a third of the country’s cane sugar.

In South Mackay, sits a spacious pub called Harrup Park Country Club. In February 2013, this was one of the last places Shandee Blackburn was seen alive.

The 23-year-old finishes her seven hour Friday night shift and begins to make her way home to her mother’s house in Boddington Street. Wearing dark pants and a dark shirt, Shandee taps out a text message as she walks, not even 15 minutes from her destination. It’s warm outside with a light breeze, as the town enters into its last weeks of summer. The streets are quiet. Empty. Shandee has no reason to be afraid.

But that night, Shandee will not make it to her front door. A taxi driver would see a scuffle he does not understand, and call the police. She is brutally attacked. And CCTV features a man, just prior to her attack, crouching in some nearby bushes.

CREDITS

Guest: Hedley Thomas, host of Shandee's Story

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

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The Family Murders Of Adelaide

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 17:00:00 +0000

It’s 1983, and a 15-year-old boy named Richard Kelvin is in a laneway in North Adelaide. He is 50 metres from his beautiful family home.

He has spent that Sunday, June the 5th, playing footy, until the afternoon when his best friend Karl came over. They kicked the footy around. Richard called his girlfriend. And then he walked Karl to the bus stop.

It’s 6:15pm, and the sun is disappearing.

He says to Karl that he doesn’t want to walk back alone. There are surrounding parklands, and he jokes “I might get mugged or something.” Richard is as aware as any other child in Adelaide that the streets aren’t safe at night. Over the last four years, boys have been murdered.

Richard attempts to run home. He wants to call his girlfriend. He must be back in time for dinner. But then a sound echoes through the neighbourhood.

Multiple people hear it. The suburb is otherwise quiet, and then there’s a loud cry, as though for help, followed by the screeching of car tires.

Richard is not the first boy to go missing, but he is the most high profile. His father is a famous news presenter, Rob Kelvin.

It will be six weeks and one day before Richard’s boy is found. For most of that time, he was alive. It is a tragedy of unimaginable scale.

He is the fifth murder victim that we know of, ranging in age from 14 to 25.

The people responsible were capable of cruelty beyond what any of us could imagine. And, according to some, they belonged to a much larger network, targeting potentially hundreds of innocent victims.

CREDITS

Guest: Debi Marshall

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

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Missing In Two Minutes: The Baffling Disappearance Of Janet Castrejon

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 17:00:00 +0000

Rustler Park sits high in the Chiricahua Mountains in southern Arizona.

Campsites belonging to the park are scattered along a number of roads, sectioned off from the meadows to avoid damaging plants and fragile soils. Paths from these campgrounds lead into the Chiricahua Wilderness, a national forest full of ponderosa pine and swarming with wildlife. Large animals, like black bears, are often spotted there.

In the early afternoon of Father’s Day, 2015, three members of the Castrejon family arrived and set up camp. Lydia and Eduardo Castrejon had driven up the mountain with their 44-year-old daughter, Janet. Eduardo made lunch for his family at around 4pm.

But within only a few hours, Janet Castrejon would be missing. She would disappear in what seemed like a flash.

And since that summer evening on the 18th of June, 2015, Janet was never seen alive again.

CREDITS

Guest: Ottavia McHenry, host of the Labyrinth podcast.

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri & Leah Porges

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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The Bondi Clifftop Murders

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 17:00:00 +0000

Between the beaches of Bondi and Tamarama in Sydney’s picturesque Eastern suburbs, lies a steep cliff face. Parks and a walking track sit above, attracting tourists from all over the world. But below is rock and the white, foamy Pacific Ocean, the water appearing black at night time. In the 1980s, there was no railing separating the track from the steep cliff. And at night, sometimes screams were heard by locals. Bloodstains were found along the walkway. And in the very worst-case scenarios, men disappeared… or their lifeless bodies were found below - lives cut tragically short.

Some locals nicknamed the area Bondi Badlands - a spot that turned into what’s been referred to as a killer’s playground.

So what was happening to these innocent men? And why did it take such a long time for police to give these crimes the time and energy they always deserved?

CREDITS

Guest: Greg Callaghan, host of the Bondi Badlands podcast.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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Australia's Jack The Ripper

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 18:43:55 +0000

It’s 1888, and a man who will become perhaps the most infamous serial killer in history is terrorising the streets of London.

Fog rises from the damp streets of the Whitechapel district, a largely impoverished area, which has earned itself a reputation for being a cauldron of immorality. Poverty, racism, hundreds of lodging houses which function as brothels, and social unrest mean that the slums in the East End of London have already earned themselves a reputation.

It’s September 10, and five killings have taken place within one and a half kilometres of each other, in just over a month. All the victims are women. The culprit is known as Jack the Ripper, because of the horrifically brutal nature of his violent crimes.

A number of letters were sent from a man claiming to be the killer, taunting police and journalists. One of the letters purported to have been sent from hell.

To this day, the killer’s identity is unknown.

But there’s a theory that he might have been a man named Fredrick Deeming. A man who eventually, ended up in Australia.

CREDITS

Guest: Garry Linnell

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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Juanita Nielsen: The Woman Who Vanished

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 17:00:00 +0000

It’s a bleak, cold morning, on July 4, 1975.

A 34-year-old man named Eddie Trigg waits inside the Carousel Cabaret nightclub, known to most as a seedy bar located in the heart of Sydney’s Kings Cross.

But that’s not why Eddie, with a beard and sharp hazel eyes, is there. After all, it’s just past 10:30am. He is there to meet someone.

Juanita Nielsen, the 37-year-old owner and publisher of the newspaper NOW, makes her way towards the establishment. These will be the final moments of her life.

It’s 10:40am when she arrives. She is greeted at reception and escorted upstairs to the VIP Lounge. She is there for what she believes is a work meeting.

She is never seen again.

Whispers have circulated around Sydney since. Some say her body is buried under an airport runway. Others are convinced her body is hidden beneath sand dunes.

But 46 years on, Juanita Neilsen is still known as the woman who vanished, and her body has never been found.

We do know, however, that she was a woman with enemies.

CREDITS

Guest: Peter Rees

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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The Satanic Panic

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 18:30:00 +0000

In 1983, in Manhattan Beach, California, one woman named Judy Johnson put forward an allegation.

Her two-and-a-half-year-old son was, at the time, attending McMartin preschool. Johnson claimed that her son had been sexually abused by a teacher at the school named Ray Buckley. Her claims were unlike anything police had heard before. Although there was no evidence of abuse taking place, police decided to send a form letter to about 200 parents of students at the pre-school. It asked them to speak to their children and listed off possible abuse they might have experienced.

Over the next seven years, seven teachers, six of them women, were charged with more than 200 counts of child abuse, involving more than than 40 children. There were accusations of Satanic rituals, animal sacrifices, administering of drugs, the creation of child exploitation material, and flying children to far away places where they were molested. The accusations became increasingly bizarre.

By the late 1980s, “McMartin” had become a household word. The trial is among the longest and costliest criminal proceedings in the history of the United States.

What emerged, however, was that none of these events had ever taken place. Today, the children who spoke to authorities say they knew at the time their allegations were false. So what was behind this hysteria? And what was behind the Satanic panic that followed?

CREDITS

Guest: Ruth McIver

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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A Dinner Party In Canberra

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 18:00:00 +0000

It’s October 24, 1997, and 25-year-old Anu Singh, a promising young law student, invites friends over for a dinner party.

She lives in a Canberra townhouse with her 26-year-old boyfriend Joe Cinque.

The pair met two years prior at a night out in Newcastle. He was said to be immediately taken by Singh, and they quickly became inseparable.

But something wasn’t right about this dinner party.

Friends who attended had heard of Singh’s plans. She’s called the night a ‘farewell’, but some didn’t take her remark seriously. Singh had issued a warning before they arrived. Tonight, in her words, “a crime was going to be committed”.

Her friends arrived to the Canberra townhouse and enjoyed the company of both Singh and Cinque. They drank and ate, and eventually, left to go home.

It’s what happened next - when the couple were alone - that has become something of a modern horror story.

CREDITS

Guest: Former Detective Superintendent Greg Ranse

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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Myra Hindley: The Most Evil Woman In Britain

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 18:00:00 +0000

It’s Boxing Day, 1964, when a 26-year-old man named Ian Brady, and a 22-year-old woman named Myra Hindley, attend a fair in Ancoats, an area in Manchester, North West England.

The pair had met three years prior when Myra had developed an infatuation with Ian. Finally, Ian showed interest and asked her to the movies. They have been inseparable ever since, although their relationship is anything but conventional.

While at the fair, the couple notice that a ten-year-old named Lesley Ann Downey appears to be alone. In an instant, she becomes their next target.

The young couple approach her, purposefully dropping the shopping they’re carrying. Ian and Myra know that the presence of a woman means a child is more likely to trust them. This is part of their strategy.

And so, they ask Lesley if she wouldn’t mind helping them carry their packages to their car, and then on to their home on Wardle Brook Avenue.

When they arrive, Lesley Ann Downey is raped and then murdered.

She is not Ian and Myra’s first victim. And she will not be their last.

The following morning, as Lesley Ann’s family frantically search for their missing daughter, the pair bury her in a shallow grave at Saddleworth Moor, a wide open expanse of hills and uncultivated land. Her clothes are buried by her feet.

The crimes committed by Myra Hindley and Ian Brady would come to be known as the Moors murder, a series of killings that targeted children, four of whom were sexually assaulted.

Myra Hindley has long been branded the “most evil woman in Britain” - the exception to everything we think we know about female killers.

CREDITS

Guests: Dr Lizzie Seal & Dr Meghan Sacks

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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Australia’s Most Notorious Female Killer

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 18:00:00 +0000

It was 6am on March 1, 2000, when John Price’s neighbour noticed his car was still in the driveway. It struck him as unusual.

John’s supervisor noticed his absence at work too. An off-handed comment he’d made the day before made his co-workers feel uneasy.

At 8:10am, Officer Matthews and Officer Furlonger arrived at John’s home.

His front door was locked. The two policemen decided to walk around the side of the house, and break in through the back door. What they saw has been described as one of the worst scenes in Australian criminal history. A judge would later refer to what happened as “beyond contemplation in a civilised society”. The horrific actions of Katherine Knight resulted in her being one of the few women in Australia’s criminal history to be handed a sentence that will see her imprisoned for the term of her natural life.

CREDITS

Guest: Sandra Lee

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

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America's Boogeywoman: The Story Of Aileen Wuornos

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 19:00:00 +0000

Aileen Wuornos stares down the barrel of the camera, her eyes looking almost black.

Her mousy brown hair is pushed back off her face, revealing a pink face. But the most notable thing about the mug shot, taken in front of a bright blue backdrop, is the expression on her face. A snarl. Like she is a moment from breaking out into laughter.

She would go on to say, “I’m one who seriously hates human life and would kill again…. I really got tired of it all… I was angry about the johns… I have hate crawling through my system.”

Aileen Wuornos has been called America’s boogeywoman. A monster. And history’s most terrifying female killer.

From a childhood of abandonment and abuse to a tragic end in 2002, this is the story of Aileen Wuornos.

CREDITS

Guest: Peter Vronksy

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

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If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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The Day Dalia Dippolito Tried To Have Her Husband Murdered

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 19:00:00 +0000

It’s a warm morning in August, 2009, when 26-year-old Dalia Dippolito decides to go to the gym.

Dalia has long brown hair, tanned skin, and has only recently started working out. She leaves her house just before 6am, and drives the two kilometres from her house in Palm Beach, Florida, to the local gym.

In the months prior, she’d started exercising with her husband, 38 year old Michael Dippolito. They’d been married less than a year, and to anyone who knew them, they seemed happy.

But that morning, in the middle of a Florida summer, Dalia got a phone call.

It was a detective. And she was instructed to return home, immediately.

What she saw as she drove down her street was a crime scene. There was police tape and police cars, and a detective tasked with the job of telling Dalia what had happened.

But by that evening, Dalia’s entire world had been turned on its head. Sitting in the police station, it was almost as if she’d been visited by a ghost.

CREDITS

Guest: Elizabeth Parker

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

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Introducing Extraordinary Stories: The Demonisation Of Lindy Chamberlain

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 03:42:00 +0000

We’re popping into your feed to share with you our new episode of Extraordinary Stories: The Demonisation of Lindy Chamberlain. Episodes two and three of the season, and all past seasons of Extraordinary Stories are available to stream now, exclusively to MPlus subscribers.

To subscribe to MPlus and find out more head to www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/extraordinary-stories/

Demonised by the press. Vilified by the country. The subject of gossip and innuendo. From the viewpoint of 2021, the story of Lindy Chamberlain is a brutal reflection of 1980s Australia. Beneath the layers of lies and injustice, it’s a story of a mother who didn’t behave, look, speak or grieve the way we wanted her to after the incomprehensible loss of a child. It’s also the story of one woman, strong enough to endure it all.

In this season of Extraordinary Stories, we’re unraveling how a young woman went from mother to wrongly convicted murderer, and why the story of Azaria Chamberlain’s disappearance continues to fascinate us to this day.

To listen to more episodes of The Demonisation Of Lindy Chamberlain head to mamamia.com.au/mplus

WITH THANKS TO:

Malcolm Brown, Journalist

Dr Sophie Jensen, National Museum of Australia

Alana Valentine, Author & Playwright

SOURCES:

Letters to Lindy, Alana Valentine
Dear Lindy: A nation responds to the Loss of Azaria, Alana Valentine
https://lindychamberlain.com/
ABC
Network Ten

GET IN TOUCH:
Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au
Need more lols, info and inspo in your ears? Find more Mamamia podcasts here... https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/

CREDITS:
Host: Emma Gillespie
Written and Produced by Sydney Pead & Emma Gillespie, with Holly Wainwright
Audio Production: Madeline Joannou
Executive Producer: Sydney Pead

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A Startling Murder In West Cork

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 19:00:00 +0000

West Cork in Ireland sits on the edge of Europe.

It’s rugged and windy, cold in the winter, and beautiful in the summer.

Since the 1960s, the district has been developed by what the people call ‘blow-ins’. People from around the world who somehow end up in West Cork, hoping to start their lives again.

Often these people are artists or runaways, living in little cottages, desperate for a reset. Sometimes, they’re people running from something. A life they wanted to escape.

Until 1996, nothing much happened in West Cork. It was quiet and peaceful, full of farmers and fishermen.

And then, one night just before Christmas, it became the backdrop to one of Ireland’s most notorious murder cases.

Locals were adamant they knew who did it.

A man who had a “badness in him”. Who never quite fit in. Who rubbed people the wrong way.

But was he responsible?

Or was he just another blow-in?

CREDITS

Guest: Jennifer Forde, co-host of the West Cork podcast.

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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Did He Really Do It? The Disturbing Case Of Robert Farquharson

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 20:00:00 +0000

It’s Father’s Day, 2005, and Robert Farquharson is driving his three sons, Jai, Tyler and Bayley, home to their mother’s house.

They’d spent the day together, with their mum, Cindy Gambino, helping the boys put together a Father’s Day gift for Robert. It was a framed photo of his three sons, aged 10, seven, and two.

As a treat, Robert took the boys to Kmart where he bought them toys, and then to KFC for dinner in Geelong.

Afterward, they set off along the Princes Highway, on their way to Winchelsea.

It was on this route, that the unthinkable happened.

The white VN Commodore Robert was driving veered across the highway, crashed through a fence, and began to sink in a farm dam.

Their mother, Cindy, would call it the ‘blackest ever night’.

It is a case that has imprinted itself on the memory of Victorians. But perhaps, author Chris Brook asks, all is not as it seems.

CREDITS

Guest: Chris Brook

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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Who Killed Leanne Holland?

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 18:00:00 +0000

On the eastern edge of the city of Ipswich in Queensland, lies a small suburb named Goodna.

About 20 kilometres from the Brisbane central business district, Goodna is peppered with Jacaranda, Hoop Pine, and Mango trees, and boasts numerous parks which are frequented by the public.

It was the 26th of September - a spring day - at 1:42pm when two police were stopped in their tracks.

They had been searching the bushland on Redbank Plains Road after a young girl, 12-year-old Leanne Holland, had been reported missing by her family a few days before.

The officers spotted a partly unclothed, shoeless body. One that would come to be identified as the blonde-haired, round-faced, Leanne.

What had happened to her? And who was responsible?

Police already had a suspect. One man.

But, as we’d come to find out, there were a handful of problems.

CREDITS

Guest: Graeme Crowley, author of Who Killed Leanne Holland

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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The Frankston Murders

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 18:00:00 +0000

It’s a quarter past seven in the evening on Friday, June 11, 1993.

18-year-old Elizabeth Stevens is freezing. She’s soaking wet from the rain, her short hair clinging to her neck.

She steps off the bus which she caught from Frankston to Cranbourne Road, Langwarrin, and hurries towards her aunt and uncle's house where she lives. She doesn’t know she’s being watched.

She had spent her Friday evening at Frankston Library on an English assignment. Her goal is to one day join the army and she knows she has to complete this TAFE course in order to get there.

That particular June night, the rain is so heavy it’s difficult to see. As Elizabeth turns into Paterson Avenue a man jumps at her out of the darkness, dressed in a green army jacket and navy baseball cap. The sound of the rain and the roaring wind drowns out her screams.

She feels what she can only assume is a gun to her head as he drags her along someone’s front lawn.

Threatening Elizabeth, the man holds her hand, directing her down Paterson Avenue. Passersby think their interaction looks innocent, not knowing that if Elizabeth doesn’t comply the man has threatened to “blow her head off”.

He leads her to Lloyd Park into a clump of bushes.

These would be the last moments of Elizabeth Stevens’ life.

Less than an hour afterwards the man responsible for her murder would be sitting inside his warm home, enjoying a roast dinner, waiting for his girlfriend to return home from work.

CREDITS

Guest: Vikki Petraitis, author of The Frankston Murders: 25 Years On

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camileri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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MH17: The Passenger Plane Shot Down From The Sky

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 18:00:00 +0000

It’s just after midday on July 17, 2014, when 283 passengers, and 15 crew members board MH17 at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.

Among the passengers are 12-year-old Mo, 10-year-old Evie, and eight-year-old Otis Maslin, along with their 68-year-old grandfather, Nick Norris. MH17 is bound for Kuala Lumpur International Airport, due to arrive at 6:10am local time. The family would then go on to Perth, Australia, where they live.

But a few hours into the flight, the plane loses contact with air traffic control. The last known point of contact is about 50 kilometres from the Russia-Ukraine border.

The parents of Mo, Evie and Otis are in Amsterdam, spending two more days in the city, before heading home to join their kids.

That afternoon they think to themselves how lucky they are. How life doesn’t get any better than this.

Late that night, they’ll receive a phone call.

They are thrown into what they will later describe, a living hell.

CREDITS

Guest: Meshel Laurie author of CSI Told You Lies

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camileri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Real Life Dr. Death

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 18:00:00 +0000

It was late 2011 when 54-year-old Kellie Martin had her accident.

Along with her husband Don Martin, Kellie was retrieving Christmas decorations from their attic in Garland, Texas, when she missed a step on a ladder.

The fall resulted in a herniated disk in her back, an incredibly painful injury that she treated with physical therapy, muscle relaxers and pain relief. Eventually, her doctor recommended surgery.

An elementary school teacher, Kellie scheduled her surgery in the break of March 2012. The neurosurgeon, Dr. Christopher Duntsch, explained the procedure was simple and routine. It would only take 45 minutes, with a quick recovery.

When the day came, Kellie and Don had complete trust in Dr. Duntsch. He was articulate and reassuring. The exact kind of doctor you’d want looking after you.

But the 45 minutes came and went. Don sat in the waiting room, starting to wonder if something had gone terribly wrong. Eventually, Dr. Duntcsh came out. The surgery had been a success, although Kellie was in a little pain. Then, he went on to explain she might have to go up to the ICU or stay overnight. Alarm bells started sounding for Don. Something wasn’t right.

Hours passed. Still, they were working on her. Don and Kellie’s daughter’s arrived and waited with their father. They were confused. Sick with worry.

That’s when the ICU physician, Dr. Duntsch and the anesthesiologist met with them.

Kellie was dead.

Dr. Duntsch, they would later discover, had sliced an artery, and Kellie had bled to death.

For the Martin family, they were living their absolute worst nightmare.

What they didn’t know, was that of the 38 surgeries Dr. Duntsch had attempted in the last two years, 33 had gone wrong. Patients were left in chronic pain, others unable to walk, or with permanent injuries.

Patients and doctors demanded answers. And eventually, they would get them.

CREDITS

Guest: Marshall Lewy from Wondery

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camileri

You can stream the new Dr. Death television series on Stan.

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Life With The Serpent: The Story Of Charles Sobhraj

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 18:00:00 +0000

It was October 18, 1975, when a farmer found the body of a young woman floating face down in the Gulf of Thailand.

Teresa Knowlton was wearing a floral bikini - a detail that journalists would use to eventually brand her murderer 'The Bikini Killer'.

The 21-year-old had traveled to Bangkok, from Seattle in the US, and was following the “Hippie Trail” that would eventually lead her to study Tibetan Buddhism at Kopan Monastery in Kathmandu.

But along the way, she’d met someone.

Although accounts differ, it appears that a man invited Theresa to his home in Pattaya, about 100 kilometres southeast of Bangkok.

There, it’s likely her drink was poisoned. And then, she was invited out for a swim.

She would become the first victim of a man who would come to be known as 'The Serpent'.

And his crimes would only get worse.

CREDITS

Guest: Julie Clarke

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camileri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Myall Creek Massacre

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 18:00:00 +0000

It’s an hour and a half before sunset on a Sunday afternoon in June, 1838.

A group of Indigenous Australians, the Wirrayaraay people, are cooking their evening meal. As the day nears its end, things are quiet. Calm.

They’re at Myall Creek Station, in north western NSW, between the towns of Bingara and Delungra. They’ve been camped there for a few weeks, seeking safety and protection from stockmen who have been roaming the district, killing any Indigenous person they could find.

And then they hear something.

A rumbling. The sound of horses hooves. Eleven men can be seen in the distance, galloping towards them at speed.

The women grab their children. Two young boys run and dive into a nearby creek. The rest of the group - about 28 in total - scramble towards the huts, hoping that the white men would protect them.

Instead, they were tied up, and led away from the huts.

What happened would come to be known as the Myall Creek massacre - a crime Australians must never, ever forget.

CREDITS

Guest: Mark Tedeschi QC

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Leah Porges

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Devil’s Grip: A Deadly Secret

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 18:00:00 +0000

Seven gunshots ring out through Victoria’s green and vast Barrabool Hills.

On the western outskirts of Geelong, the Barrabool Hills is sparsely populated, best known for grazing sheep and lamb.

It’s the early hours of Wednesday, March 18, 1992, and the sun has not yet risen. Everyone should be asleep.

But those seven gunshots will have killed three people.

For the youngest casualty, 23-year-old Guy, a gunshot shatters his watch. The time reads 4:25am.

A family line will end that day. Three generations wiped out in just minutes. But the story of Darcy Wettenhall, and the secret life he was living, is about to be revealed.

CREDITS

Guest: Neal Drinnan

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Good Girls: A Double Tragedy In A Quiet Village

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 20:00:00 +0000

Hanging from a mango tree, on the edge of their village in Uttar Pradesh, are the bodies of two girls.

It’s May 27, 2014, and the sun is just beginning to rise in India’s north. It’s already blisteringly hot, the air thick and overbearing. A man, a member of the village, is the first to see them. The two girls who went missing last night.

Lalli is 14, her lifeless body beside her 16-year-old cousin Padma. They were inseparable in life, neighbours who were more like sisters. Their parents have been desperately trying to find them. They will eventually be called to this orchard, and they will see what became of their daughters.

But when they find them, they do not take their bodies down. Their mistrust of police is so great that they wait for a man they trust to arrive. They think that the police will ensure these girls are forgotten. Their deaths ignored by the justice system. Instead, the women of the family guard their bodies as they are exposed to the heat, factors that would make it increasingly difficult to determine what happened.

On that day, in May 2014, photographs are taken of a scene that is shared all around the world.

These girls’ lives mattered.

And with a spotlight on this small village in India, it’s critical they determine what happened.

CREDITS

Guest: Sonia Faleiro

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Barrenjoey Road: The Case Of Trudie Jeanette Adams

Wed, 16 Jun 2021 20:00:00 +0000

On today’s episode host Jessie Stephens is speaking with award-winning investigative journalists Ruby Jones and Neil Mercer, co-authors of the book Barrenjoey Road.

For 43 years, the case of Trudie Jeanette Adams has intrigued people on Sydney's Northern Beaches. Trudie decided to hitch-hike home, but she was never seen again.

Ruby Jones first investigated the case for ABC’s Unravel podcast. The second season, titled Barrenjoey Road, investigated the disappearance of Trudie Adams. The ABC then produced the three-part documentary series with Jones and Mercer, under the same name.

CREDITS

Guest: Ruby Jones & Neil Mercer

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Finding Cleo: The Story Of A Lost Child

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 18:00:00 +0000

On today’s episode Jessie is speaking with award-winning investigative journalist Connie Walker, whose podcast ‘Stolen’ & ‘Missing & Murdered’ uncovers an overlooked epidemic of violence against Indigenous women and girls in North America.

Her ‘Finding Cleo’ series tells the story of the young Cree girl who was taken from her family by child welfare workers in Saskatchewan in the 1970s, and unearths what truly happened to her...

CREDITS

Guest: Carrie Walker

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Dunblane Massacre: Britain's Deadliest Mass Shooting

Wed, 02 Jun 2021 18:00:00 +0000

It’s a Wednesday morning in March 1996, and the bell sounds at Dunblane Primary School near Stirling in Scotland.

Students scramble to their classrooms, their minds are caught up in homework and friendships, and the game they were just playing in the yard.

A class of twenty-eight Primary 1 pupils, aged between four and six, congregate in the gymnasium, preparing for their morning PE lesson.

In a nearby classroom sits an eight-year-old boy whose name is Andy. He has blue eyes and sandy coloured hair and loves nothing more than tennis. On the weekends, he plays adults. Sometimes he even beats them. Today, he is known as Andy Murray, one of the greatest tennis players to have ever lived.

It’s just after 9:30am when eight-year-old Andy hears something.

Two gunshots just outside his classroom.

They sound like they’re coming from the gymnasium.

The man holding the gun has on him 743 cartridges of ammunition. He’s already cut cables at the bottom of a telegraph pole at the school’s entrance and he’s about to execute the deadliest mass shooting in British history.

25 years later the question remains: why?

Who was this man, armed with more weapons than anyone could ever need, marching into a local primary school?

And is there a world in which this massacre could have been prevented?

CREDITS

Guest: Christopher Berry-Dee

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

RESOURCES WE USED:

Andy Murray: The Man Behind the Racquet

Judy Murray | THE DUNBLANE MASSACRE | Driving Force

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Belrose Bomb

Wed, 26 May 2021 18:00:00 +0000

It’s June 15, 1998, a cool winter’s evening on Sydney’s northern beaches.

The leafy, quiet and friendly suburb of Belrose is located about 19 kilometres northeast of Sydney’s CBD. For a man named Brett Boyd, it's no accident he lived there.

The 27-year-old had moved away from the bustling nightlife of Kings Cross. His friends were involved heavily in the club scene - some dealing drugs like cocaine. Elements of the work had begun to scare him, and so he retreated to a suburb where he felt safe.

Arriving home on that Monday in June at about 6:30pm, Brett noticed a package waiting at the door. It was addressed to his girlfriend, 23-year-old bikini model Simone Cheung. They’d met through a mutual friend and had been dating for a few years.

Simone wasn’t home at the time, and so Brett instinctively picked the package up.

A neighbour would later report hearing a loud explosion. The kind of sound that stood out. They then saw Boyd walk from his doorstep on Opala St, before collapsing.

An explosion had broken windows and blasted holes through the carport. Debris even landed on the roof of the shed next door.

What Brett had picked up was a bomb designed to kill.

But who had left it there? And why was it addressed to his girlfriend?

When Brett woke up in hospital, he was convinced he knew.

CREDITS

Guest: Poppy Damon and Alice Fiennes

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

RESOURCES WE USED:

Former fugitive breaks silence 17 years after accused of notorious hate crime | 60 Minutes Australia

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Buried Without A Body: The Murder Of Helen McCourt

Wed, 19 May 2021 18:00:00 +0000

It’s 4pm on the 9th of February, 1988.

A 22-year-old woman named Helen McCourt, with long, dark brown hair picks up the phone.

She's about to leave work at the Royal Insurance office in Liverpool, having negotiated with her boss to leave an hour early.

Helen is ringing her mother, Marie. She tells her that tonight she’ll be going out with her new boyfriend, but asks that her mother have tea ready when she arrives home so she’ll have enough time to wash her hair.

Marie agrees. Sitting with her daughter Helen and discussing her work or her relationships or her friendships are among one of her favourite things to do.

Once Helen puts down the receiver, she walks out into the wintery afternoon. It's raining, with fierce gusts of winds, as is often the case in northern England. In just a few hours, the temperature will be near freezing.

Helen estimates it will take her about an hour and fifteen minutes to arrive home, which she shares with her mother and younger brother in Standish Avenue.

But 5:30pm comes and goes. Helen’s tea goes cold. Her mother looks out the window at the foul weather making the streets unbearable.

Where is Helen?

And how close has she come that evening to opening the front door?

CREDITS

Guest: Marie McCourt

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Husband Poisoner

Wed, 12 May 2021 18:00:00 +0000

For Desmond Butler, it began with a headache. Then diarrhoea. Nausea that felt like a hangover.

He was otherwise a healthy man, not yet 30. He shared two children with his wife Yvonne Gladys Butler, a striking woman, small and doll-like. Desmond also attracted the attention of neighbours, with dark, thick floppy hair, an athletic physique and perhaps a wandering eye.

It was October 1947, and the young couple lived in a small house in the then working-class suburb of Newtown in Sydney.

But back to Desmond’s headaches.

Over the course of a week, his symptoms worsened.

Extreme fatigue. Aches and pains throughout his whole body, and a strange stiffness in his legs. Pins and needles travelled to his feet.

Before long, Desmond saw a doctor. They could find nothing, physically, wrong with him. The doctor’s order was Bonox… a drink otherwise known as beef tea. It was gentle on the stomach and high in iron, concentrating also the nutrients from beef in a drink. Every night, Yvonne continued to serve him Bonox. But his condition did not improve. It got worse.

While out with friends one night, Desmond fell to the floor. His legs were no longer working. He shouted at the top of his lungs: “I feel like I’m on fire!” Rushed home and put to bed, his friends didn’t know what to make of Desmond’s mystery illness. Was it possible he was putting it on?

As time wore on, neighbours began to notice a smell around the Butler house. It smelt like urine and faeces. Desmond no longer had control of his bowel, and Yvonne could only wash him with a sponge in bed given she was unable to lift him. His screams were heard throughout the neighbourhood - like an animal in excruciating pain.

Finally, he was rushed to hospital again.

A friend explained to the doctor: “He’s in so much pain he’s been threatening to eat poisoned wheat. His wife told us so”.

He likely didn’t know what the repercussions would be for such a statement.

Desmond was not admitted to hospital. He was taken into custody. In 1947, suicide was a crime. And Desmond had just threatened it.

And so people believed Desmond Butler had lost his mind - imagining symptoms for which there was no physical explanation.

But they were real.

And they did have a physical explanation.

But by the time police made a startling discovery, it would all be too late.

CREDITS

Guest: Tanya Bretherton, author of The Husband Poisoner

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Man Who Murdered Luke Batty

Wed, 05 May 2021 18:00:00 +0000

It was February 12, 2014, a hot summer evening, and eleven year old Luke Batty was at cricket practice on a sports oval in the Melbourne suburb of Tyabb.

With blue eyes and dark blonde hair, Luke had just started Year Six. He was happy and empathetic, a best friend to his single mother Rosie.

Rosie was on one end of the cricket ground, and his father, Greg Anderson was at the other.

After speaking to his father, Luke ran back over to Rosie and said: “Oh mum, I haven’t seen dad for a while. He’s asked me if I can have a few extra minutes.”

Rosie remembers thinking, “Aw that’s nice.”

She had invited someone over for dinner, and Greg had coaxed Luke over to the cricket nets. Suddenly, the park stood still in response to a sound of anguish, unlike anything they’d ever heard.

Her former partner, in what felt like the blink of an eye, struck his son with a cricket bat before stabbing him to death.

In the hours following, Anderson resisted arrest and threatened paramedics with his knife. Police had no choice but to shoot. He died in hospital from both gunshots and self-inflicted stab wounds.

What happened to Luke is a story that haunts Australia more than seven years later. In response, his mother Rosie Batty has dedicated her life to campaigning for domestic violence reform and has fundamentally changed the conversation about family violence.

CREDITS

Guest: Rosie Batty

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Dennis Costas: The Murderer Who Forgets

Wed, 28 Apr 2021 18:00:00 +0000

In July 2011 a man named Dennis Costas called in sick to work. He told his employer he was suffering from sciatica. For the rest of the afternoon, he drank heavily, characteristic of a man with a serious drinking problem.

Speaking to Dr. Richard Taylor, he said he couldn’t remember much from that day.

“My recollection is very distorted…” he said. He took a nap at some point and “After that,” he explained, “I really don’t know what happened. All I can remember is putting out the fire. My vision was blurred. I heard a voice and I came out of the flat door. I went back in again and then out to the lobby. There was a fire in the living room, and I put water on it.”

There was a lot he said he couldn’t remember from that afternoon, and into the early hours of the next morning.

At 3.50am, police were called to a four storey low-rise apartment block in Upton Park, East London, by a resident who said they were awoken to banging on their door.

When police arrived, residents were scattered across the carpark. Police ran to the top storey, where they saw a person walking towards them, like something out of a horror movie.

One police officer said he had never seen anything like it before. The person had burns to their face and body, and the officer said: “For a split second, a feeling of unreality overcame me.”

Eventually, the person gave her name as Sophia.

She had arrived home at 3am and her former boyfriend had been waiting inside.

He doused her in petrol. And lit a match.

That man, she said, was Dennis Costas.

A man who claimed he had no recollection of what had taken place.

So, had Dennis been involved?

And, why didn’t he remember it?

CREDITS

Guest: Dr. Richard Taylor, author of Mind Of A Murderer

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Leah Porges

You can listen to The Quicky's episode about the George Floyd Trial here.

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Queensland Backpacker Murder Of Mia Ayliffe-Chung

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 18:00:00 +0000

It’s August 23, 2016, in a sleepy Queensland town named Home Hill, south of Townsville.

Shelley’s Backpackers is a modest hostel in the small regional town, where backpackers on working holiday visas stay while completing their mandatory farm work.

The days are long. And hot. They see snakes and operate heavy machinery without any training. Aren’t those brown snakes meant to be deadly, they think to themselves. At night, they sleep in dormitories, some sharing rooms with strangers.

On the evening of August 23, a few of the British backpackers go to the pub. They have a few beers and something to eat, before heading back for an early night. Among them, is a 21-year-old woman named Mia Ayliffe-Chung. Another is Chris Porter.

When they return to the hostel, everyone climbs into their separate beds and drifts off to sleep.

Mia, at this point, had only been working there a week. Already, though, she was anxious. Something was troubling her.

A few hours later, Chris awoke to screams, unlike anything he’d ever heard.

Something was terribly wrong.

And shockwaves were sent from this tiny Queensland town, all the way back to England.

CREDITS

Guest: Rosie Ayliffe, author of Far From Home

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Ugly Business Of Illicit Sex In America

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 17:00:00 +0000

Los Angeles is known as the city of dreams.

The most populous city in California, Los Angeles is surrounded by mountain ranges, forests, beautiful beaches belonging to the Pacific Ocean and desert.

It is the home of countless celebrities - and even more who hope to become celebrities. It is the land of hope.

But Los Angeles is also one of the largest sites of human sex trafficking in the United States.

If you were to drive down Figueroa Street at night, you’d see women on the sidewalks in bikinis, high heels and short dresses, even in the depths of winter. You’d also see cars parked nearby. Inside are their pimps, keeping a close eye on the women who work for them.

If you asked any of those pimps, they’d tell you that those women choose to work for them.

But for some of these women, is it really a choice?

CREDITS

Guest: Mariana Van Zeller the host of Trafficked

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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The Apology Line

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 18:00:00 +0000

A man calls a phone number in Manhattan.

His name is Johnny. And he has a confession.

The phone line connects him to Mr Apology. A man whose real name is Allan Bridge, an artist performing a long-form social experiment.

There are posters up all around New York City, inviting “amateurs, professionals, criminals…” who have “wronged people.”

It continues: “It is to people that you must apologise, not to the state, not to God, get your misdeeds off your chest.” The instructions read, “describe in detail what you have done and how you feel about it.”

The messages were to be recorded, and at some point, played for the public.

Johnny’s voice bellowed down the receiver.

He spread AIDS to both genders, he confessed.

It was the 1980s - and the AIDS crisis was rapidly accelerating. It seemed Johnny had no desire to change.

Johnny’s voice was among thousands and thousands who would call the hotline over fifteen years.

Some were ordinary civilians. Some were criminals. Their confessions were shocking. And the project itself would take its toll on Mr Apology.

CREDITS

Guest: Marissa Bridge, host of 'The Apology Line' podcast

Host: Jessie Stephens

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

Producer: Gia Moylan

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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Exposing The Secrets Of Luna Park's Ghost Train Fire

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 17:00:00 +0000

It’s a cold winter’s night at Sydney’s Luna Park, nestled in the northern shore of Sydney Harbour. It’s June 9, 1979, and swarms of people ride the roller coaster and play inside Coney Island. The Tagline for the amusement park is “just for fun” - and it’s arguably one of the biggest attractions in Sydney.

But one of the most popular rides is The Ghost Train, which runs along 180 metres of electric track, most of it in total darkness. Dancing skeletons and dragons heads and an imitation fire make the ride spine-tingling, with a haunted voice cackling: “you’ll shiver and quake on the ghost train.”

It’s almost closing time and a 12-year-old boy named Jason Holman is with four friends, about to board The Ghost Train. For 45 years The Ghost Train has been running, without the slightest incident. Once you’re in, it only goes for two and a half minutes, but that’s enough time to deliver a thrill.

There’s nothing out of the ordinary. Two of his friends board the ride on one carriage, and then the next two in the following carriage.

Jason is last.

Just moments later, Jason’s four friends, students at Waverley College in Sydney, would be dead.

He will survive, being dubbed the luckiest boy alive.

But he doesn’t feel lucky.

42 years later, he still has questions.

CREDITS

Guest: Caro Meldrum-Hanna, co-creator of Exposed: The Ghost Train Fire

Host: Jessie Stephens

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

Producer: Gia Moylan

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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What Really Happened At Port Arthur: A Survivor's Story

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 17:00:00 +0000

True Crime Conversations explores the world's most notorious crimes by speaking to the people who know the most about them. This month we’re focusing on Australia’s most notorious crimes...

It’s lunchtime, on a cool Sunday in April, and the Port Arthur historic site is buzzing with visitors.

Located at the southern tip of the Tasman Peninsula, Port Arthur is located about 100 kilometres south-east of Hobart, the capital of Tasmania. The quaint village was once a penal settlement and a main drawcard for tourists visiting Australia’s southernmost state.

At around 1:10pm, a man named Martin Bryant pays his entry fee for the Port Arthur site and parks near the Broad Arrow Cafe. He sits in his car for a few minutes. He is seen walking towards the cafe, with a sports bag and a video camera. He orders lunch, which he eats on the outside deck. To onlookers, he looks slightly nervous, but otherwise like a normal man - likely a tourist visiting Port Arthur.

That morning, Bryant had awoken at 6am, which was unusually early for him. He left his home at 9:47am and drove to Forcett, arriving around 11am. Then, he continued on to Port Arthur, where he stopped at an accommodation site in Seascape. He hated the owners, David and Noelene Martin, who had bought the property before Bryant’s father had been able to. His father, Maurice Bryant, had been devastated and years later had ended his own life. Bryant blamed the Martin’s for his father’s death.

When he arrived at Seaside, he fired several shots, killing Noelene Martin, and then stabbed David Martin.

He then continued to Port Arthur, with a lightweight, semi-automatic rifle.

What followed, was the worst massacre in Australian history committed by a single person. 35 were killed, and 23 wounded.

CREDITS

Guest: Anita Bingham

Host: Jessie Stephens

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

Producer: Gia Moylan

Get more Mamamamia true crime listening with this The Spill's latest WATCH CLUB here.

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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The Story Behind Snowtown

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 17:00:00 +0000

True Crime Conversations explores the world's most notorious crimes by speaking to the people who know the most about them. This month we’re focusing on Australia’s most notorious crimes...

It’s the 20th of May, 1999, an autumn day in South Australia.

For 12 months, there has been an inquiry into the disappearance of a woman named Elizabeth Haydon, a 37-year-old mother of eight. But it isn’t just her. Two other people from a similar area have been reported missing. And there has been no trace of them.

But today police will storm a disused bank vault in Snowtown, a disadvantaged bush town about 150 kilometres north of Adelaide.

When they enter, they see six large plastic barrels. Inside are the remains of eight bodies that have been stored in acid. One is believed to be Elizabeth Haydon.

The smell from inside the vault is said to be so bad the police need breathing gear. Some will be traumatised from what they see that day.

Following the discovery, police visit the former home of John Bunting. In his backyard, they find two more bodies buried.

That brings the tally to 10 bodies - making the crimes that have taken place the worst serial killings in Australian history.

They will come to be known as the “bodies in barrels murders” or the “Snowtown” murders, making the sadistic crimes perpetrated by a number of men forever synonymous with a small South Australian town.

But the subsequent investigation would determine that while the bodies were found in Snowtown, that’s not where most of the murders had taken place. They’d been executed in suburban homes. And for years, no one had noticed.

CREDITS

Guest: Debi Marshall the author of 'Killing For Pleasure' and 'Banquet: The Untold Story of Adelaide's Family Murders'

Host: Jessie Stephens

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

Producer: Gia Moylan

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Peter Falconio And The Real Life Wolf Creek

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 17:00:00 +0000

True Crime Conversations explores the world's most notorious crimes by speaking to the people who know the most about them. This month we’re focusing in on Australia’s most notorious crimes...

It’s a Saturday night in the middle of July, 2001, when Peter Falconio and Joanne Lees travel down the Stuart Highway in their orange Kombi van.

Peter is 28, and in the driver’s seat. His girlfriend, 27-year-old Joanne, is in the passenger seat. They’ve been in Australia for a little over five months, first arriving in Sydney on a working holiday Visa. They’d come from Brighton in England, prepared for the trip of a lifetime.

On June the 25th, the young tourists departed Sydney to embark on a road trip across Australia, starting in Canberra, then on to Melbourne, Adelaide, Darwin and Brisbane.

The couple had been in Alice Springs, and are bound that night for the Devils Marbles, south of Tennant Creek. The road is long, and the drive notoriously remote. You rarely see another car, and the road extends as far as the eye can see, kilometres ahead. It’s eerie. If you stand on the side of the road, it’s so quiet and still you’re able to hear your own heartbeat.

They had stopped at the roadhouse in Barrow Creek, but once they set off again, they start to notice something unusual. A car. They keep expecting the car to overtake them, but it doesn’t. Along the expanse of road, a Toyota 4WD with a large green canopy in the back, approaches them. The driver gestures for them to pull over. Something must be wrong.

There is a twinge of fear. They’re alone. More than 15,000 kilometres from home. News had emerged recently in Australia and internationally of backpacker murders, with tourists like them disappearing in the Australian outback.

They pull the car over. A man approaches them.

And a few hours later, Northern Territory police get a panicked phone call.

CREDITS

Guest: Colleen Gwynne

Host: Jessie Stephens

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

Producer: Gia Moylan

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Anita Cobby: The Full Story

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 17:00:00 +0000

True Crime Conversations explores the world's most notorious crimes by speaking to the people who know the most about them. This month we’re focusing in on Australia’s most notorious crimes...

It’s the morning of February 6, 1986.

Australia as a nation, but more specifically New South Wales, is in a state of shock.

Two days prior, the body of 26 year old nurse Anita Cobby had been found in a paddock in Prospect, 32 kilometres west of Sydney’s CBD. The news had broken that Anita had been murdered.

But on the 6th of February, a morning radio host named John Laws obtained a leaked copy of the young woman’s autopsy report. All morning, he said, he considered whether or not to broadcast the details. He ultimately decided to.

Laws shared explicit details about Anita Cobby’s injuries and the nature of her death, as Sydney siders drove to work or as they dropped their children at school. For a generation, those details would be imprinted on their psyche - a woman murdered in a manner beyond what any of us could ever imagine.

The events of February 2, the night Anita was murdered by strangers, has come to be understood as the most savage murder this state has ever known.

When her killers were sentenced Justice Alan Maxwell described their crime as, "One of the most horrifying physical and sexual assaults. This was a calculated killing done in cold blood.”

It remains a crime Australia won’t ever forget.

CREDITS

Guest: Julia Sheppard the author of Someone Else's Daughter

Host: Jessie Stephens

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

Producer: Gia Moylan

The Quicky: The Secret Life Of Melissa Caddick

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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Coming Soon: Australia's Most Notorious Crimes

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 05:29:00 +0000

True Crime Conversations explores the world's most notorious crimes by speaking to the people who know the most about them. This March we’re focusing on Australia’s most notorious crimes...from Anita Cobby to Snowtown.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

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The Night Stalker

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 19:00:00 +0000

It’s May 30, 1985, in Burbank, California. Spring is turning to summer, and the wide streets in the San Fernando Valley are lined with their signature palm trees. A 42 year old woman named Carol Kyle is at home with her 11 year old son. She doesn’t know yet that there is a man in her neighbourhood, driving a stolen car.

At some stage during the night, in the shadow of darkness, this man enters her home. At gunpoint, he binds Carol’s son with handcuffs and ransacks their house, demanding she tell him where her most valuable items are hidden.

Once he has collected a number of valuable goods, he rapes Carol, ordering her not to look at him while shouting threats at her. She complies.

When he is finished with Carol, he retrieves the little boy and binds him to her mother with handcuffs.

Then, he flees the scene.

Both Carol and her son survive this attack.

They are lucky.

So far that year, the Night Stalker as he will come to be known, has killed six innocent civilians. The year before, he killed two others. The youngest being a nine year old girl.

He is in the midst of one of the most destructive murder crime sprees in American history. But he isn’t like your text book serial killer. He is a serial rapist, kidnapper, pedophile and burglar, murdering some victims while letting others go.

For those who survive, they will never forget his face. It is the face of a monster.

CREDITS

Guest: Detective Gil Carillo

Host: Jessie Stephens

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

Producer: Gia Moylan

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Edward Street Baby Farm

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 19:00:00 +0000

It’s February 5, 1907, and a short, dark haired man in his late thirties named Corporal O’Halloran is on the doorstep of a house on Edward Street in the city of Perth. He has been called there by the owner, a woman named Alice Mitchell.

Alice Mitchell is known to care for babies. Specifically, babies belonging to single parents, who have no choice but to return to work and earn a living. She has cared for dozens over the last six or so years. But she’s called Corporal O’Halloran there because she’s caring for a baby whose mother has disappeared. She is no longer sending her money.

“I’ve been keeping her baby for months,” she tells the man. “And I’ve received nothing from her. I keep them for a living,” she continues, referring to the babies. “I don’t keep them for the love of the thing. Her child wants nourishment and I’m unable to give it to her unless she pays me.”

Corporal O’Halloran asks to see the child.

He watches Alice walk down her lino-covered hallway and collect a baby from one of the bedrooms. The infant is wrapped in a thin blanket, wearing a soiled cloth nappy. He notices the baby is pale, with her eyes inflamed. She is seriously underweight, emaciated, and limp, and the policeman notices a sickly smell coming from her. He grows concerned.

Alice says the baby is suffering from teething. And marasmus, a form of malnutrition.

O’Halloran is aware of the rumours. They’ve been following Alice for some time. But there’s never been a formal complaint, perhaps because of the shame so many single mothers feel.

What happened that day will start an investigation, as authorities look more closely at the home of Alice.

Where are so many of the babies she was meant to be caring for?

CREDITS

Guest: Stella Budrikis - Author of 'The Edward St Baby Farm'

Host: Jessie Stephens

Audio Producer: Leah Porges

Producer: Gia Moylan

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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The Execution of Melbourne's Vampire Gigolo

Wed, 10 Feb 2021 19:00:00 +0000

It’s August 16, 2002, when a man named Shane Chartres-Abbott meets a client at South Yarra’s Hotel Saville.

The 27-year-old is a male prostitute, who specialises in sadomasochistic sex. With him, he carries a black bag full of sex toys, including a whip, ropes, condoms and handcuffs.

The woman he is meeting, 30-year-old Penny, is not a stranger. She too works in the sex industry. They’ve met for his services before, but have started to get to know each other, with Penny being one of Shane’s only clients to know his real name. She knows what she wants from him, and so the pair check in to room 307, closing the door behind them.

By 11:20am the following morning, hotel management discovers no one has checked out of room 307. One man goes upstairs to check if anyone was still there.

What took place in that room in the late hours of August 16, and the early hours of August 17, would set off a series of events that would culminate in murder, and the most expensive police investigation in Victoria’s history.

Did Shane turn into someone else inside room 307?

And how can we explain what happened next?

CREDITS

Guest: Adam Shand

Host: Jessie Stephens

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

Producer: Gia Moylan

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Sydney’s Infamous 'Granny Killer'

Wed, 03 Feb 2021 19:00:00 +0000

It’s the first day of Autumn, 1989, in an affluent Sydney suburb.

Mosman is on the lower north shore and known for being comfortable and safe, a short distance from Taronga Zoo and Balmoral Beach.

An 82 year old woman named Gwendoline Mitchell Hill is walking down military Rd towards her apartment in the late afternoon.

She doesn’t know a man has spotted her, concocting a plan of what to do next.

She won’t make it inside.

And she will be the first known victim of a vicious predator who will ravage the streets of Mosman, Lane Cove and Belrose for the next 12 months.

CREDITS

Guest: Former Detective Inspector Mike Hagan

Host: Jessie Stephens

Audio Producer: Leah Porges

Producer: Gia Moylan

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Abduction of Wendy Pfeiffer

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 19:00:00 +0000

The small town of Mylor, buried in the Adelaide Hills, has a population of just over one thousand people. Properties sit on sprawling bushland, between the mountainous terrain, and today people visit to camp or see the native animals.

It was October 1966 when eight year old Wendy Jane Pfeiffer, petite with short hair and rosy cheeks, decided to walk the family dog on a quiet Sunday afternoon. She took Bonnie, a brown and white farm dog, down a dirt track, which has barely changed in 55 years.

Wendy wouldn’t come back that afternoon. Or the next. A search began in the friendly, rural village, where bad things never happened. Pictures were circulated. Still, there was no sign of Wendy.

Where had she gone? Who had taken her?

And by some miracle, was it possible she was still alive?

CREDITS

Guest: Kylie Boltin

Host: Jessie Stephens

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

Producer: Gia Moylan

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Melbourne Schoolgirl Strangler

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 21:45:00 +0000

It’s a sunny Saturday afternoon in Spring, 1930. Mena Griffiths is 12 years old and living with her family in suburban Melbourne.

There’s a park she often visits with her friends and she asks her parents if she can go out and play. Her parents can’t know that there’s a man sitting at a local hotel bar.

He’s about 30 years old. He is known to the community as a family man, with a wife named Bernice and a baby named Joan. At 18 he had been sent to a reformatory prison for theft. Shortly after his release, he was sent back to prison for armed robbery and wounding a station master.

They can’t know that his crimes are on the verge of becoming more extreme. And that as he watches the young girls play in the nearby park, he decides to finish his drink, and approach a little girl. They can’t know that what he does will only be the beginning. He will go on to commit a series of crimes so horrific, that he will be hanged at Pentridge Prison.

CREDITS

Guest: Katherine Kovacic

Host: Jessie Stephens

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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BEST OF 2020: The Fake Diving Resort

Wed, 13 Jan 2021 19:00:00 +0000

In the 1980s, a brochure was printed across the world, for an idyllic holiday resort called Arous. It was a diving resort on the Red Sea, in the Sudanese desert. The brochure featured pictures of chalets on a bright beach, the sea almost the same colour as the sky
But what guests of the resort didn’t know was that Arous wasn’t really a holiday resort. At least not primarily. And the staff weren’t really managers, or diving instructors, or waitresses. Once the sun went down, those who worked at the hotel were part of a top secret mission, that not even their own families were aware of. And if the Sudanese government found out, it would cost them their lives.

Raffi Berg is the Middle East editor for BBC News Online. He has extensive experience reporting on Israel and the wider region. His book 'Red Sea Spies: The True Story Of Mossad’s Fake Diving Resort' was written in collaboration with secret agents involved in the operation and tells the complete story of the case for the first time.

This episode was originally published on June 18th, and is part of our 2020 Best Of series.

CREDITS:

Guest: Raffi Berg

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer and editor: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

‘Red Sea Spies: The True Story Of Mossad’s Fake Diving Resort’ by Raffi Berg https://bit.ly/redseaspies-book
‘Red Sea Diving Resort: The holiday village run by spies’, Raffi Berg for BBC News, Tel Aviv https://bit.ly/redseaspies-bbc
‘Saving The Forgotten Jews’ BBC News https://bit.ly/forgotten-jews-bbc-news
‘The Daring Rescue of Ethiopian Jews From Sudan’, Israel First TV https://bit.ly/30Q77lR

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BEST OF 2020: Blood On The Tracks: What Happened To Mark Haines

Wed, 06 Jan 2021 19:00:00 +0000

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware that this episode contains the names of people who have passed away.

In 1988 the death of Mark Haines just outside of Tamworth in regional NSW was barely investigated by local police. The 17-year-old’s body was found on train tracks outside of town, but law enforcement treated his death as less than suspicious. You have only to pull on the threads of the case to find that the truth could be very far from that.

Allan Clarke is a Muruwari man and an award winning investigative journalist, producer and presenter. Allan worked closely with Mark Haines’ family and friends for five years fighting for justice, and answers, culminating in the investigation of the case for the ABC podcast Unravel: Blood On The Tracks.

Allan joins this episode to explore the case, the mis-steps by law enforcement, and the racial prejudices that hindered initial, and even ongoing, investigations.

This episode was originally published on June 11th and is part of our 2020 Best Of series.

CREDITS:
Guest: Allan Clarke
Host: Jessie Stephens
Producer and editor: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

Unravel: Blood On The Tracks, ABC Podcasts https://bit.ly/unravel-podcast
‘Footsteps On The Tracks’ by Allan Clarke https://bit.ly/footsteps-allan-clarke
State Crime Command will investigate Mark Haines death
‘Blood on the Tracks Pt 1: Murder or misadventure, who killed Mark Haines?’ Australian Story, ABC TV https://bit.ly/aus-story-part-1
'Blood on the Tracks Pt 2: Unraveling Tamworth's body on the train tracks mystery’ Australian Story, ABC TV https://bit.ly/aus-story-part-2
Mark Haines’ family 2017 petition for the state government to offer a reward for information relating to Mark Haines’ death https://bit.ly/markhaines-family-plea

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

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BEST OF 2020: Gary Jubelin & The Case That Cost Him His Job

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 19:00:00 +0000

It’s July 2018 when Detective Gary Jubelin stands in front of microphones and news cameras and says the words: “I suggest you come to us before we come to you.”

He is addressing the person who knows what happened to three-year-old William Tyrrell on September 12, 2014. Little did Gary know that this case would be the one to cost him his job, but as he tells host Jessie Stephens on the latest episode of True Crime Conversations, he has no regrets.

Gary Jubelin is one of Australia’s most notable homicide detectives, known for leading the investigation into the deaths of three Aboriginal children in Bowraville, solving the murder case of Terry Falconer, recovering the body of Matthew Leveson and running the crime scene following the Lindt Cafe siege.

In his new book I Catch Killers: The Life and Many Deaths of a Homicide Detective, Gary shares the reality of working on investigations such as the disappearance of William Tyrrell and the toll his work has taken on his personal life. Throughout his career, Gary's focus has cost him friendships, relationships and, in the case of William Tyrrell, his job.

This episode was originally published on August 27th and is part of our 2020 Best Of series.

CREDITS
Guest: Gary Jubelin
Host: Jessie Stephens
Producer: Hannah Bowman

LINKS

You can find Gary’s book HERE - https://bit.ly/2EEM4cA

RESEARCH

The Bowraville Murders - 60 Minutes. https://bit.ly/3jdETXT
Mark Leveson speaks after Gary Jubelin's court appearance | 7NEWS. https://bit.ly/3hu3Yh5

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BEST OF 2020: How Nicola Gobbo Became Lawyer X

Wed, 23 Dec 2020 19:00:00 +0000

It’s August, 2005, and Nicola Gobbo’s life is about to go in a direction she never anticipated.

Nicola is a successful defence barrister, best known for defending Melbourne’s most prolific organised crime figures, from Carl Williams to Tony Mokbel. But things have become very messy. She wants to get what she calls the ‘Mokbel monkey’ off her back. She’s become too involved in ways she says she never intended. She’ll later say she’s tired of being stood over by criminals who are manipulating the justice system. She’s scared and distressed, and close to breaking down.

When Nicola Gobbo arrives at the courthouse and finds two detectives standing outside, words spill out of her mouth and tears fall down her face. She tells them things she shouldn’t. The detectives see this as an opportunity, and suggest something that’s never been done before.

Her decision that day would affect thousands of people, and ultimately force her into hiding.

The most resounding question when it comes to Nicola’s behaviour is: why?

This episode was originally published on October 22nd and is part of our 2020 Best Of series.

CREDITS

Guest: Rachael Brown

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Lem Zakharia

Executive Producer: Zoe Ferguson

LINKS

To listen to the podcast Trace, visit: abc.net.au/trace

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Vanishing Of Vivienne Cameron

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 19:00:00 +0000

Phillip Island lies just off Australia’s southern coast, about two hours from the city of Melbourne.

In 1986, the Cameron family were well known on the island. Fergus Cameron was a founding shareholder of the Phillip Island Grand Prix, but day to day worked on the family farm. He was married to Vivienne Cameron, and the pair had two small children.

One night in September, the body of a 23-year-old woman was found inside her home in what has been described as one of the most horrific crime scenes. And then, another woman went missing. Immediately, police thought they knew what had happened.

But all these years later, there are still unanswered questions. A mysterious phone call. A handbag that was miraculously moved. And blood that revealed something no one was expecting...

In 1993, crime writer Vikki Petraitis published her first book The Phillip Island Murder. Twenty-seven years later, she’s working on a podcast with Casefile about the case of Vivienne Cameron’s disappearance and is hoping to finally lay the mystery to rest.

CREDITS

Guest: Vikki Petraitis

Host: Jessie Stephens

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

Executive Producer: Zoe Ferguson

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After The Night: How The Night Caller Terrorised Perth

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:00:00 +0000

It’s Australia Day 1963, in the middle of a hot summer in Perth. A couple are sitting in a car, kissing and talking, in the beachside suburb of Cottesloe. They feel safe. It’s a safe neighbourhood in a safe city, and the night is still and empty. That is until the female notices, at around 2:40am, something outside the car window. It’s a man. Watching them. She alerts her male companion to the figure … who they realise is holding a rifle. They spring to action, trying to drive away as fast as they can. The man shoots at them, and she instinctively puts up her hand. She is injured, but the two escape alive.

By the next morning, Perth wakes up to the news that five people have been shot, with three dead. It was a killing spree unlike anything Perth had ever seen. But that wouldn’t be the extent of Eric Edgar Cooke’s crimes. And while he killed innocent civilians, there were two men in prison, serving time for murders they had not committed.

CREDITS

Guest: Tom Meadmore, Director of the Stan Original Documentary Series ‘After The Night’

Host: Jessie Stephens

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

Executive Producer: Zoe Ferguson

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Cost Saxon Mullins Paid For Being A ‘Witness’

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 19:00:00 +0000

It was 2018 when Saxon Mullins, now 23, came out and said the four words: “I am that girl.”

People had heard what had happened to a young woman in a laneway behind the Soho nightclub in Sydney’s King’s Cross.

They heard what a man, Luke Lazarus, son of the nightclub owner, said to her.

The public was also aware of what happened next.

But it took five years for Saxon to say those words, “I am that girl”, and she said them to ABC journalist Louise Milligan.

Saxon did what she was meant to do. She reported alleged assault. She turned up to court. She sat in the witness box and she told her story.

But, Louise Milligan asks, at what cost?

Louise Milligan is an investigative journalist, a reporter for the ABC’s Four Corners program, and Walkley Award winning author. Her most recent book is Witness: An investigation into the brutal cost of seeking justice in which she explores Australia's legal system and how it treats witnesses.

She gives us a glimpse into a world so many of us will never see, and explores the stories of various witnesses, including Saxon Mullins and Paris Street.

CREDITS

Guest: Louise Milligan, Reporter for ABC Four Corners and author, Witness: An investigation into the brutal cost of seeking justice

Host: Jessie Stephens

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

Executive Producer: Zoe Ferguson

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Decades Of Abuse: The Case Of The Tasmanian Nurse - Part Two

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 19:00:00 +0000

This is the second part of a two part episode. If you haven't listened to part one, listen here now.

Launceston is one of Australia’s oldest cities. Just south of the city centre stands Launceston General Hospital, one of the main public hospitals in the state of Tasmania. The hospital treats a quarter of a million patients every year, and over 150 years has built trust within the local community.

The children’s ward is known as Ward 4K - filled with doctors and nurses doing their best to make a child’s stay as comfortable as possible.

But for more than 20 years, one nurse - a grandfatherly figure to so many - allegedly preyed on sick children.

It wasn’t until May last year, when a young woman referred to as Alice walked into Launceston police station, that everything would begin to change.

Her story, police would discover, was only the beginning.

This story is told by investigative journalist Camille Bianchi, the creator, host and reporter behind The Nurse podcast. The Nurse is about a former Launceston nurse named James 'Jim' Geoffrey Griffin who lived in a quiet town in Tasmania, and spent his life working with children. He also hid a dark secret.

CREDITS

Guest: Camille Bianchi, creator and host of The Nurse podcast

Host: Jessie Stephens

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

Executive Producer: Zoe Ferguson

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Decades Of Abuse: The Case Of The Tasmanian Nurse - Part One

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 19:00:00 +0000

Launceston is one of Australia’s oldest cities. Just south of the city centre stands Launceston General Hospital, one of the main public hospitals in the state of Tasmania. The hospital treats a quarter of a million patients every year, and over 150 years has built trust within the local community.

The children’s ward is known as Ward 4K - filled with doctors and nurses doing their best to make a child’s stay as comfortable as possible.

But for more than 20 years, one nurse - a grandfatherly figure to so many - allegedly preyed on sick children.

It wasn’t until May last year, when a young woman referred to as Alice walked into Launceston police station, that everything would begin to change.

Her story, police would discover, was only the beginning.

This is part one of a two part episode.

CREDITS

Guest: Camille Bianchi, creator and host of The Nurse podcast

Host: Jessie Stephens

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

Executive Producer: Zoe Ferguson

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Laura Frizzo Caught The Black Widow: Part Two

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 19:00:00 +0000

This is the second half of a two-parter. If you haven't heard part one yet, listen here and then come back to listen to part two.

Chris Regan, a 53-year-old war veteran and father of two sons, hadn’t been seen since October 14, 2014. Weeks turned into months, and as the lakes of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula turned to ice, there was still no sign of him.

Inside Chris’ car, police had found one item of interest; a handwritten note that appeared to be directions. At first, it hadn’t made any sense. But once police looked more closely, it became clear they were directions to the home of Kelly Cochran, a colleague who Chris was having a relationship with.

According to Kelly, her husband Jason Cochran was aware of her affair with Chris. Her affairs were simply part of their marriage. She’d seen Chris a few days before he’d disappeared, but she didn’t know where he’d gone, or why he’d left.

But police knew this wasn’t true.

Kelly knew far more than she was letting on. And they were beginning to suspect so did her husband Jason.

CREDITS

Guest: Laura Frizzo

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Lem Zakharia

Audio Producer: Ian Camilleri

Executive Producer: Zoe Ferguson

Dead North is on Investigation Discovery - available to stream via Foxtel On Demand.

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Laura Frizzo Caught The Black Widow: Part One

Wed, 04 Nov 2020 19:00:00 +0000

Iron River, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, is known for its scenic lakes, hiking trails, exceptionally cold winters and dense forest. It’s sparsely populated, and many who do live there are blue collar workers.

Laura Frizzo was the first female Police Chief in Upper Michigan and worked for the city of Iron River for almost 22 years. She knew what sorts of crimes to expect. And then came a woman named Terri O’Donnell.

Towards the end of October, 2014, 50 year old Terri arrived at the police station and told authorities that her ex-partner, Chris Reagan, was missing.

What would unfold over the following months, and then years, is a story of extramarital affairs, drug abuse and serial murder.

One woman would come to be known as the black widow - capable of crimes far worse than anyone could have imagined.

This is part one of a two-part feature.

CREDITS

Guest: Laura Frizzo

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Lem Zakharia

Audio producer: Ian Camilleri

Executive Producer: Zoe Ferguson

LINKS

The true story is dramatised in the new docu-series Dead North on Investigation Discovery - available to stream via Foxtel On Demand.

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Angela Jay Survived Her Tinder Stalker

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 19:00:00 +0000

It was mid 2016, when 28-year-old Angela Jay downloaded Tinder. Angela had come out of a long term relationship and had decided it was time to start dating again.

That’s when she came across the profile of a man named Paul Lambert. He had used the ‘Super Like’ feature on her, which meant he was especially interested in striking up a conversation. He was conventionally attractive with dark hair, friendly eyes, and a wide, warm smile with dimples on either side. Angela decided to reply to the 36-year-old, and quickly learned they had a lot in common.

Their first date was everything she wanted it to be. He was kind and interested, unashamed about how much he liked her. She couldn’t have known at that point who he really was, and the behaviours that lay in his past.

Then came the gut feeling that something wasn’t right.

It would end with every woman’s worst nightmare - a story that made national news and an event that Angela will remember for the rest of her life.

CREDITS

Guest: Dr Angela Jay

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Lem Zakharia

Executive Producer: Zoe Ferguson

LINKS

A link to the Ted X event in Sydney… https://tedxsydney.com/

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Nicola Gobbo Became Lawyer X

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 19:00:00 +0000

It’s August, 2005, and Nicola Gobbo’s life is about to go in a direction she never anticipated.

Her decision that day would affect thousands of people, and ultimately force her into hiding.

The most resounding question when it comes to Nicola’s behaviour is: why?

CREDITS

Guest: Rachael Brown

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Lem Zakharia

Executive Producer: Zoe Ferguson

LINKS

To listen to the podcast Trace, visit: abc.net.au/trace

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Janine Vaughan: The Woman Who Disappeared Into The Night

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 19:00:00 +0000

It was a Thursday night in December, 2001, when a woman named Janine Vaughan attended a nightclub in Bathurst called the Metro Tavern. Janine had lived in the small town, with a population of about 27,000 for the last three years, working as a manager at a local menswear shop. Hers was a face many in the community knew, considered conventionally beautiful with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a big smile.

In the early hours of that Friday morning, 31-year-old Janine walked out onto George Street, a few paces ahead of her friends. She was distressed, having lost her handbag somewhere in the nightclub. A few moments later, a red sedan pulled up. Her friends were unable to see the driver, but assumed it was someone Janine knew. She climbed into the passenger seat, and the car drove away.

That was the last anyone has seen of Janine Vaughan - a woman known as fun loving and outgoing. Her mother, Jenny Vaughan, told The Sydney Morning Herald in 2012, “It was raining, she had no money, she had no phone, no key to get into her house. If it was just someone she knew from coming into the shop or who she knew from around town she would have got in. It wouldn’t have been someone she met that night.I think it’s someone that she knew and trusted them enough to get into the car.”

So, who was in the driver’s seat? And what did they do to Janine Vaughan?

CREDITS

Guest: Hedley Thomas

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Lem Zakharia

LINKS

The Night Driver Podcast by The Australian… thenightdriver.com.au

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Secret Hidden In Matthieu Heimel's Family

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 19:00:00 +0000

Matthieu Heimel grew up knowing nothing about his biological parents.

His life in Perth had been enough for him until his two children began asking unanswerable questions about where he came from. So in late 2018, Mattieu embarked on a DNA search for his mother and father.

He found his father Jerry relatively easily. He was a US serviceman who had been stationed in the Philippines in 1978 when Matthieu had been conceived.

Finding his mother proved far more difficult.

Using social media, he connected with members of his mother’s family. He was told that Nenita, the woman who had given birth to him 42 years ago, was missing. As he asked more questions, he learned that she’d moved to Melbourne in 1985, and then a few years later, she’d vanished.

The closer he looked, the clearer it became that Nenita had likely been murdered.

CREDITS
Guest: Simon Illingworth

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Lem Zakharia

LINKS

The SBS on Demand series, Every Family Has a Secret… https://bit.ly/2SzrK0c
Simon Illingowrth’s book, Filthy Rat… https://www.booktopia.com.au/filthy-rat-simon-illingworth/book/9780980417043.html

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Real Life Narco

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 20:00:00 +0000

It was a tropical night in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, and 45-year-old Luis Navia’s 25-year stint as a narco (a drug trafficker) was coming to an end.

Ever since he’d first tried the stuff as a young man, Luis had dealt large quantities of cocaine.

It was the era of Pablo Escobar, of the Netflix series Narcos, of Miami Vice, Scar Face and American Made. So much has been written and explored about the cocaine market of the late 20th Century but until now, none of those stories properly included Luis Navia.

Pursued for more than 12 years, Luis’ time on the run was drawing to a close. Luis would walk out the front doors of Tamanaco InterContinental airport and wait for a taxi. He didn’t know that he was about to be captured by the National Guard of Venezuela. He’d be threatened with a scalpel.

Once arrested, Luis was sent back to Florida where he would finally face justice. It’s where he had studied at university and where his parents lived. He emerged from the airport in a white shirt, khaki pants and brown shoes, looking like he didn’t have a care in the world. If he felt anything, it was relief.

His life for so many years had been one of secrets. He’d been held over a pit of crocodiles. He’d spent more money than anyone could ever dream of. No one, at that moment at least, knew his full story. Until it was told by Jesse Fink.

CREDITS
Guest: Jesse Fink

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Lem Zakharia

LINKS

The book Pure Narco by Jesse Fink and Luis Navia… https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51192383-pure-narco

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Woman Who Dressed As Anita Cobby

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 20:00:00 +0000

It was a summer night in 1986 when 26-year-old Anita Cobby met friends for dinner in Redfern.

Afterwards, the registered nurse caught the train from Central Station at 8:48pm, and arrived at Blacktown station just before 10pm.

Usually, Anita would call her father at the station and he would pick her up, but this night all the surrounding pay phones happened to be out of order. There were also no taxis available at the taxi rank. It was a beautiful, clear night and Anita decided to walk home.

It was 10pm when a gang of five men pulled up beside Anita in a stolen car, grabbed her, and dragged her into the vehicle kicking and screaming. A number of witnesses on Newton Road in Blacktown heard the voice of a distressed young woman and called the police.

It was the next day that the naked body of a young woman was found in a paddock at Prospect in Western Sydney. Police identified her as Anita Cobby.

One of the women working at Blacktown police station at the time was Deborah Wallace. She was around the same age as Anita, and similar in appearance. The lead detective would choose to do something unconventional in order to find who was responsible for one of the most horrific murders in NSW history. His approach would work, and ultimately it would change the course of Deborah’s career.

CREDITS

Guest: Deborah Wallace

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Lem Zakharia

LINKS

The Book ‘A Woman of Force’... https://www.booktopia.com.au/a-woman-of-force-mark-morri/book/9781760787356.html

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Web Of Lies: The Murder of Amy Allwine

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 20:00:00 +0000

It’s early 2016 when a description of American woman Amy Allwine is posted to the Dark Web: “She’s about five foot six, she looks about 200 pounds. She should be driving a dark green Toyota Sienna Minivan.This bitch has torn my family apart by sleeping with my husband (who then left me), and is stealing clients from my business. I want her dead.”

This post was in fact a call-out for someone to murder Amy Allwine, and be paid 13 Bitcoin (approximately $190,000) in return.

But Amy hadn’t slept with anyone’s husband. She wasn’t stealing anyone’s clients. She had no enemies. So who could want her dead?

The police would eventually discover who wanted Amy dead. But they were too late.

In today’s episode Jessie speaks with Eileen Ormsby. Eileen is a lawyer, author and freelance journalist based in Melbourne. Her book, The Darkest Web, attempts to uncover the web's dark underbelly: a place of hitmen for hire, red rooms, hurtcore sites and markets that will sell anything a person is willing to pay for - including another person’s life.

CREDITS

Guest: Eileen Ormsby

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Lem Zakharia

LINKS

Eileen Ormsby’s book, Silk Road… https://www.booktopia.com.au/silk-road-eileen-ormsby/ebook/9781743518113.html
Eileen Ormsby’s book, Darkest Web… https://www.booktopia.com.au/darkest-web-eileen-ormsby/book/9781760297855.html

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newcastle’s Grooming Of The Altar Boys

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 20:00:00 +0000

It’s 1974 in the suburb of Hamilton, which is about four kilometres from the heart of Newcastle. The area is an idyllic backdrop for an Australian childhood, surrounded by incredible natural beauty, with lush bushland and sprawling beaches.

Many of the working class families in the suburbs of Newcastle are Catholic. Catholics belong to a parish, which has a church and a local priest. The Catholic schools in the area promise to propel students into the professional classes. Maybe they’d grow up and become a teacher or a nurse or a journalist or even a priest themselves.

The three main schools in this particular diocese are Marist Brothers Hamilton, St Pius X in the nearby suburb of Adamstown and Marist Brothers Maitland. Two of these schools are, as their names suggest, run by Marist Brothers, who are an international religious community of men, dedicated to educating young people.

But on October 8, 1974, something unimaginable happened. A boy named Andrew Nash dies. It will take decades for his family to discover what happened to him.

In this episode, Jessie speaks with Suzanne Smith. Suzanne is a six-time Walkley Award winning investigative reporter, whose 27-year career in journalism has included senior editorial roles at the ABC, including on Foreign Correspondent, Background Briefing, Lateline and ABC News. During her time at the ABC she reported on the cover-up of clerical abuse, which helped to trigger the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Australia.

Suzanne’s new book, Altar Boys, is a powerful expose of widespread and organised clerical abuse of children in one Australian city, and how the cover-up in the Catholic Church extended from parish priests to every echelon of the organisation.

CREDITS

Guest: Suzanne Smith

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Lem Zakharia

LINKS

A link to Suzanne Smith’s book, Altar Boys… https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/QmWv3

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Police Caught The Golden State Killer

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 20:00:00 +0000

It’s 1978 in the Californian city of Stockton. Bob and Gay Hardwick, a couple in their twenties, are asleep in the early hours of the morning. Suddenly, they’re awoken by a bright light shining in their faces. A man is standing at the edge of their bed holding a gun, with a black ski mask covering his face. Over several hours, Gay Hardwick is sexually assaulted by the armed intruder, while Bob is tied up, unable to move. The man behind the mask would come to be known as the East Area Rapist, or the Golden State Killer, and for decades, he would evade police.

In today’s episode, Jessie speaks with Andrew Rule. Andrew’s written about some of the biggest Australian crimes of the last 30 years and is currently acolumnist for the Herald Sun, as well as host of his own podcast Life and Crimes with Andrew Rule. Andrew’s particularly interested in DNA tracing, which later became one of the most valuable tools to finding the Golden State Killer.

CREDITS

Guest: Andrew Rule

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Lem Zakharia and Hannah Bowman

LINKS

Watch ‘I’ll be Gone in the Dark’ on BINGE… https://binge.com.au/shows/show-i-ll-be-gone-in-the-dark!7063
Andrew Rule’s book, Cuckoo… https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3617067-cuckoo

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gary Jubelin & The Case That Cost Him His Job

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 20:00:00 +0000

It’s July 2018 when Detective Gary Jubelin stands in front of microphones and news cameras and says the words: “I suggest you come to us before we come to you.”

CREDITS
Guest: Gary Jubelin
Host: Jessie Stephens
Producer: Hannah Bowman

LINKS

You can find Gary’s book HERE - https://bit.ly/2EEM4cA

RESEARCH

The Bowraville Murders - 60 Minutes. https://bit.ly/3jdETXT
Mark Leveson speaks after Gary Jubelin's court appearance | 7NEWS. https://bit.ly/3hu3Yh5

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two Of The Most Wanted Men In Australia

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 20:00:00 +0000

When it comes to violent crime, can what happened to someone as a child, ever justify their actions as an adult?

In today’s episode, Jessie is speaking with a journalist, screenwriter, and author Mark Dapin.

In his book, Public Enemies Mark explores the lives of armed robbers Russell 'Mad Dog' Cox and Ray Denning.

In the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, armed robbers were the top of the criminal food chain. And Russell ‘Mad Dog’ Cox and Ray Denning were the best. Cox and Denning were once Australian Public Enemies Number One and Two. Both were handsome, charismatic bandits who refused to bow to authority.

Their story as criminals is one of violence and crime, but it has a deeper meaning that may be traced to the horrors they faced as young boys...

CREDITS

Guest: Mark Dapin

Host: Jessie Stephens
Producer: Hannah Bowman

LINKS

You can find Mark’s book HERE - https://bit.ly/324f5Xx

RESEARCH

Tough Nuts | Ray Denning | The Runner. https://bit.ly/3hdbn41
Tough Nuts | Russell Cox | Australia's Most Wanted Man. https://bit.ly/34eYymm

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘Nightmare Of Errors’: The Case Of Kelvin Condren

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 20:00:00 +0000

It was Saturday morning, when a routine police patrol drove past a mostly empty car park in the remote Queensland town of Mount Isa. When police edged closer, they saw that it was the body of a young woman, who they’d later discovered was named Patricia Carlton. She’d been brutally beaten and sexually assaulted. The woman was rushed to hospital, but later that night Patricia would die of her injuries.

Following Patricia’s murder, the police made an arrest almost immediately. But what happens when the process lets us down and the wrong person ends up in jail?

In today’s episode, Jessie speaks with forensic anthropologist, criminologist and author, Dr. Xanthé Mallet.

In her new book, ‘Reasonable Doubt’ Xanthé explores some of Australia’s worst wrongful convictions - including that of Indigenous man Kelvin Condren who was wrongly convicted of murder in 1984.

CREDITS
Guest: Dr Xanthé Mallett

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer: Hannah Bowman

LINKS

You can purchase Xanthe’s book HERE - https://bit.ly/30LEc1E

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How An Internet Date Led To 7 Years Of Chasing Charlie

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 20:00:00 +0000

In today’s episode of True Crime Conversations Jessie speaks with Julia Robson. Julia is a private investigator, who spent 7 years on the trail of a New Zealand con man, who goes by the name of ‘Charlie’, who was scamming women online, promising them a better life, coercing them into relationships and even having children with them.

In her seven-part podcast ‘Chasing Charlie’ Julia speaks with the women who have been psychologically and financially abused by this man, and explains the trap she managed to set to finally bring him to justice.

CREDITS
Guest: Julia Robson
Host: Jessie Stephens
Producer: Hannah Bowman

LINKS

You can find Julia’s podcast Chasing Charlie HERE - https://bit.ly/39VuVXX

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jose Martinez: A Killer Hiding In Plain Sight

Wed, 29 Jul 2020 20:00:00 +0000

When Jose Martinez’s sister was murdered, he got revenge by murdering her killers. This sparked what would end up being three dozen murders, he completed over more than three decades, many of them on behalf of drug cartels, as a hitman. Despite being a ruthless killer, Jose is described as a soft-spoken doting grandfather and complete family man.

In today’s episode, Jessie speaks with Jessica Garrison. Jessica is a senior investigative editor for Buzzfeed News and spent more than a decade as a reporter at the Los Angeles Times.

In her book The Devil's Harvest - A Ruthless Killer, a Terrorized Community, and the Search for Justice in California's Central Valley, Jessica traces the life of Jose Martinez, the cops who were investigating him and the families of his victims.

Throughout her research, Jessica has studied decades of case files, Martinez’s handwritten journals, interrogation transcripts, and spoken to the people closest to this case to find the answer to one question. Why do some deaths, and some lives, matter more than others?

CREDITS
Guest: Jessica Garrison
Host: Jessie Stephens
Executive Producer: Elise Cooper
Producer/Editor: Hannah Bowman

RESEARCH

‘I Killed 36 People’ - Buzzfeed News - https://bit.ly/2CNL7hT

LINKS

You can find Jessica’s book HERE - https://bit.ly/305eyES

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lost in Larrimah: The Disappearance of Paddy Moriarty

Wed, 22 Jul 2020 20:00:00 +0000

In December 2017, Larrimah local Paddy Moriarty left his favourite pub and embarked on the two minute ride home, with his kelpie Kellie sitting beside him on his quad bike. And then, he disappeared into thin air. Along with Kellie.

Larrimah is a small town in the Northern Territory located 431 kilometers from Darwin and the nearest grocery store is 90 kilometres away. This tiny town only has a population of 10 people, so when Paddy disappeared it was big news.

In this episode Jessie speaks with journalist Kylie Stevenson. Kylie was the co-host of the Walkley award winning podcast Lost in Larrimah, alongside Caroline Graham. Ever since Paddy went missing, Kylie has had a personal and professional interest in the case, having met Paddy by chance a year earlier.

CREDITS
Guest: Kylie Stevenson
Host: Jessie Stephens
Executive Producer: Elise Cooper
Producer/Editor: Hannah Bowman

RESEARCH

The Disappearance Of Paddy Moriarty - A Dog Act | ABC News - https://bit.ly/2ONn4Sl
Missing Man May Have Been Baked Into Pie | A Current Affair Australia - https://bit.ly/3eRkzt1

LINKS

You can find Kylie’s podcast HERE - https://bit.ly/2OMfk3i

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Life Of A 21 Year Old Undercover Cop

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 20:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Jessie speaks with one of Queensland’s most highly regarded police officers, Keith Banks, about his experiences as an undercover operative in the 1980’s.

At 16 years old Keith traveled from Townsville to study at Brisbane’s Police Academy and by the time he was 21, the young, straight-laced country boy was risking his life to infiltrate some of Australia’s most dangerous drug syndicates.

To hide his identity Keith often became involved in the exact crimes he was hired to uncover.

In his new book Drugs, Guns & Lies: My life as an undercover cop, Keith shares his incredible story in an era riddled with corruption.

CREDITS
Guest: Keith Banks
Host: Jessie Stephens
Executive Producer: Elise Cooper
Producer/Editor: Hannah Bowman

RESEARCH

Fitzgerald Inquiry - The Corruption (Queensland State Archives) - https://bit.ly/3exKtlc
Retired QPS officer speaks out about Fitzgerald Inquiry. 7 News - https://bit.ly/32krdFs

LINKS

You can find Keith’s book HERE - https://bit.ly/2OsmvgC

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's Most Notorious Con Man

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Peter Foster is one of Australia's most prolific career criminals. From diet products to sports betting companies, this con man stops at nothing. His crimes have found him with links to Muhammad Ali and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. And he also appeared on Andrew Denton’s Enough Rope.

In this episode Jessie speaks with Justin Armsden, an award-winning journalist with over 30 years of experience in print and broadcast. He has worked as an anchor for CNN and an investigative reporter for A Current Affair.

Justin has been on the tail of conman Peter Foster for the last 25 years, famously tracking him down in Byron Bay a few years ago when he was on the run. Justin has now teamed up with private investigator Ken Gamble for a new Audible Original podcast King Of Sting, which retraces Peter’s years of fraud and the devastation left in his path.

CREDITS

Guest: Justin Armsden
Host: Jessie Stephens
Executive Producer: Elise Cooper
Producer/Editor: Hannah Bowman

RESEARCH

60 Minutes Australia - Peter Foster: Notorious Aussie Playboy and con man. 1988 investigative by Mike Munro. https://bit.ly/peter-foster-60-mins
60 Minutes Australia - Secret recordings expose Australia's most notorious con man Peter Foster. 2020 https://bit.ly/ken-gamble-foster
Today Tonight and the underweight jockey SensaSlim claim is no stunt. https://bit.ly/today-tonight-sensaslim

LINKS

Justin Armsden’s podcast King Of Sting - https://adbl.co/3fgEAKy

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The First Time He Hit Her: The Murder Of Tara Costigan

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Tara Costigan was a hard working mum, friend, close with her family and liked by those who she met. She was also killed by her partner one week after giving birth to their daughter.

In this episode we speak with Heidi Lemon, that author of The First Time He Hit Her: the shocking true story of the murder of Tara Costigan, the woman next door.

Heidi spent the past few years devoted to writing the book, and worked closely with the Costigan family during the project.

Tara’s story is devastating. It is also not an anomaly. Heidi has worked to share Tara’s story in the hopes that more public conversations will continue to be had about Australia’s problem with domestic violence.

CREDITS

Guest: Heidi Lemon author of The First Time He Hit Her
Host: Jessie Stephens
Producer: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

‘The First Time He Hit Her: the shocking true story of the murder of Tara Costigan, the woman next door’ book by Heidi Lemon https://bit.ly/tara-costigan-book
‘Tara Costigan: The Life and Death of a Victim of Domestic Violence’, 7:30 Report, ABC TV https://bit.ly/tara-730-report
‘A man, who murdered his ex-girlfriend with an axe while she was cradling their baby daughter, has been sentenced to at least 26 years in jail.’ Nine News https://bit.ly/3ePTo2h

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

If any parts of this episode raise issues for you please seek help via the resources below

Family Violence 1800 RESPECT - that’s 1800 737 732
Safe Steps in Victoria - 24 hour response line- safesteps.org.au
National services https://www.dvrcv.org.au/support-services/national-services

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Four Children, Three Murders: Kathleen Folbigg’s Story

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Kathleen Folbigg is thought to be one of the most infamous serial killing women in Australia. She was found guilty of the murder of her three infant children, Patrick aged eight months, Sarah aged 10 months and Laura aged 19 months, between 1989 and 1999. She was also convicted of the manslaughter of her first child Caleb in 1989.

The main evidence used against Kathleen were her personal diary entries, however there was very little physical forensic evidence to support the prosecution's case against her.

Dr Xanthe Mallett is a trained forensic scientist and criminologist who has met Kathleen, and covered her case for her book Mothers Who Murder: And Infamous Miscarriages of Justice. Xanthe joins this episode to explore Kathleen’s upbringing, the death of her children, and the court cases and inquiry that followed.

CREDITS
Guest: Dr Xanthe Mallett https://bit.ly/motherswhomurder

Host: Jessie Stephens
Producer: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

‘Mothers Who Murder: And Infamous Miscarriages of Justice‘ by Xanthe Mallett https://bit.ly/motherswhomurder
Justice NSW Kathleen Folbigg Report Published 2019 Media Release https://bit.ly/justice-nsw-folbigg
‘Guilty Of Killing Her Own Children? Has Kathleen Folbigg Been Wrongly Convicted? Australian Story, ABC TV https://bit.ly/aus-story-kathleen-folbigg

LINKS

The Tragic Story Of Dean Shillingsworth And Rachel Pfitzner https://bit.ly/dean-shillingsworth

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Fake Diving Resort

Wed, 17 Jun 2020 20:00:00 +0000

CREDITS:

Guest: Raffi Berg

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer and editor: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

‘Red Sea Spies: The True Story Of Mossad’s Fake Diving Resort’ by Raffi Berg https://bit.ly/redseaspies-book
‘Red Sea Diving Resort: The holiday village run by spies’, Raffi Berg for BBC News, Tel Aviv https://bit.ly/redseaspies-bbc
‘Saving The Forgotten Jews’ BBC News https://bit.ly/forgotten-jews-bbc-news
‘The Daring Rescue of Ethiopian Jews From Sudan’, Israel First TV https://bit.ly/30Q77lR

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Blood On The Tracks: What Happened To Mark Haines

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware that this episode contains the names of people who have passed away.

Allan joins this episode to explore the case, the mis-steps by law enforcement, and the racial prejudices that hindered initial, and even ongoing, investigations.

CREDITS:
Guest: Allan Clarke
Host: Jessie Stephens
Producer and editor: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

Unravel: Blood On The Tracks, ABC Podcasts https://bit.ly/unravel-podcast
‘Footsteps On The Tracks’ by Allan Clarke https://bit.ly/footsteps-allan-clarke
State Crime Command will investigate Mark Haines death
‘Blood on the Tracks Pt 1: Murder or misadventure, who killed Mark Haines?’ Australian Story, ABC TV https://bit.ly/aus-story-part-1
'Blood on the Tracks Pt 2: Unraveling Tamworth's body on the train tracks mystery’ Australian Story, ABC TV https://bit.ly/aus-story-part-2
Mark Haines’ family 2017 petition for the state government to offer a reward for information relating to Mark Haines’ death https://bit.ly/markhaines-family-plea

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who Killed Jeffrey Epstein

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Jeffrey Epstein was a financier of global influence and moved in powerful social circles. He was also an alleged child sex trafficker, a convicted criminal who served time for soliciting a prostitute; an underage child in 2008. Epstein was arrested again in July of 2019 on charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking. While he awaited trial he was found dead in his jail cell on August 10th 2019.

Diane Dimond is an award winning investigative journalist, author and syndicated columnist who writes about the ever-evolving and fascinating world of crime and justice. She speaks to us about the case of Epstein and her work for the Investigation Discovery documentary examining the crimes and suspicious death of Epstein.

CREDITS
Guest: Diane Dimond
Host: Jessie Stephens
Producer: Elise Cooper

The following episode includes discussion of child sex trafficking, sexual assault, and alleged suicide. Listener discretion is advised. If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

RESEARCH

‘Who Killed Jeffrey Epstein’, Investigation Discovery, FOXTEL Australia
FBI opens investigation into Epstein's long-time friend | Nine News Australia https://bit.ly/ghislaine-maxwell
Prince Andrew & the Epstein Scandal: The Newsnight Interview - BBC News https://bit.ly/princeandrew-bbc
Special Report: Jeffrey Epstein Found Dead In Jail Cell | NBC News https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DiXSAPFbHE
‘How Miami Herald's investigation & Jeffrey Epstein survivors helped blow up a sweetheart deal’ Miami Herald, https://bit.ly/miamiherald-epstein

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/3982S5P

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Salvation, Miracles And 900 Dead: Inside The Jonestown Massacre

Wed, 27 May 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Jim Jones was a charismatic pastor, preaching of salvation and a bountiful life for all those who followed him. He also was the man responsible for one of the largest incidences of loss of human life in modern American history.

Author and podcaster Jo Thornely has researched Jim Jones and his cult of followers for her book Zealot. She joins us for this episode to explain Jones’ psychology, the power of his charisma, and the terrible chain of events that lead to the deaths of more than 900 people.

This episode contains discussion of suicide. Please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 if the contents of this episode raises any issues for you.

CREDITS

Guest: Jo Thornely, author of ‘Zealot’
Host: Jessie Stephens
Executive Producer and Editor: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

‘Zealot: A Book About Cults’ by Jo Thornely https://bit.ly/zealot-jo-thornely
Jo Thornely’s interview about Anne Hamilton Byrne and the cult The Family, https://bit.ly/thefamily-jothornely
‘Guyana/USA: Jonestown Massacre 20 Years On’, AP Archive https://bit.ly/ap-jonestown

‘The Jonestown Massacre: Paradise Lost’, Real Stories https://bit.ly/paradiselost-jonestown
‘Escaping Jonestown’, CNN https://bit.ly/cnn-jonestown
‘Return To Jonestown’, Sunday Night, Channel 7 Network https://bit.ly/sundaynight-onestown

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Husband And Wife Serial Killers: Part Two

Wed, 20 May 2020 20:00:00 +0000

In the second episode of our two part series on the life and crimes of serial killers David and Catherine Birnie, we examine the crimes the pair carried out.

Journalist and author Andrew Byrne explores further the motivations and machinations of the Birnie’s utterly maniacal and evil crimes.

As Andrew is still working on his book he asks that if you or anyone you know has any information on the Birnies to contact him via his LinkedIn profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewkbyrne/

You can hear episode one here https://bit.ly/tcc-part-one

CREDITS

Guest: Andrew Bryne
Host: Jessie Stephens
Technical Producer: Luca Lavigne
Executive Producer and Editor: Elise Cooper

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Husband And Wife Serial Killers: Part One

Wed, 13 May 2020 19:00:00 +0000

In November 1986, police visited a quiet residence on a suburban Perth street. The occupants of that house, lifelong lovers David and Catherine Birnie were arrested soon after.

That house will be forever synonymous with five unimaginable crimes, known to history as the Moorhouse Murders.

Catherine will never be released from jail. She is only the third woman in Australian history to be given this sentence

Andrew Byrne is an acclaimed journalist and author. He reported on the Birnies for a television documentary series, and is currently working on a book about the serial killing husband and wife.

In this episode we delve deep into the upbringings of David and Catherine; how their traumatic and violent childhoods could have led to their depraved actions in adulthood.

As Andrew is still working on his book he asks that if you or anyone you know has any information on the Birnies to contact him via his LinkedIn profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewkbyrne/

CREDITS

Guest: Andrew Bryne
Host: Jessie Stephens
Technical Producer: Luca Lavigne
Executive Producer and Editor: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

‘Beyond The Darklands’, Episode 1 Seven Network
‘The Moorhouse Horrors’, Crime Investigation Australia, Season 1 Episode 6, Seven Network

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/3982S5P

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Born With The Devil In Me": America's First Serial Killer

Wed, 06 May 2020 15:00:00 +0000

Dr Henry Howard Holmes was America’s first serial killer. The charismatic criminal lured his victims to his hotel dubbed “the murder castle” during the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. The building was riddled with trap doors and booby traps, a crematorium and gas chambers. The rumours of his depravity were far reaching and propelled H. H. Holmes to infamy. However the man dubbed America’s first serial killer may not have been responsible for the murders of as many people as he claimed.

As director and author John Borowski explains, Holmes derived pleasure from the planning of his crimes, not necessarily carrying them out. Borowski has written a book about Holmes, and directed a true crime documentary following his life and crimes. Once arrested, Holmes was prolific in claiming murders to have been by his hand, though some alleged victims came forward to attest that they were very much alive and unharmed.

Fuelled by desire for fame, or bloodlust, the case of H. H. Holmes and the murder hotel has as many twists and turns as the hotel in which they were carried out.

CREDITS

Guest: John Borowski http://johnborowski.com/

Host: Jessie Stephens

Technical Producer: Luca Lavigne

Executive Producer and Editor: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

Borowski, John (November 2005). Estrada, Dimas (ed.). The Strange Case of Dr. H. H. Holmes. West Hollywood, California: Waterfront Productions https://bit.ly/hhholmesdoco
‘Holmes Cool To The End; Under the Noose He Says He Only Killed Two Women. New York Times Archive https://bit.ly/hhholmes
‘Murders By Doctors; The Great Tragedies of the Century Have Medical Men as Their Central Figure.’ The Anaconda standard. May 01, 1896, p. 12. via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. https://bit.ly/murderbydoctors

CONTACT US

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The Mystery Of Beenham Valley Road

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 14:00:00 +0000

When Kirra McLoughlin died on a property on Beenham Valley Road near Gympie, Queensland, law enforcement and medical examiners were baffled.

CREDITS
Guest: Jamie Pultz
Host: Jessie Stephens
Technical Producer: Luca Lavigne
Executive Producer and Editor: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

Beenham Valley Road: The Kirra McLoughlin Story podcast https://www.six10mediagroup.com/beenhamvalleyroad
‘Kirra McLoughlin, 27, may have lain up to 12 hours in house after being critically injured in fight’ Courier Mail
‘Young mum allegedly died after hitting her head, so why was she covered in bruises?’ Courier Mail

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au.

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/3982S5P

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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The Untold Story Of The Bali Nine

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 20:00:00 +0000

On 17 April 2005, nine young Australians were arrested in Bali on charges of drug trafficking. Known as the 'Bali 9', some members received the death penalty for their crimes, while others are serving lengthy jail sentences.

It seemed like a case burnt into the Australian consciousness. However, more than 15 years later the same crimes are being carried out, with just as devastating effects. Journalists Cindy Wockner and Madonna King were present at the trials and sentencing of The Bali 9. They used their investigative skills to piece together the whole story, from arrest to jail to the harrowing final journey for their book, Bali 9: The Untold Story.

Madonna King joins Jessie Stephens to take us through the case of the Bali 9, the lives of those involved, why they took on such a huge risk, and the now controversial role of the Australian Federal Police.

CREDITS

Guest: Madonna King, co-author of ‘Bali 9: The Untold Story’ http://bit.ly/bali-nine
Host: Jessie Stephens
Technical Producer: Luca Lavigne
Executive Producer and editor: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

‘Nine Australians arrested in Bali on suspicion of smuggling heroin’ AP ARCHIVE https://bit.ly/aparchivebali9
‘AFP Unapologetic Over Bali Nine’ Studio 10, Channel 10 https://bit.ly/studio10bali9
‘Final appeal for Chan and Sukumaran’ ABC News Australia , ABC 2010 https://bit.ly/2XQ9hjW
‘Renae Lawrence pleads for reduced sentences for remaining Bali 9 prisoners’ 7:30 ABC News Australia, https://bit.ly/abcnews-renae
‘Final goodbye for Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran’ Nine News Perth, Nine Nework, https://bit.ly/finalgoodbye-ninenews

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au.

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/3982S5P

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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Sex Slaves, Rituals, And Blackmail: The Lost Women Of NXIVM

Wed, 15 Apr 2020 20:00:00 +0000

The rise and fall of Keith Raniere and the now defunct NXIVM cult is one of the most disturbing scandals of our age. What began as a purported self-help group spiralled into a dark, secretive world of illicit sex, money laundering, and exploitation, all at the hands of founder Keith Raniere and his accomplices. Additionally, several women involved with the NXIVM founder died or disappeared under suspicious circumstances.

A former NXIVM publicist turned investigative journalist Frank Parlato explores the case in this episode. Frank’s documentary The Lost Women Of NXIVM, takes a deep dive to answer the questions surrounding the tragic deaths and mysterious disappearances of four women who all had connections to NXIVM and its founder Keith Raniere.

CREDITS
Guest: Frank Parlato
Host: Jessie Stephens
Technical Producer: Luca Lavigne
Executive Producer and Editor: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

The Lost Women Of NXIVM, Frank Parlato, Investigation Discovery, FOXTEL https://bit.ly/lostwomen
Allison Mack Pleads Guilty In Alleged NXIVM 'Sex Cult' Case, CBS New York https://bit.ly/2Vagt8x
NXIVM Sex Cult Conviction News Conference, CBS New York https://bit.ly/lostwomen2

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au.

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/3982S5P

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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Stephanie Scott: The Case That Shook A Small Town

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 20:00:00 +0000

When 26-year-old school teacher Stephanie Scott disappeared days before her wedding, her fiance immediately knew something was wrong. She wasn’t the type of person to vanish without a trace, or get cold feet.

An immense manhunt was swiftly organised with locals of the small town of Leeton, where Stephanie lived. It would be a devastating four days until Stephanie’s fiance and family were given the worst possible news.

In this episode, we speak with Leeton local Monique Patterson who was one of the journalists who covered Stephanie’s disappearance.

She has since written a book on the case of Stephanie Scott, titled; ‘United In Grief: The Tragic Story of Stephanie Scott's Murder and the Effect it had on the Small Town of Leeton NSW’.

CREDITS

Guest: Monique Patterson, author of United In Grief

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer and editor: Elise Cooper
RESEARCH

United In Grief: The Tragic Story of Stephanie Scott's Murder and the Effect it had on the Small Town of Leeton NSW, book by Monique Patterson, https://bit.ly/34klKNJ
Stephanie Scott Missing, 7 News Sydney https://bit.ly/2VaEbjN
Man charged with murder of missing NSW teacher, SBS world News, https://bit.ly/2XjFkZi
Stephanie Scott Murder Arrest, 9 News Adelaide https://bit.ly/3e5Rgna
Stephanie Scott Murder timeline, SBS News https://bit.ly/3e3PDGy

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au.

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/3982S5P

If any of the contents in this episode have cause distress know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

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The Disappearance Of Sydney Model Revelle Balmain

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 19:00:00 +0000

It was November 1994 and Jan Balmain was confused. She was waiting for her 22-year-old daughter Revelle to get off the train from Sydney to Newcastle. Revelle was supposed to be visiting before heading off to Japan for a career changing modelling gig.

But Revelle never got off the train. Instead, hours earlier Revelle, who was working as a sex worker as well as a model, allegedly finished her shift at a client’s house, was dropped at a nearby bar, and was never heard from again. Her possessions littered the streets of Bellevue Hill where she lived.

In this episode we speak with award winning journalist and author Caroline Overington.

Caroline investigated the disappearance of Revelle in the late 1990s for the Good Weekend Magazine. She has also covered high profile missing person’s cases such as the disappearance of William Tyrell for The Australian podcast ‘Nowhere Child’. Her work as a journalist has made her a revered fixture in the Australian media landscape.

CREDITS

Guests: Caroline Overington https://www.carolineoverington.com/

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer and editor: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

‘The Secret Life Of Revelle Balmain’ Caroline Overington for Good Weekend Magazine, The Sydney Morning Herald, 1999 https://www.carolineoverington.com/revelle-balmain
‘Revelle Balmain murder: The night the 22-year-old model went missing’ Mamamia https://www.mamamia.com.au/revelle-balmain-murder/
‘A double bombshell’: Final hours of missing Sydney model Revelle Balmain’, Daniela Elsa for News.com.au https://bit.ly/2WZM9ig

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or on the PodPhone 02 8999 9386.

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/3982S5P

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Drugs, Dictators, A Diabolical Plot: The Last Voyage Of The Pong Su

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 19:00:00 +0000

It was the afternoon of April 15, 2003, when residents of Lorne, a seaside town on the shoreline of the Great Ocean Road, noticed something they’d never seen before.

It was a cargo ship. Of course, they saw big ships everyday but this was something different. The 106 metre long vessel came to within 500 metres of the rocks scattered along the coastline.

What no one knew at the time, was that the ship knew precisely where it was going. And that the following day, a search of the beach at Boggaley Creek would show up the lifeless body of a man, alongside a small dinghy. Who was he? And where had he come from?

The Australian Federal Police already had an idea. But they could not have known how far, and how deep, this case was about to run.

Richard Baker is a journalist and host of the podcast The Last Voyage of Pong Su. He joins this episode to take us through the case of the Pong Su, after exploring it for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.

CREDITS

Guests: Richard Baker, host of The Last Voyage Of Pong Su

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer and editor: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

The Last Voyage of the Pong Su https://www.theage.com.au/pong-su
Forensic Investigators: Operation Sorbet https://bit.ly/2wA3zY5
‘Heroin Trail Leads to North Korea’. Washington Post https://wapo.st/2xqki0c
‘That pong in the bay is from a ship under a cloud’ - The Sydney Morning Herald https://bit.ly/2UhN2RN
‘Korean freighter Pong Su to be scuttled’ - The Sydney Morning Herald https://bit.ly/3blPnAL
‘Pong Su crew members deported’- The Age https://bit.ly/3atOeqw

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A Shark, A Tattooed Arm, And A Baffling Murder Mystery

Thu, 19 Mar 2020 02:04:01 +0000

When a shark vomited up a tattooed arm in the Coogee Aquarium in 1935, onlookers were horrified. This arm would be the catalyst for exposing the seedy underbelly of Sydney’s grimy and cut throat crime scene.

Phillip Roope and Kevin Meagher sit down with Jessie Stephens to explore the shark arm case. Together, the former high school history and english teachers collaborated on the book Shark Arm; A Shark, A Tattooed Arm, and Two Unsolved Murders, exposing one of the most baffling and fascinating cases in the history of Australia’s early 20th century crimes.

CREDITS

Guests: Phillip Roope and Kevin Meagher, authors of Shark Arm; A Shark, A Tattooed Arm, and Two Unsolved Murders https://bit.ly/39XvgIN

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer and editor: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

‘Shark Arm’ book by Phillip Roope and Kevin Meagher https://bit.ly/2UjhJ7J
Shark Arm murders: Jimmy Smith death a Sydney mystery, News.com.au
Shark Arm murder 1935 - Dictionary Of Sydney photo archives https://bit.ly/33u1iJW
The ‘shark arm murder’ mystery that shocked Australia Dolly Stolze and Strange Remains https://bit.ly/3de4uxG

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or on the PodPhone 02 8999 9386.

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/3982S5P

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Qandeel Baloch Was Murdered For What She Posted Online

Wed, 11 Mar 2020 19:00:00 +0000

Qandeel Baloch was dubbed Pakistan’s answer to Kim Kardashian but her story is very different. Her older brother murdered her for bringing dishonour to her family.

Journalist and author Sanam Maher pieced together Qandeel’s life from her birth in rural Pakistan to her incarnation as a social media sensation; and she documents the public response to Qandeel’s shocking death, for her book, A Woman Like Her.

In her research she spoke to Qandeel’s parents, family, friends and work colleagues.

Sanam takes us through Qandeel’s life, her rise to fame, and the impact her murder had on Pakistan and the global community more broadly.

CREDITS

Guest: Sanam Maher, author of A Woman Like Her, The Short Life of Qandeel Baloch
Host: Jessie Stephens
Producer and editor: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

A Woman Like Her; The Short Life of Qandeel Baloch by Sanam Maher https://bit.ly/3cL3xg6
Qandeel Baloch: Pakistan's social media celebrity - BBC News https://bit.ly/39PpkkQ
‘She feared no one': the life and death of Qandeel Baloch, The Guardian https://bit.ly/3aSBdXJ
Qandeel Baloch’s Murder: One Year On, BBC Stories https://bit.ly/2xk4pYU
Qandeel Baloch: Brother of murdered social media star jailed BBC
Brother of Qandeel Baloch, Pakistani Internet Star, Gets Life Term for Her Murder The New York Times
Pakistan: Brother sentenced to life for Qandeel Baloch's killing Al Jazeera

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Inside The Twisted Van Breda Family Murder

Thu, 05 Mar 2020 01:37:00 +0000

The Van Breda family appeared to be the perfect picture of success. So how did three of the five family members end up murdered in their family home on the De Zalze estate in South Africa?

Martin Van Breda was an entrepreneurial, hardworking and kind man. His wife Teresa was a loving mother, heavily invested in the lives of her three children; Marli, Henri and Rudi.

In 2014, the family sold their home in Buderim, on the Australian Sunshine Coast, for 2.5 million dollars and returned to their native South Africa, where they moved into a home in a gated community. The golf estate in Stellenbosch where they resided, was said to be one of the safest places in the country.

But one night in January 2015, everything went terribly wrong. Paramedics would respond to an emergency call in the early hours of January 27 to find a crime scene they would describe as the worst of their careers.

Three people were dead. One was clutching to life. And another had sustained serious injuries.

The emergency operator was told there had been a home invasion but there was so much more to this story.
In this episode we speak to South African journalist and author Julian Jansen, about the case that has become known as the De Zalze, Van Breda Murders.

Julian has written about the attack in his book The De Zalze Murders, The Story Behind The Brutal Axe Attack, and covered the case as it was unfolding in South Africa’s high courts.

CREDITS
Guest: Julian Jansen author of The De Zalze Murders, The Story Behind The Brutal Axe Attack
Host: Jessie Stephens
Executive Producer and editor: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

Unpacking The de Zalze Murders by Julian Jansen SABC Digital News https://bit.ly/2TzRyt8

Who is the real Henri van Breda: baby-faced innocent or monster? - Sunday Times by Julian Jansen https://bit.ly/2TDpq8t
Western Cape: Judge Desai says Van Breda case is of 'innate cruelty' - SABC Digital News https://bit.ly/3cC3YJV
'It was a cold blooded murder': Watch the moment Henri van Breda is sentenced - NEWS 24 https://bit.ly/2ImUHHD
Henri Van Breda murder judgment - Interview with Julian Jansen, SABC Digital News https://bit.ly/2vExopY
Why did Henri van Breda murder his family? | 60 Minutes Australia - 60 Minutes Australia, https://bit.ly/3czgqK4
LISTEN: Van Breda's chilling emergency call, Times LIVE https://bit.ly/2POiAfh
Blood spatter expert gives evidence in South Africa axe murder trial AP Archive https://bit.ly/2PLEcsC
'It was a cold blooded murder': Watch the moment Henri van Breda is sentenced, News 24 https://bit.ly/2VKNyIR

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or on the PodPhone 02 8999 9386.

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/3982S5P

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"I Was In A Horror Film”: Surviving The Salt Creek Attacks

Wed, 26 Feb 2020 19:00:00 +0000

It was February 2016, dry and uncomfortably warm, when 23-year-old Brazilian backpacker Beatriz meets a German backpacker of the same age named Lena.

The two travellers strike up a friendship and decide to head to Melbourne from Adelaide via the Great Ocean Road. They put an ad on Gumtree asking for a lift and 59-year-old Roman Heinze replied.

Little did the women know they had just accepted a lift with a man who was planning a vile and terrifying attack.

Jessie speaks with Sean Fewster, chief court reporter for the Adelaide Advertiser and best selling author of City Of Evil. Sean covered the case of the Salt Creek attacks at the time the case was brought before the South Australian courts.

CREDITS

Guest: Sean Fewster @seanfewster, Chief Court Reporter for The Adelaide Advertiser and best selling author of City Of Evil
Host: Jessie Stephens
Producer and Editor: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

“Salt Creek monster: Lifting the veil off the secret life of Roman Heinze” Sean Fewster for The Adelaide Advertiser https://bit.ly/3a6HP4k
“Salt Creek kidnapper sentencing: Roman Heinze jailed for 22 years” Sean Fewster for The Adelaide Advertiser https://bit.ly/2PqlUNm
“Family of Salt Creek kidnapper Roman Heinze say he is harassing them from prison to raise money for new High Court appeal” Sean Fewster for The Adelaide Advertiser https://bit.ly/2HXYs5X
A Current Affair Australia’s Real Life Wolf Creek Horror Story, Channel 9, https://bit.ly/2TeWgwn
9 News Adelaide: Salt Creek Update, Channel 9, https://bit.ly/2VysAgz
7NEWS Melbourne: Salt Creek Attacker Identity Revealed, Channel 7 https://bit.ly/2TsY8Sn

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or on the PodPhone 02 8999 9386.

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/3982S5P

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Diabolical And Detonated; The Collar Bomb Heist

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 01:38:00 +0000

Erie, Pennsylvania is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie, halfway between New York and Ohio. It was August the 28th, 2003, when a man named Brian Welles arrived at a local pizzeria where he worked as a pizza delivery driver. For 10 years he had been one of their most loyal employees, only ever missing one day of work, following the death of his beloved cat.

But this day, an order placed from a payphone to 8631 Peach Street, only a few kilometres from the pizzeria, would change the course of multiple lives.

Once he arrived at the address, a collar bomb would be placed around his neck, fitted with a timer. He would also be handed a seven page letter, outlining a bizarre scavenger hunt he was ordered to complete. The words, “Act now, think later or you will die” were scrawled at the bottom of the instructions.

Was the collar bomb even real? How did it end up around Brian Welles’ neck? And what was this really all about?

What took place over the next few hours has been described by CNN as the only crime of its kind, and "one of the most complicated and bizarre crimes in the annals of the FBI".

We speak to investigative reporter Rich Schapiro, author of a long form piece on the Collar Bomb Heist for WIRED and researched the case extensively in the process. He is also an investigative journalist for NBC news in the United States.

CREDITS

Guest: Rich Schapiro @richschapiro

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer/Editor: Elise Cooper

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or on the PodPhone 02 8999 9386. Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/3982S5P

RESEARCH

The Incredible True Story of the Collar Bomb Heist by Rich Schapiro https://www.wired.com/2010/12/ff-collarbomb/
Unsolved Crimes USA - The Exploding Pizzaman https://bit.ly/2SULcnQ
‘Pizza Bomber’ Case Is Subject Of New Netflix Docuseries ‘Evil Genius’ | Megyn Kelly TODAY https://bit.ly/2vK5I2L

Sentencing Day in Bizarre Bank Robbery Case, Fox News Insider https://bit.ly/39Mlk4d

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The Eastern Suburbs Killer

Thu, 13 Feb 2020 01:25:05 +0000

In December 1932, a woman named Iris Marriott prepared dinner in a small flat in Sydney’s East. It was the peak of the Great Depression and the Australian economy had collapsed. The unemployment rate had hit an unbearable 32 per cent.

While she cooked a lamb shank and vegetables, her partner sat at the kitchen table, looking through job ads. It was Iris who financially supported them both. And so, she applied her make up with a firm powder puff and after sitting down for dinner, she threw on a forest green dress and pinned back her hair. Just after 9pm, she said goodbye and left for work.

The 33-year-old walked out her front door on Renny Street in Paddington, and headed towards Oxford Street. That would be the last time her partner would ever see her alive.

Less than 12 hours later, her body would be found within view of a row of houses, in Queens Park, Sydney. A popular park with families, Iris had somehow been murdered without anyone noticing.

But Iris wasn’t the first body to be found in Sydney’s Eastern suburbs. And she wouldn’t be the last. Before long, Sydney’s serial killer would be on the front pages of newspapers all over the state.

We speak to Dr Tanya Bretherton author of The Killing Streets; Uncovering Australia’s First Serial Murderer about a series of crimes that plagued Sydney for decades.

CREDITS

Guest: Tanya Bretherton author of The Killing Streets; Uncovering Australia’s First Serial Murderer

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer/Editor: Elise Cooper

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or on the PodPhone 02 8999 9386.

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/3982S5P

RESEARCH

The Killing Streets: Uncovering Australia’s First Serial Murderer by Tanya Bretherton https://bit.ly/2HkqhoU

Shocking Murder in Sydney, The Recorder, Port Pirie Newspaper, Mon 12th December 1932 https://bit.ly/31OOkFO
Eric Craig Third Trial on Murder Charge, The Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 7th June 1933 https://bit.ly/2uwXtXC
Eric Craig taken to Bathurst Gaol, The Sydney Morning Herald, Sat 20th January 1934 https://bit.ly/2tTEx4X

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Perfect Murder Or Tragic Accident: What Happened To Rebecca Zahau

Wed, 05 Feb 2020 19:00:00 +0000

Rebecca Zahau was in the bathroom when she heard a bang. It was July 11, 2011, and the 32-year-old was caring for six-year-old Max Shacknai, the son of her 54-year-old boyfriend, Jonah Shacknai. Jonah was a millionaire and the CEO of a successful pharmaceutical group and Rebecca had been dating him for two years.

At first she thought the bang was a dog barking but when she ran towards it, she set off an unthinkable chain of events that would eventually lead to the loss of two innocent lives.

In this episode Jessie sits down with Derrick Levasseur, a retired police sergeant and licensed private investigator from Rhode Island in the United States. Over the course of his career, Derrick has received multiple awards, including the Medal of Valor, which is the highest honour a police officer can receive.

Derrick also researched the case of Rebecca Zahau, who was found hanging naked from the balcony of her boyfriend, Jonah’s, mansion in California 2011.

Her death would divide investigators and law enforcement.

CREDITS

Guest: Derrick Levasseur

Hotst: Jessie Stephens

Producer/Editor: Elise Cooper

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or on the PodPhone 02 8999 9386.

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/3982S5P

RESEARCH

Breaking Homicide, hosted by Derrick Levasseur, Investigation Channel, Foxtel Australia https://bit.ly/2RWW5pY
ABC 10 NEWS USA Rebecca Zahau's boyfriend testifies https://bit.ly/2RY3ULT
NBC 7 San Diego “Adam Shacknai Answers "Did You Kill Rebecca Zahau?" https://bit.ly/397e2YE
ABC 10 NEWS USA Coronado Mansion Deaths Ruled Accident & Suicide, https://bit.ly/2v6yUjQ

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Katherine Knight: The Abattoir Murderer Of Aberdeen

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 19:00:00 +0000

It was 6am on March 1, 2000, when John Price’s neighbour noticed his car was still in the driveway. It struck him as unusual.

John’s supervisor noticed his absence at work too. An off-handed comment he’d made the day before made his co-workers feel uneasy.

At 8:10am, Officer Matthews and Officer Furlonger arrived at John’s home.

His front door was locked. The two police men decided to walk around the side of the house, and break in through the back door. What they saw has been described as one of the worst scenes in Australian criminal history. A judge would later refer to what happened as “beyond contemplation in a civilised society”. The horrific actions of Katherine Knight resulted in her being one of the few women in Australia’s criminal history to be handed a sentence that will see her imprisoned for the term of her natural life.

Jessie Stephens sits down with journalist and author Sandra Lee to look into the mind of Katherine Knight, to find out what lead her to murder her ex-partner in such a horrific manner. You can find Sandra’s writing on Katherine Knight, Beyond Bad: The Life and Times of Katherine Knight at all good bookstores.

RESEARCH

Beyond Bad: The Life And Times Of Katherine Knight by Sandra Lee https://bit.ly/3176Usn
Inside Story: Twisted Minds, Season 1 Episode 8, 9 Network https://bit.ly/2ta6YLy

Crimes That Shook Australia: Katherine May Knight https://imdb.to/2O7qDDg
R v Knight [2001] NSWSC 1011 (8 November 2001), Supreme Court (NSW, Australia). https://bit.ly/36CQN6W

CREDITS

Guest: Sandra Lee

Hotst: Jessie Stephens

Producer/Editor: Elise Cooper

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or on the PodPhone 02 8999 9386.

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The Claremont Serial Killer

Wed, 22 Jan 2020 19:00:00 +0000

Claremont was a buzzing, wealthy suburb, about 20 minutes from Perth, Western Australia. With pubs and bars along wide, safe streets. It was known for its nightlife, with patrons often spilling out onto the footpath in the early hours of the morning. But that all changed in 1996 when the disappearance of three young women made national headlines.

Claremont would become the backdrop for one of Western Australia’s biggest, longest-running and expensive investigations, which as of yet, has not been solved.

But more than 23 years later, as this episode is published, a man is sitting on trial, facing eight charges for the murders of Sarah Jane Spiers, Jane Louise Rimmer, and Ciara Eilish Glennon.

Journalist Natalie Bonjolo speaks to Jessie about the case of the Claremont Serial Killer. Natalie is an executive producer on the Claremont Serial Killings podcast for the West Australian where she has been following the trial as it unfolds and working alongside journalists who've been reporting on the case since the first woman, Sarah Spiers, went missing on a January night in 1996.

CREDITS

Guest: Natalie Bonjolo

Host: Jessie Stephens

Producer and Editor: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

CLAREMONT: The Claremont Serial Killings podcast from The West Australian https://bit.ly/2sLouFD

7 News Perth, Accused Claremont serial killer Bradley Edwards has pleaded guilty to five of eight charges against him 7 Network https://bit.ly/2G9XimX

7 News Perth, Victim statement in court about the night she was raped by Bradley Robert Edwards, 7 Network https://bit.ly/2unFIt2

CONTACT US

If you have a case you'd like to hear on True Crime Conversations send us an email at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

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Best Of 2019: The Case Of Balcony Murderer Simon Gittany

Wed, 08 Jan 2020 19:00:00 +0000

This episode of True Crime Conversations is part of our 2019/2020 Holiday series. We've handpicked episodes from throughout the year that we though deserved another listen.

In 2014 Simon Gittany was found guilty of throwing his 30 year old fiancé Lisa Harnum from the balcony of their shared 15th floor apartment.

Simon maintained his innocence, saying that Lisa climbed over the railing of the balcony and fell to her death.

Amy Dale was a court reporter at the time of this case and has subsequently written a book titled The Fall about Lisa’s murder.

Jessie Stephens sits down with Amy to take us through the case, from the infamous CCTV footage of Simon in the apartment building lift moments after Lisa was killed, the images of Simon dragging Lisa back into their apartment, the couples abusive relationship, and Simon’s insistence of his innocence.

This episode contains discussions of domestic violence. If you or someone you know is experiencing an abusive relationship please seek help via Lifeline and the Domestic Violence Alert portal on their website. https://www.dvalert.org.au/

The Lisa Harnum foundation is a resource giving a voice to women experiencing domestic violence. You can visit them at their website https://www.lisahf.org.au/

Join our Facebook group True Crime Conversations here https://bit.ly/2xrjAMZ

CREDITS

GUEST: Amy Dale

Joan Harnum Hopes Daughter’s Case Will Be A “Powerful Wake-Up Call” ABC NEWS https://bit.ly/2lxdt72

PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH
The Fall by Amy Dale https://bit.ly/2ksg6GZ

Court Documents; R v Gittany, Trial by judge alone https://bit.ly/2ktnkuk

Joan Harnum Exclusive Interview A Current Affair Nine Network https://bit.ly/2lD5KnI

Ex Detectives Speak About Simon Gittany’s Explosive Temper Sunrise 7 Network https://bit.ly/2lUwgJr

Simon Gittany’s Secret Life, Sunday Night 7 Network https://yhoo.it/2lEPaDZ

Simon Gittany Found Guilty Of Murdering Fianceé Lisa Harnum 10 Eyewitness News Channel 10 https://bit.ly/2ksg2ad

Simon Gittany Loses Appeal 7 News Sydney Channel 7 https://bit.ly/2lwUIka

Balcony Killer Simon Gittany Loses Appeal Against Conviction For Murdering Lisa Harnum, The Daily Telegraph, Amy Dale

Simon Gittany’s Violent Past Revealed ABC NEWS

GET IN TOUCH:

Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386.

Email the show at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

True Crime Conversations is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows herehttps://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts

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Best Of 2019: The Bowraville Murders

Wed, 01 Jan 2020 19:00:00 +0000

This episode of True Crime Conversations is part of our 2019/2020 Holiday series. We've handpicked episodes from throughout the year that we though deserved another listen

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners should be advised that this episode contains the naming of deceased people, and the recounting of the circumstances leading to their deaths.

Colleen Walker, Evelyn Greenup and Clinton Speedy-Duroux. These are the names of three children from the town of Bowraville who were murdered over five months across 1990 and 1991. There has only ever been one suspect in their murders but to this day they’ve never stood trial for those crimes. Author Dan Box covered the case and he joins us to explore what could have happened to these three kids. And why Australia still doesn’t care enough about the lives of these Indigenous children to bring justice to the families and the Bowraville community.

Join our Facebook group True Crime Conversations here https://bit.ly/2xrjAMZ

CREDITS

GUEST: Dan Box

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

‘Bowraville’ by Dan Box - https://bit.ly/2LczKCK
ABC News ‘Unsolved Bowraville Murders to be Reconsidered’ - https://bit.ly/2XDgPaM
NITV ‘Justice, Just Us’ Bowraville Special Forum https://bit.ly/2Xzc8i0
NSW Aboriginal Land Rights Council Bowraville protest https://bit.ly/2G4VbBj
NITV News ‘Failed By The System: The Bowraville Children’s Murders’ https://bit.ly/2SeSfHr

GET IN TOUCH:

Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386.

Email the show at podcast@mamamia.com.au

True Crime Conversations is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows here https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts

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Best Of 2019: The Beauty Queen Killer

Wed, 25 Dec 2019 19:00:00 +0000

This episode of True Crime Conversations is part of our 2019 Holiday series. We've handpicked episodes from throughout the year that we though deserved another listen.

Christopher Wilder is the Australian serial killer responsible for the biggest man hunt in US history. Wilder lured his victims by posing as a talent agent and model scout and beauty pageants across America. His modus operandi of kidnapping, torture, sexual assault and ultimately murder, spoke so deeply of his utter hatred of women.

In recent years it’s been speculated that Wilder is also responsible for one of the biggest cold cases in NSW criminal history; the Wanda Beach murders.

Author Andrew Byrne has researched and documented the crimes of Wilder in his latest book The Pretty Girl Killer. He joins host Jessie Stephens to explore the pure evil that was Christopher Wilder

You can buy Andrew Byrne’s book The Pretty Girl Killer online and at all good book stores.

CREDITS

GUEST: Andrew Byrne

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

SENIOR PRODUCER/EDITOR: Elise Cooper

Research

The Pretty Girl Killer by Andrew Byrne https://bit.ly/2OW7vLh

Serial Killers; Christopher Wilder, The Beauty Queen Killer

FBI: The Untold Stories - The Kidnapping of Tina Risico

Mystery and a Spree Killer. Law and Ordnance. July 22, 2009

New York Daily News “Beauty Queen Killer” 1984

GET IN TOUCH:

Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386.

Email the show at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

True Crime Conversations is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows here.

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The Sydney Siege: Part Two

Wed, 18 Dec 2019 19:00:00 +0000

15 hostages remain. For some, 10 hours of terror still awaits them.

On the afternoon of December 15, 2014, offices were evacuated and rumours spread of bombs planted all around Sydney city, while hostages remained trapped inside the Lindt Cafe in Martin Place.

One of Sydney’s most bustling pedestrian thoroughfares, which sat on the doorstep of the Lindt Cafe, was empty and deathly silent. Terrified men and women could be seen inside the large windows, a stark contrast to the festive Christmas decorations that hung beside them.

Even though Man Monis, a radicalised terrorist, had forced hostages to turn in their mobile phones, some had hidden theirs within the cafe, meaning messages were slowly trickling out.

Monis’ demands were not being met by police, radio stations or the Prime Minister at the time, Tony Abbott, and he was becoming increasingly agitated.

But it was when three men escaped, that Monis’ temper reached a crescendo. With a gun to hostage Louisa Hope’s back, he threatened to shoot.

These wouldn’t be the last hostages to escape over the course of the 16 hour siege, and it wouldn’t be the last time Monis threatened to shoot.

In part two, we begin with the second escape, and the response of Monis, who was becoming more agitated by the minute.

Listen to part one of our Sydney Siege series here https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/true-crime-conversations/the-sydney-siege/

Click through to our website for photos and maps to accompany this episode. https://www.mamamia.com.au/lindt-cafe-sydney-siege/

Mia Freedman has also interviewed siege survivor Louisa Hope on the No Filter podcast. You can listen to that full interview here https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/no-filter/louisa-hope-sydney-siege/.

Be part of our big annual podcast survey - https://surveys.globaltestmarket.com/survey/selfserve/1aab/13100768/13100768_CS

Join our closed Facebook group where episodes are discussed by searching True Crime Conversations on Facebook.

GUEST: Deborah Snow

HOST: Jessie Stephens

PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

ADDITIONAL AUDIO AND RESEARCH

“Siege: The powerful and uncompromising story of what happened inside the Lindt Cafe and why the police response went so tragically wrong” by Deborah Snow https://bit.ly/38n1tJ9

4 Corners “The Siege: Part Two - A Four Corners special two-part investigation” ABC Television https://bit.ly/2LZDIxl

60 Minutes Australia “The Siege Survivors” Channel 9 Network https://bit.ly/2M1PS8S

Sky News Australia “Two more hostages escape Sydney cafe siege” Sky Network Television https://bit.ly/2S99k7F

Euronews “Sydney siege: Five hostages flee cafe” Euro News Network

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The Sydney Siege: Part One

Wed, 11 Dec 2019 19:00:00 +0000

It was looking to be a warm, busy day when Tori Johnson arrived at work just after 6am on a Monday morning in December 2014. The 34-year-old was in charge at the Lindt cafe in Martin Place, and the lead up to Christmas was always chaotic, with customers purchasing gifts, like the iconic chocolate Lindt balls, for friends and family.

At 7:30am, the doors opened, with customers flooding in. Among them were 38-year-old barrister Katrina Dawson, with colleagues Julie Taylor and Stefan Balafoutis. They were seated next to a mother and daughter, Robin and Louisa Hope, who even remarked on Katrina’s beautiful shoes.

But just after 8:30am, a broad shouldered man with a baseball cap and backpack walked in, at first completely unnoticed.

It was only when we he demanded some time afterwards that every door be immediately locked, that the 18 people inside the cafe realised something was seriously wrong.

Click through to our website for photos and maps to accompany this episode. https://www.mamamia.com.au/lindt-cafe-sydney-siege/

Join our closed Facebook group where episodes are discussed by searching True Crime Conversations on Facebook.

GUEST: Deborah Snow
HOST: Jessie Stephens
PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

“Siege: The powerful and uncompromising story of what happened inside the Lindt Cafe and why the police response went so tragically wrong” by Deborah Snow https://bit.ly/38n1tJ9

7:30 Report “Sydney siege inquest builds picture of Man Haron Monis' 'bizarre, delusional' world” Australian Broadcasting Corporation https://ab.co/35hMXRb

Arirang News “Australian PM says gunman was known to authorities, but not on watch list” https://bit.ly/2LG1Vs7

10 Eyewitness News, Amirah Droudis Found Guilty Of Murdering Man Haron Monis’ Ex Wife, Channel 10 https://bit.ly/2YyyE7V
The Telegraph Sydney Siege: 'Islamist gunman' holds hostages inside cafe https://bit.ly/3456aUK

60 Minutes Australia: “The Siege Survivors” Channel 9 Network

“'Spiritual healer' Man Haron Monis charged with an extra 40 sexual offences”, October 13th 2014, Nick Ralston for The Sydney Morning Herald

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Edwards And The Family Murder That Shook Australia

Wed, 04 Dec 2019 19:00:00 +0000

On a winter evening in July, 2018, West Pennant Hills sounded different. Usually quiet, the Thursday evening was polluted by blasting police sirens, all headed towards Hull Rd. When emergency personnel arrived, they came across a scene they wouldn’t ever forget.

An hour later, 36-year-old Olga Edwards arrived home from work to find her house surrounded by police and paramedics. When she was told what had happened inside, she collapsed from “severe shock”.

Her children, 15-year-old Jack Edwards, and 13-year-old Jennifer Edwards, had been murdered.

The family murder which took place in West Pennant Hills shook Australia. And six months later, the story became ever more tragic.

We speak to Crime Reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald, Sally Rawsthorne, who covered the case as it unfolded.

Please contact Lifeline is the contents of this episode bring up any issues for you on 13 11 14 https://www.lifeline.org.au/

GUEST: Sally Rawsthorne https://twitter.com/sallyrawsthorne
HOST: Jessie Stephens
PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

“Killer John Edwards’ Secret Family”, Sally Rawsthorne and Angus Thompson for Sydney Morning Herald https://bit.ly/35SdrIK
“How A Father Planned The Execution Of His Two Children” Lucy Cormack and Sally Rawsthorne for Sydney Morning Herald https://bit.ly/2YcQ5Lj
7 News Sydney “West Pennant Hills father John Edwards shot dead his children Jack and Jennifer in July before taking his own life” 7 Network https://bit.ly/2OLX3DJ
“When John Edwards murdered his children, schoolmates couldn’t believe it — but his sister could” Jane Fife-Yeomans & Danielle Gusmaroli for The Daily Telegraph https://bit.ly/34PpBSG
9 News Sydney “The shooting murder of two West Pennant Hills teenagers by their father has brought the issue of gun control firmly to the table.” Channel 9 https://bit.ly/2DOsruZ

INTERNATIONAL COUNSELLING AND SUPPORT SERVICES

USA - https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
UK - https://www.supportline.org.uk/
NZ - https://www.lifeline.org.nz/

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

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It Took 30 Years To Solve The Mystery Of What Happened To Ursula Barwick

Thu, 28 Nov 2019 00:57:36 +0000

In late Spring, 1987, 17-year-old Ursula Barwick, stepped off the platform, and boarded a train from Tuggerah on the Central Coast, bound for Sydney.

The journey would take a little more than two hours and land her in Kings Cross. She’d told her parents she had work and accommodation lined up, and would call them as soon as she arrived.

Her father, Peter, planned to come down that weekend to help get her settled in. It would be her first time living properly out of home.

But that phone call from Ursula, saying she’d arrived safe and sound, never arrived.

And it would be 30 years before they would finally learn why.

An episode of Australian Story titled ‘Forever Young’, which aired on November 25, 2019, explores the case of Ursula Barwick.

We speak to the producer of Australian Story, award-winning journalist Winsome Denyer, about what happened to Ursula back in October, 1987.

GUEST: Winsome Denyer https://www.abc.net.au/news/winsome-denyer/7991864

HOST: Jessie Stephens

PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

‘Forever Young’ for Australian Story, ABC https://www.abc.net.au/austory/forever-young/11724732

Lost Then Found: The disappearance of Ursula Barwick, Winsome Denyer for abc.net.au https://ab.co/2OrTId6

'For 30 years, Ursula's family thought she was missing. She had been buried under the wrong name' Jessica Staveley for Mamamia https://www.mamamia.com.au/ursula-barwick/

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Easey Street Murders And The Mystery That Followed

Wed, 20 Nov 2019 19:00:00 +0000

It was mid-October, 1976, when Suzanne Armstrong, 27, and Susan Bartlett, 28 moved in to number 147, Easey St. The three-bedroom house was perfect for the two of them, as well as Armstrong’s 16-month-old son, Gregory.

Then, in early 1977, neighbours would watch emergency workers and police swarm the property, after the bodies of the two women were found three days after they’d been killed.

Helen Thomas is a journalist and author who was a cub reporter at Melbourne newspaper The Age at the time of the double homicide.

She has since researched the case and profiled it in her book ‘Murder On Easey Street: Melbourne’s Most Notorious Cold Case.’ Jessie sits down with Helen to walk us through the case, and find out if there’s any potential for justice for the families of Suzanne Armstrong and Susan Bartlett.

If this episode brings up any issues for you please reach out to the National Sexual Assault and Family Violence Hotline on 1800 RESPECT, that’s 1800 737 732.

GUEST: Helen Thomas

HOST: Jessie Stephens

PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH
‘Murder On Easey Street: Melbourne’s Most Notorious Cold Case’ book by Helen Thomas https://www.blackincbooks.com.au/books/murder-easey-street

‘Original Easey St murders article that triggered call from possible murderer’ from Independent Australia https://bit.ly/2CUcDXt

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anne Hamilton-Byrne And The Children Who Were Never Hers

Wed, 13 Nov 2019 19:00:00 +0000

Anne Hamilton-Byrne is a name that Australians won’t soon forget. What started out as a series of yoga teachings by the woman who believed she was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ, would end up becoming one of our country’s most sinister cults.

The Family, as it would come to be known, included a number of children with dyed blonde hair, who believed Anne Hamilton-Byrne was their mother. For all but one of them, she was not.

Jessie Stephens sits down with journalist and author Jo Thornely to take a look into the mind of Anne Hamilton-Byrne, the founder of ‘The Family’, who kidnapped children and drugged her followers.

If this episode brings up any issues for you please reach out to the National Sexual Assault and Family Violence Hotline on 1800 RESPECT, that’s 1800 737 732.

GUEST: Jo Thornely

HOST: Jessie Stephens

PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

‘Zealot’ by Jo Thornely https://www.hachette.com.au/jo-thornely/zealot-a-book-about-cults

GET IN TOUCH:

Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386.

Email the show at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

True Crime Conversations is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows here https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BONUS: Murder In The Bayou

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 05:13:55 +0000

It was May 20, 2005, when a retiree named Jerry Jackson cast his fishing line from a bridge over the Grand Marais Canal, located on the fringe of Jennings, Louisiana.

The temperature was rising when Jackson noticed something below him, floating in the canal. Jackson had discovered the body of a 28-year-old woman named Loretta Lynn Lewis Chaisson. She would be the first of what would come to be known as the Jeff Davis eight.

In this bonus episode of True Crime Conversations Jessie talks to the executive producer of Murder In The Bayou; the 5 part docu-drama looking into the unsolved murders of eight women in and around the town of Jennings in Louisiana, USA.

Portions of this bonus episode may be a little hard to understand due to audio quality and so we have made the episode transcript available here https://bit.ly/34R3Wsy .

You can watch Murder In The Bayou on Stan in Australia and via Showcase in other regions.

GUEST: Matthew Galkin

HOST: Jessie Stephens

PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

Murder In The Bayou TV Docu-drama available on Stan https://www.stan.com.au/watch/murder-in-the-bayou

Murder In The Bayou book Ethan Brown https://bit.ly/34MNDwV

'Murder in the Bayou’: A docuseries about eight unsolved murders aims to expose police corruption Deanna Paul for the Washington Post https://wapo.st/34YahCX

GET IN TOUCH:

Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386.

Email the show at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

True Crime Conversations is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows here https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Killed By The Man Next Door: The Murder Of Tosha Thakkar

Thu, 07 Nov 2019 04:53:45 +0000

On Friday March 9, 2011, a suitcase was found in a canal next to Meadowbank Park, located about 30 minutes from Sydney’s central business district.

Inside it, was the body of Tosha Thakkar, a 24-year-old student, who had been living in a boarding house in Croydon for six months.

Her boyfriend, Ali Syed had reported her missing two days prior, after she failed to meet him for lunch. When he went to her Elvin St address, her room was in disarray, and he noticed that her nightdress was missing.

Author and Associate Editor of the Good Weekend, Greg Callaghan, talks us through the day Tosha Thakkar lost her life at the hands of the man who lived beside her; Daniel Stani-Reginald. His feature ‘My Neighbour My Killer’ was published in 2014 in the Good Weekend as well as The Sydney Morning Herald.

If this episode brings up any issues for you please reach out to the National Sexual Assault and Family Violence Hotline on 1800 RESPECT, that’s 1800 737 732.

GUEST: Greg Callaghan

HOST: Jessie Stephens

PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

'My Neighbour My Killer', Greg Callaghan for Fairfax Press https://bit.ly/2Cn6bIc

GET IN TOUCH:

Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386.

Email the show at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

True Crime Conversations is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows here https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts

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What Happened To Gerard Ross: The Boy In The Blue Cap

Wed, 30 Oct 2019 19:00:00 +0000

11-year-old Gerard Ross went missing in October 1997 while on a family holiday in the WA town of Rockingham. Two weeks later a horse trainer was out exercising his horses when he discovered Gerard’s body dumped in a pine plantation 20 kms from town.

While police have always had suspects in the case, no one has ever been convicted of the 11-year-old’s abduction and murder.

Award winning investigative journalist Kristin Shorten has spent her career covering the case. Ahead of a new documentary series for The West Australian, Kristin speaks to host Jessie Stephens about what we know about the boy in the blue cap, and how confident she is that his killer will be brought to justice.

You can watch The Boy In The Blue Cap: The Gerard Ross Story on The West Australian website.

If this episode brings up any issues for you please reach out to the National Sexual Assault and Family Violence Hotline on 1800 RESPECT, that’s 1800 737 732

GUEST: Kristin Shorten

HOST: Jessie Stephens

PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

The Boy In The Blue Cap: The Gerard Ross Story, The West Australian

GET IN TOUCH:

Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386.

Email the show at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

True Crime Conversations is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows here https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Terrifying Monster: The True Story Of Leonard Fraser

Wed, 23 Oct 2019 19:00:00 +0000

Leonard Fraser was the very embodiment of a monster.

He was sentenced to life on the 7th of September 2000 for the abduction rape and murder of 9-year-old Keyra Steinhardt in the Queensland town of Rockhampton. Prior to that Fraser had spent almost two decades behind bars for the rape of other women, including his defacto partner who was terminally ill with cancer.

Fraser kept trophies from his victims. Police found the ponytails of three different women in Fraser’s flat but were not able to link them to any of the rapists known victims.

Journalist and author Paula Doneman covered the case as Fraser’s crimes were brought before the courts. She profiled him extensively in her reporting for The Courier Mail and subsequently compiled a book covering his extensive and heinous crimes, titled Things A Killer Would Know: The True Story Of Leonard Fraser. Is He Australia’s Worst Serial Killer?

Jessie speaks with Paula to walk through the case and crimes of Leonard Fraser, his utterly heinous acts of violence upon both “random” victims and those he lured into his orbit.

For pictures and maps from today’s episode on Leonard Fraser,, visit the Mamamia website, right here. https://www.mamamia.com.au/the-rockhampton-rapist/

If this episode brings up any issues for you please reach out to the National Sexual Assault and Family Violence Hotline on 1800 RESPECT, that’s 1800 737 732

GUEST: Paula Doneman
HOST: Jessie Stephens
PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

Things A Killer Would Know: The True Story Of Leonard Fraser. Is He Australia’s Worst Serial Killer? By Paula Doneman

The Predator: Leonard John Fraser, Crime Investigation Australia, Channel 7

GET IN TOUCH:

Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386.

Email the show at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

True Crime Conversations is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows here https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts

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A Suitcase Floating In A Lake: The Tragic Story Of Rachel Pfitzner And Dean Shillingsworth

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 19:00:00 +0000

It was a warm spring day when two young boys were playing at Mandurama reserve in the Sydney suburb of Ambarvale. It was a place where families and friends could have a picnic, or cycle on bike paths.

As the boys rode their bikes, something caught their eye. It looked like a suitcase, floating near the edge of a nearby duck pond. What they discovered was the body of two-year-old Dean Shillingsworth.

Dr Xanthe Mallett is a forensic anthropologist and criminologist at the University of Newcastle, Australia, who is internationally renowned for her work. She has written about and researched the case of Dean’s mother, Rachel Pfitzner, who pled guilty to the manslaughter of her son. She profiled the story for her book and TV series, Mothers Who Murder.

Xanthe speaks to Jessie about the case, how the public bodies responsible for ensuring Dean’s safety were scrutinised during the trial, and how something so utterly tragic could ever have happened.

For photos, maps and further detail on the case you can join our closed Facebook group dedicated to the podcast. Just search for True Crime Conversations on Facebook.

GUEST: Dr Xanthe Mallett

HOST: Jessie Stephens

PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

Mothers Who Murder the book by Xanthe Mallett
Mothers Who Murder, Channel 10, hosted by Xanthe Mallett

GET IN TOUCH:

Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386.

Email the show at truecrime@mamamia.com.au

True Crime Conversations is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows here https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

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The Somerton Man: One Of The World’s Most Baffling Mysteries

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 02:32:56 +0000

The case of the Somerton Man is one of the most baffling cases in modern criminal history.

In 1948 the body of a man was found on Somerton Park Beach just south of Adelaide in South Australia. Despite a global effort to identify the remains, we still do not know who the man was, why he was there, and how he died.

Fiona Ellis-Jones is a reporter and producer for the ABC. She speaks to Jessie Stephens about the case which is currently explored on her podcast, The Somerton Man Mystery and will be the subject of Monday’s episode of Australian Story.

For photos, maps and further detail on the case you can join our closed Facebook group dedicated to the podcast. Just search for True Crime Conversations on Facebook.

GUEST: Fiona Ellis-Jones

HOST: Jessie Stephens

PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

The Somerton Man - Australian Story ABC air date Monday 14th October 2019
The Somerton Man Mystery - ABC Radio National https://ab.co/313IJcC
Inside Story "The Somerton Beach Mystery" for ABC August 1978 https://bit.ly/2orZa5i

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The Bus Stop Killer

Thu, 03 Oct 2019 04:52:08 +0000

Levi Bellfield has been charged and found guilty of the murder of Milly Dowler, Marsha McDonnell, Amelie Delagrange and the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy. Women who were linked by nothing other than the man who chose to kill them. Bellfield’s murders were baffling in their lack of motive, hindering law enforcement from figuring out who was responsible.

Geoffrey Wansell is a London based journalist and author who has written and researched extensively the crimes of Levi Bellfield - who the public would come to know as the Bus Stop Killer. When writing the book The Bus Stop Killer Geoffrey undertook a full year of research and spent every day of Levi Bellfield’s trial in court, piecing together the details of the killer’s life and crimes.

Speaking with Jessie from his home in London, Geoffrey takes us through the case of one of the UK’s most violent serial killers in modern times.

For photos, maps and further detail on the case you can join our closed Facebook group dedicated to the podcast. Just search for True Crime Conversations on Facebook.

GUEST: Geoffrey Wansell

HOST: Jessie Stephens

PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

The Bus Stop Killer: Milly Dowler, Her Murder and the Full Story of the Sadistic Serial Killer Levi Bellfield. https://amzn.to/2oDXKEE

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True Crime Conversations is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows here https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts

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The Man Who "Knows What Happened" To The Beaumont Children

Thu, 26 Sep 2019 01:42:20 +0000

The disappearance of The Beaumont Children is burned into the collective conscious of Australia. It’s one of the longest running cases in the nation’s history and has baffled law enforcement for more than half a century.

Stuart Mullins grew up down the road from the Beaumont children in Adelaide. Over the years he has researched and co authored investigative writing into their disappearance. He walks us through the case, and why he believes he knows just who is responsible for the disappearance of Jane, Arnna and Grant on Australia Day in 1966.

For photos, maps and further detail on the case you can join our closed Facebook group dedicated to the podcast. Just search for True Crime Conversations on Facebook.

GUEST: Stuart Mullins
HOST: Jessie Stephens
PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

The Satin Man: Uncovering the mystery of the Beaumont Children, Alan Whiticker and Stuart Mullins https://bit.ly/2leQGNx
Mother of missing Beaumont children, Nancy Beaumont, dies aged 92 - ABC News https://ab.co/2lfjDsE
The Beaumont Children: What Really Happened, Channel 7 https://bit.ly/2lNMVyE
The Beaumont Children Mystery: Crime Investigation Australia, Channel 7 https://bit.ly/2mIlwyu
Beaumont children search: Police end today’s dig, having found no human remains, The Adelaide Advertiser https://bit.ly/2lbGUvr

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What Really Happened To Azaria Chamberlain?

Wed, 18 Sep 2019 20:00:00 +0000

As the sun set over Uluru on August 17th, 1980, Lindy and Michael Chamberlain put their two month old baby Azaria to bed. What happened next is burnt into the collective consciousness of not just Australia but the world.

This won’t be like most episodes of True Crime Conversations, mostly, because in this case there was no crime. Instead, it was one of the most significant and devastating miscarriages of justice Australia has ever seen.

So impactful was the handling of this case that forensic science in Australia was completely overhauled and as a result we’re now one of the leading countries in the field.

Host Jessie Stephens speaks to legal scholar, criminologist and historian Katherine Biber about the case of Lindy Chamberlain and the death of her daughter Azaria. Katherine co-authored the book The Lindy Chamberlain Case: Nation, Law, Memory.

CREDITS

GUEST: Katherine Biber
HOST: Jessie Stephens
PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

Research

Staines, D., Arrow, M., & Biber, K. (Eds.) (2009). The Chamberlain case: nation, law, memory. Melbourne, Vic.: Australian Scholarly Publishing.
Dingo’s Got My Baby: Trial By Media, Retro Report; The New York Times
Confronting Lindy Chamberlain: A Dingo Stole My Baby; 60 Minutes Australia Nine Network
The Azaria Chamberlain Story, This Fabulous Century, Prime Network
Azaria Chamberlain 4th Inquest Findings Live Broadcast ABC News 24, ABC TV
4th Coronial Inquest into the death of Azaria Chamberlain Alternative Law Journal (2012) 37(3) AltLJ 207

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Ivan Milat: What You Haven't Been Told About Australia's Best Known Serial Killer

Wed, 11 Sep 2019 20:00:00 +0000

It is speculated that Ivan Milat's days are numbered. Australia’s most notorious serial killer is. Milat is serving 7 concurrent life sentences for his horrific crimes.

In this episode we take a look at the life of Ivan, to get inside the mind of one of our country’s worst serial killers. Mark Whittaker co-authored ‘Sins Of The Brother’, the most definitive work on the life and crimes of Ivan Milat.

He joins Jessie Stephens to take us into the mind of one of the worst murderers in Australian criminal history.

Join our Facebook group True Crime Conversations here https://bit.ly/2NgL9mQ

CREDITS
GUEST: Mark Whittaker
HOST: Jessie Stephens
PRODUCER & EDITOR: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

Sins Of The Brother: Mark Whittaker and Les Kennedy https://amzn.to/2FzMVt4
Blood Territory podcast
I Survived A Serial Killer - 60 Minutes Australia https://bit.ly/2NgmPRO
Australian Families Of Crime: Ivan Milat: Backpacker Bloodshed https://bit.ly/2ZPc76o
Photo of Ivan’s girlfriend Chalinder Hughes wearing the same jersey jumper as Carolyn Clarke https://www.mamamia.com.au/ivan-milat-murders/
Caroline Overington on The Latest Panel - 7 News Australia https://bit.ly/2FxyCoQ

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AUSTRALIA:

Lifeline Crisis Support: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: Depression and anxiety support: 1300 22 46 36
Rape & Domestic Violence Services: 1800 737 732
Men's Line: 1300 78 99 78
Headspace: Youth Mental Health Foundation: see headspace.org.au for your local centre

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The Fall: The Case Of Balcony Murderer Simon Gittany

Thu, 05 Sep 2019 01:58:53 +0000

In 2014 Simon Gittany was found guilty of throwing his 30 year old fiancé Lisa Harnum from the balcony of their shared 15th floor apartment.

Simon maintained his innocence, saying that Lisa climbed over the railing of the balcony and fell to her death.

Amy Dale was a court reporter at the time of this case and has subsequently written a book titled The Fall about Lisa’s murder.

The Lisa Harnum foundation is a resource giving a voice to women experiencing domestic violence. You can visit them at their website https://www.lisahf.org.au/

Join our Facebook group True Crime Conversations here https://bit.ly/2xrjAMZ

CREDITS

GUEST: Amy Dale

Joan Harnum Hopes Daughter’s Case Will Be A “Powerful Wake-Up Call” ABC NEWS https://bit.ly/2lxdt72

PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH
The Fall by Amy Dale https://bit.ly/2ksg6GZ

Court Documents; R v Gittany, Trial by judge alone https://bit.ly/2ktnkuk

Joan Harnum Exclusive Interview A Current Affair Nine Network https://bit.ly/2lD5KnI

Ex Detectives Speak About Simon Gittany’s Explosive Temper Sunrise 7 Network https://bit.ly/2lUwgJr

Simon Gittany’s Secret Life, Sunday Night 7 Network https://yhoo.it/2lEPaDZ

Simon Gittany Found Guilty Of Murdering Fianceé Lisa Harnum 10 Eyewitness News Channel 10 https://bit.ly/2ksg2ad

Simon Gittany Loses Appeal 7 News Sydney Channel 7 https://bit.ly/2lwUIka

Balcony Killer Simon Gittany Loses Appeal Against Conviction For Murdering Lisa Harnum, The Daily Telegraph, Amy Dale

Simon Gittany’s Violent Past Revealed ABC NEWS

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Samantha Knight: The Bondi School Girl Who Never Came Home

Wed, 28 Aug 2019 20:00:00 +0000

UPDATE: Since recording this episode, murderer and serial paedophile, Michael Guider, the man responsible for Samantha's death, has been released from jail.

When Tess Knight got home on a winter’s night in August of 1986 her nine-year-old daughter Samantha was nowhere to be found.

It wasn’t until 14 years later in February 2001 that a man named Michael Guider pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of the young Bondi school girl.

Guider, who was serving a sentence at the time for 60 child sex offences, told law enforcement that he had abducted and assaulted Samantha and in the process accidentally killed her.

Her body has never been found.

Journalist Mark Morri was a reporter at the time of Samantha’s disappearance, and developed a close relationship with the young girl’s mother, Tess. He joins Jessie for this episode to take us through the case, and the emotional toll it has taken on a mother who has never been able to know what happened to her daughter.

Michael Guider has almost served his full sentence for the charges laid against him, and unless a judge intervenes, he could walk free in the coming days and weeks.

CREDITS

GUEST: Mark Morri https://bit.ly/2ZyrPWY

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

Samantha Knight: Never Forgotten 60 Minutes Nine Network

Tess Knight speaking to reporters appealing for Guider to remain behind bars The Australian June 4th 2019 https://bit.ly/30GLPnD

Samantha Knight: A New Twist A Current Affair Nine Network https://bit.ly/2NCQOlQ

When The Spider Bites Sydney Morning Herald August 2002 https://bit.ly/2HuC7gq

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True Crime Conversations is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows here https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts

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Granny Evil: Australia's Most Infamous Matriarch

Wed, 21 Aug 2019 20:00:00 +0000

Kathleen Pettingill had ten children. All of them are either incarcerated, in witness protection, or dead. So, how did Kathleen become the head of one of the most prolific and violent crime families in modern Australian history?

Jessie speaks with author Adrian Tame about the life and crimes of Kathleen Pettingill - a woman who throughout his years profiling her he has come to count as a friend.

You can buy Adrian Tame’s book The Matriarch online and at all good book stores.

CREDITS

GUEST: Adrian Tame

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

RESEARCH

The Matriarch by Adrian Tame

Australian Families Of Crime | Mother of Evil: Kath Pettingill

National Nine News, 12 October 1998. National Film Sound Archive title: 51653. Courtesy: Nine Network.

Suburban Gangsters: Stewart Regan and Dennis Allen - The Psychos, Nine Network

Police Under Fire: The Walsh Street Killings Seven Network

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True Crime Conversations is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows here https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts

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The Beauty Queen Killer

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 20:00:00 +0000

In recent years it’s been speculated that Wilder is also responsible for one of the biggest cold cases in NSW criminal history; the Wanda Beach murders.

Author Andrew Byrne has researched and documented the crimes of Wilder in his latest book The Pretty Girl Killer. He joins host Jessie Stephens to explore the pure evil that was Christopher Wilder

You can buy Andrew Byrne’s book The Pretty Girl Killer online and at all good book stores.

CREDITS

GUEST: Andrew Byrne

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

SENIOR PRODUCER/EDITOR: Elise Cooper

Research

The Pretty Girl Killer by Andrew Byrne https://bit.ly/2OW7vLh

Serial Killers; Christopher Wilder, The Beauty Queen Killer

FBI: The Untold Stories - The Kidnapping of Tina Risico

Mystery and a Spree Killer. Law and Ordnance. July 22, 2009

New York Daily News “Beauty Queen Killer” 1984

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A Killer Cop: Roger Rogerson Was More Than A Murderer

Wed, 07 Aug 2019 20:00:00 +0000

Roger Rogerson is one of the only Australian killers with a badge. A fraudster, drug dealer, and killer, he was finally stopped in a murder plot now known as one of the most recorded murder cases in Australian history. How did a celebrated detective not check where CCTV cameras were before murdering Jamie Gao? Why did those who stood in his way start to “disappear”?

Duncan McNab is a former police person turned author and journalist who quite literally wrote the book on Roger Rogerson. He joins Jessie for this episode to take us through the life and crimes of Rogerson, and why McNab believes Rogerson to be a truly evil man.

You can buy Duncan McNab’s book Roger Rogerson; From Decorated Policeman to Convicted Criminal at all good bookstores and online.

CREDITS

GUEST: Duncan McNab

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

SENIOR PRODUCER/EDITOR: Elise Cooper

Research

Roger Rogerson; From Decorated Policeman To Convicted Criminal by Duncan McNab

NSW Police Force Press Conference

Channel 10 Eyewitness News

Police escort Roger Rogerson from Sydney home

2011 The Life and Times of Roger Rogerson: Beyond Blue Murder

60 Minutes Australia: Bad Cop Good Cop

1986 National Channel 9 News

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A Mother And Daughter Went Missing And Nobody Noticed

Wed, 31 Jul 2019 20:00:00 +0000

When two-year old Khandalyce Pearce went missing police couldn’t understand why her mother wasn’t looking for her. But Khandalyce’s mother Karlie would never know her daughter was missing; Karlie's body was found in Belanglo State Forest eight years before her daughter’s name made national headlines.

Author Ava Benny Morrison joins Jessie to step through the case of Karlie and Khandalyce and explain how law enforcement agencies around the country managed to solve the case of The Lost Girls.

Join our Facebook group here https://bit.ly/2xrjAMZ

CREDITS
GUEST: Ava Benny Morrison
HOST: Jessie Stephens
SENIOR PRODUCER/EDITOR: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

The Lost Girls by Ava Benny Morrison https://bit.ly/2V5K68F
Sentencing remarks from Supreme Court NSW
South Australia Police Youtube Channel https://bit.ly/2YscRRZ
9 News Adelaide Karlie and Khandalyce Laid To Rest https://bit.ly/2SRhC29

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True Crime Conversations is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows here.

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The Serial Killer Who Inspired A Horror Film

Wed, 24 Jul 2019 20:00:00 +0000

Danny Rolling would become one of the most violent serial killers in modern America’s history. His crimes, spree-like in nature, inspired the 1996 horror film Scream. Rolling’s hatred of women, violent and abusive upbringing, and idolatry of Ted Bundy were all just elements that would contribute to his horrific crimes.

Author and pop-culture journalist Maria Lewis takes us through the case of Danny Rolling - who would be dubbed The Gainesville Ripper - and just how truly violent and despicable his crimes were.

See images and information relating to this case in our Facebook group True Crime Conversations here https://bit.ly/2xrjAMZ

CREDITS

GUEST: Maria Lewis https://www.marialewis.com.au/

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

ADDITIONAL RESEARCH: Madeleine Boucherie

RESEARCH

Oxygen “The Twisted Tale Of 'Gainesville Ripper' Killer Danny Rolling, Who Murdered And Mutilated College Kids” https://oxygen.tv/2JMXlI1
Office of the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney https://bit.ly/2Z5rZBS
Forensic Factor: Killing Spree https://imdb.to/2M9HzJ6
Discovery HD - The Gainesville Ripper: Danny Rolling

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True Crime Conversations is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows here https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts

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The Lady Vanishes: What Happened To Marion Barter

Wed, 17 Jul 2019 20:00:00 +0000

How did Marion Barter’s overseas holiday in 1997 become her last? Reporter Bryan Seymour, host of The Lady Vanishes podcast, takes Jessie through the case of missing person, Marion Barter.

A beloved teacher and mum, Marion was living a happy and fulfilling life before she disappeared. So why did she sell her house and change her name before travelling overseas? And why did she return three weeks later only to drain her bank account of all savings? Or did she?

Marion’s daughter Sally hasn’t heard from their mother since she left the country the first time. So what happened? Did she meet with foul play? Or did she choose to vanish and start a new life without the family she loved so much.

See images and information relating to this case in our Facebook group True Crime Conversations here https://bit.ly/2xrjAMZ

CREDITS

GUEST: Bryan Seymour
HOST: Jessie Stephens
PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

If you have information about the disappearance of Marion Barter you can email theladyvanishes@seven.com.au alternatively you can leave an anonymous tip at theladyvanishes.org

RESEARCH

The Lady Vanishes podcast https://apple.co/32vNT3e
2GB The Chris Smith Show “Possible Breakthrough in the case of Missing Qld Teacher” https://bit.ly/2JB4TNV
7 News Sydney “Missing mum Marion Barter linked to northern NSW cult” https://bit.ly/2LrSmyC
7 News Sydney “The Lady Vanishes Trip To Luxembourg” https://bit.ly/2YX8N9d
Le Courier Australian personal advertisement https://bit.ly/2SjsLbI

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Call the PodPhone on 02 8999 9386
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True Crime Conversations is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows here https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts

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The Case Of The Bowraville Murders

Wed, 10 Jul 2019 20:00:00 +0000

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners should be advised that this episode contains the naming of deceased people, and the recounting of the circumstances leading to their deaths.

Join our Facebook group True Crime Conversations here https://bit.ly/2xrjAMZ

CREDITS

GUEST: Dan Box

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

‘Bowraville’ by Dan Box - https://bit.ly/2LczKCK
ABC News ‘Unsolved Bowraville Murders to be Reconsidered’ - https://bit.ly/2XDgPaM
NITV ‘Justice, Just Us’ Bowraville Special Forum https://bit.ly/2Xzc8i0
NSW Aboriginal Land Rights Council Bowraville protest https://bit.ly/2G4VbBj
NITV News ‘Failed By The System: The Bowraville Children’s Murders’ https://bit.ly/2SeSfHr

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True Crime Conversations is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows here https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts

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Angel of Death: The Curse Of Dulcie Markham

Wed, 03 Jul 2019 20:00:00 +0000

Dulcie Markham, better known as The Angel Of Death, has been called Australia’s most beautiful bad woman. A key figure in the underworld gangs of Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, Dulcie used her Hollywood good looks, rosy pink lips and whip smart mind to manipulate the most evil of mobsters. Author and historian Leigh Straw joins Jessie for this episode where she takes us through the life of Dulcie; how the 15-year-old started out in sex work in 1920s Wooloomooloo, rose to become one of the most influential female crime figures in Australia’s history only to wind up disappearing into suburban obscurity in her old age.

Join our Facebook group True Crime Conversations here https://bit.ly/2xrjAMZ

CREDITS
GUEST: Leigh Straw https://bit.ly/2LxjQCn

HOST: Jessie Stephens
SENIOR PRODUCER/EDITOR: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

IMAGES

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True Crime Conversations is a podcast by Mamamia. Find more shows here https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts

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No Footprints: The Mysterious Disappearance Of Maura Murray

Wed, 26 Jun 2019 20:00:00 +0000

On Monday 9th February 2004 Maura Murray vanished. She had crashed her car on a winding stretch of road in Woodsville New Hampshire USA.

A local man named Butch Atwood witnessed the crash and called out to Maura asking if she needed him to call the police. She told him she’d already called car towing services and not to worry about it.

But the problem was there was no phone service. Maura hadn’t called for help. Instead, in the 19 minutes it took for law enforcement to arrive, Maura’s car was locked, and she was nowhere to be seen.

James Renner is an author who has spent his professional life wrapped up in this mystery, desperate to find out just what happened to Maura Murray.

Was she murdered? Kidnapped? Or did Maura want to vanish and start another life?

James explores all these options, the people of interest, what happened in the days leading up to her disappearance, and whether he thinks we’ll ever know what really happened to Maura Murray.

You can see a map of Maura’s proposed drive from UMASS to Bethlehem here http://tiny.cc/50iv8y

The UMASS outing club and cabin listing can be found on the university website https://www.umass.edu/umoc/cabin/

Join our Facebook group True Crime Conversation here http://tiny.cc/51iv8y

CREDITS

GUEST: James Renner