On the morning of December 8, 1941, three men operating a "Pay Car" in south Sydney were unknowingly heading into a brutal ambush. This story, however, has been lost to history due to it taking place on the same day Pearl Harbour was attacked. Michael Adams from the Forgotten Australia podcast is back with us for another historical Australian crime. This is a part one of two part series. You can listen to Michael's podcast, Forgotten Australia wherever you get your podcasts. For Support: Lifelin...
May 10, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 325
This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. On the morning of December 8, 1941, three men operating a "Pay Car" in south Sydney were unknowingly heading into a brutal ambush. This story, however, has been lost to history due to it taking place on the same day Pearl Harbour was attacked. Michael Adams from the Forgotten Australia podcast is back with us for another historical Australian crime. This is a par...
May 10, 2023•14 min•Season 1Ep. 326
Sandi Harvey has not seen her daughter Leisl Smith since 2012. At that time, Leisl was 23 years old. She was happy, healthy and working in her dream job caring for horses. But it was horses that brought her into contact with James Church, a much older man with whom she fell in love. After her disappearance, Sandi discovered Leisl's relationship with Church was one of cruelty and heartache. Ten years after Leisl's disappearance, Sandi and the rest of her family thought they may finally be on the ...
May 07, 2023•41 min•Season 1Ep. 323
This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. Sandi Harvey has not seen her daughter Leisl Smith since 2012. At that time, Leisl was 23 years old. She was happy, healthy and working in her dream job caring for horses. But it was horses that brought her into contact with James Church, a much older man with whom she fell in love. After her disappearance, Sandi discovered Leisl's relationship with Church was on...
May 06, 2023•15 min•Season 1Ep. 324
This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. Our guest today is Boyd Unwin, a suburban tradie and father of three in his fifties, who's always thought of himself and his family as the epitome of normal and unremarkable. Boyd has committed himself to understanding how he lost his daughter, Katie Haley, to her partner five years ago. Boyd and his wife Tania are now raising the child their daughter shared with...
Apr 30, 2023•19 min•Season 1Ep. 322
Our guest today is Boyd Unwin, a suburban tradie and father of three in his fifties, who's always thought of himself and his family as the epitome of normal and unremarkable. Boyd has committed himself to understanding how he lost his daughter, Katie Haley, to her partner five years ago. Boyd and his wife Tania are now raising the child their daughter shared with her murderer. And bit by bit, they'll have to explain to that child why neither of her parents can be with her. They're doing this at ...
Apr 30, 2023•51 min•Season 1Ep. 321
This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. Ray Mooney joins us again this week to tell us about his friend, Christopher Dale Flannery (AKA Mr Rent-a-kill). Chris was a teenager when they first met in Pentridge Prison. Chris was not long out of the notorious Morning Star boys home in Victoria's Mt Eliza. Over the following decades, they maintained their close friendship. While Ray Mooney went on to become ...
Apr 27, 2023•20 min•Season 1Ep. 320
Ray Mooney joins us again this week to tell us about his friend, Christopher Dale Flannery (AKA Mr Rent-a-kill). Chris was a teenager when they first met in Pentridge Prison. Chris was not long out of the notorious Morning Star boys home in Victoria's Mt Eliza. Over the following decades, they maintained their close friendship. While Ray Mooney went on to become a published author, playwright, director and educator, Chris went on to become Australia's best known hitman. Chris disappeared in 1985...
Apr 27, 2023•56 min•Season 1Ep. 319
This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. Our guest today is Ray Mooney. He's in his seventies now, and for most of his life, he's been a celebrated writer of novels, plays, films, non-fiction books, and a university lecturer. At a different time in his life, though, the only institution he was allowed inside of was the Bluestone College: The College of Knowledge, also known as Pentridge Prison. Ray Moon...
Apr 24, 2023•15 min•Season 1Ep. 318
Our guest today is Ray Mooney. He's in his seventies now, and for most of his life, he's been a celebrated writer of novels, plays, films, non-fiction books, and a university lecturer. At a different time in his life, though, the only institution he was allowed inside of was the Bluestone College: The College of Knowledge, also known as Pentridge Prison. Ray Mooney was convicted of rape when he was 19, and today we hear Ray's story, which is extraordinary in its own right, not least because of t...
Apr 23, 2023•48 min•Season 1Ep. 317
Anthony Dowsley has been a crime reporter at Melbourne's Herald Sun since 2004. In that time, he's covered everything from homicides, solved and unsolved, law and order reforms and police corruption. We're very honoured to have him in to discuss one of his speciality topics: gang related crime in Australia. In this episode we will get a snapshot of who's who in Australian bikie gangs, how they're linked to organised crime in other countries, and the biggest police Trojan Horse operation yet. If ...
Apr 16, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 315
This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. Anthony Dowsley has been a crime reporter at Melbourne's Herald Sun since 2004. In that time, he's covered everything from homicides, solved and unsolved, law and order reforms and police corruption. We're very honoured to have him in to discuss one of his speciality topics: gang related crime in Australia. In this episode we will get a snapshot of who's who in A...
Apr 15, 2023•17 min•Season 1Ep. 316
Two young female tourists are staying in the same quiet spot in Tasmania…one disappears, never to be seen again and two years later, the other woman is brutally murdered. The women are 26-year-old German Nancy Grunwaldt , reported missing on April 15th 1993. Getting around on a bike, she was spending some time at Beaumaris Beach, reading a book. What happened after that is a mystery…so far. Nancy’s never been found but she was declared deceased by the coroner in 2003. Read the reports here: http...
Apr 12, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 313
This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. Two young female tourists are staying in the same quiet spot in Tasmania…one disappears, never to be seen again and two years later, the other woman is brutally murdered. The women are 26-year-old German Nancy Grunwaldt , reported missing on April 15th 1993. Getting around on a bike, she was spending some time at Beaumaris Beach, reading a book. What happened aft...
Apr 11, 2023•14 min•Season 1Ep. 314
When he was 12, Jeffrey Morgan ran away from his country NSW home to Redfern to stay with his mum. He thought his dad was being too strict and he wanted more freedom. This was the time in Redfern when the inner-city suburb was the centre of Aboriginal life and activism and it was a tough place. Jeffrey spent a lot of time on the streets, getting involved in minor offences a s a means of survival – namely stealing food to eat - but eventually this escalated to stealing cars and then, robbing bank...
Apr 09, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 311
This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. When he was 12, Jeffrey Morgan ran away from his country NSW home to Redfern to stay with his mum. He thought his dad was being too strict and he wanted more freedom. This was the time in Redfern when the inner-city suburb was the centre of Aboriginal life and activism and it was a tough place. Jeffrey spent a lot of time on the streets, getting involved in minor...
Apr 09, 2023•16 min•Season 1Ep. 312
For the last year or so, we've been working away on a very special project called The Soldier On Podcast. Soldier On is an incredible not for profit organisation that delivers holistic support services for current and former Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel. We joined up with them to help share the remarkable stories of those they work with. Hosted by the wonderful Hugh Riminton, each episode you’ll hear a first-hand account of a life touched by involvement in the Defence industry. If yo...
Apr 07, 2023•57 min
Our guest today is from Toowoomba in Queensland, and he thought he'd seen his fair share of violence and mayhem by the time he'd sobered up in his mid-twenties. On today's episode, we're talking about a terrible turn of events that landed him back in the middle of incredibly senseless violence, just as he was pulling his life together. On the evening of May 30th 2005, three teenage boys brutally murdered Michael Thompson, 30, and teenagers David Lyons and Tyson Wilson, both just 17. Our guest, w...
Apr 02, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 309
This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. Our guest today is from Toowoomba in Queensland, and he thought he'd seen his fair share of violence and mayhem by the time he'd sobered up in his mid-twenties. On today's episode, we're talking about a terrible turn of events that landed him back in the middle of incredibly senseless violence, just as he was pulling his life together. On the evening of May 30th ...
Apr 02, 2023•20 min•Season 1Ep. 310
Robyn Lewis’s life was, frankly, hectic and destructive for 37 years. Multiple addictions, trauma from a brutal childhood, crime…she was just trying to survive. Robyn had tried and tried to change her life and then something happened. Now she’s sharing her story with her community and now, with us, to show that change is possible. And a note before listening - Our guests share their experience. Each person has their own way they deal with life. So if there’s something you hear that prompts quest...
Mar 26, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 307
This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. Robyn Lewis’s life was, frankly, hectic and destructive for 37 years. Multiple addictions, trauma from a brutal childhood, crime…she was just trying to survive. Robyn had tried and tried to change her life and then something happened. Now she’s sharing her story with her community and now, with us, to show that change is possible. And a note before listening - Ou...
Mar 25, 2023•14 min•Season 1Ep. 308
This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. Is it that bad if people believe in conspiracy theories? According to our guests for this episode, at first it’s funny, irritating (we all had someone we know who was sharing things that seemed a bit off beam over the past three years) and seemingly ridiculous…until it’s not. SOS and Sandee are two women who live in outer suburban Melbourne and have day jobs and ...
Mar 17, 2023•15 min•Season 1Ep. 306
Is it that bad if people believe in conspiracy theories? According to our guests for this episode, at first it’s funny, irritating (we all had someone we know who was sharing things that seemed a bit off beam over the past three years) and seemingly ridiculous…until it’s not. SOS and Sandee are two women who live in outer suburban Melbourne and have day jobs and families but they have also been deep diving into the world of places and spaces where people who believe in conspiracy theories and ha...
Mar 17, 2023•59 min•Season 1Ep. 305
The night of February 2nd 1986 was when 26 year old Sydney nurse Anita Cobby was savagely murdered by a group of strangers. It has since been marked a turning point for Australian culture. Today's conversation is with Anita's sister, Kathryn Szyszka. It's all about legacy - Anita's legacy, and the legacy of their parents, Grace and Garry Lynch. A new facility has finally opened in Sydney to provide healing and restoration for children affected by violent crime. It's called Grace's Place, and has...
Mar 12, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 304
Our guest for this episode is Dr Ahona Guha, a Melbourne-based Forensic and clinical psychologist. She works with survivors of abuse and those who live with trauma. Ahona also works with perpetrators of harmful behaviours including sex offenders, stalkers and bullies. Ahona has written her first book RECLAIM: Understanding complex trauma and those who abuse. Dr Ahona Guha’s views are her own. MORE INFO: Former Victorian prosecutor awarded $435,000 over exposure to sexual abuse material What is m...
Mar 04, 2023•48 min•Season 1Ep. 303
We've mentioned the Australian Federal Police (AFP) many times on Australian True Crime, but do any of us really know what they do? Our guest today, David Savage AM, who reached the very top of the tree in that organisation, may change the way you think about the role of the AFP. For one thing, his brilliant career was brought to a grinding halt when he was supposed to be protected by a bunch of Americans on a dusty road in Afghanistan. David is now the President of the Australian Federal Police...
Feb 26, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 302
Father of two, Filmmaker and director of The Children in The Pictures, Akhim Dev joins us for this episode. He was granted unprecedented access to TASKFORCE ARGOS, a Queensland Police team who are world leaders in rescuing children from online sexual abuse and catching the perpetrators like Shannon McCoole, a South Australian child protection worker revealed to be a child-sex offender and the administrator of a paedophile chat board with 45,000 members. This intense and relentless and vicarious ...
Feb 19, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 301
Trevor Tascas was 27 years old when he suspiciously disappeared in October 2005 from an address in Whittington, a suburb of the regional Victorian city Geelong. His mum Pamela and sister Kirsty join us for this episode. Trevor’s life was up and down and at the time of his disappearance - he was using and dealing drugs but still in sporadic contact with his family. Investigators believe Trevor had been involved in a dispute with Lawrence Butler, the man he was sharing a house with prior to his di...
Feb 12, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 300
Mishel Karen was a participant on season 7 of Married at First Sight Australia. Mishel didn’t find the love she was looking for on the show, and a quick google will tell you a lot about Mishel’s life since the show ended. She’s now an only fans star and so far, she’s still single. Mishel Karen became the victim of a sophisticated scam from Everrise Brokers, through which she lost a large amount of her own money and friends and relatives of hers lost money to after taking her advice to trust her ...
Feb 05, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 299
Over the summer break, we played some beauty chat segments at the end of our episodes with Joanna Fleming from Adore Beauty. We thought for everyone's convenience, we would collate them all together into this one episode. It's seriously a great refresher on all things skincare and makeup. For a limited time only, use the code "truecrime15" for 15 dollars off orders over $75 at www.adorebeauty.com.au exclusions do apply. You can also listen to lots more beauty content on Joanna's own podcast Beau...
Jan 31, 2023•51 min
