Businessman Paul Nguyen left Sydney’s Hilton Hotel in May 2014 and was never seen alive again. A police investigation uncovered secrets that exposed Mr Nguyen’s murky underworld connections, leading authorities to a makeshift grave around an hour’s drive, south of Sydney. The excavation and identification of Mr Nguyen’s remains was forensic anthropologist, Dr Hayley Green’s, first case. In this episode, hear about the complexities of collecting, analysing and documenting human bones in a murder ...
Jul 16, 2024•32 min•Season 2Ep. 108
On the 26th of June, 2006, police were notified that a young girl had gone missing in Perth. Moments later, her body was found, and an expansive crime scene was established. With an unknown, and clearly dangerous offender on the run, police were working against the clock to preserve crucial evidence, and find who was responsible. Then detective Paul Litherland was too close to the victim’s family to investigate, so was forced to watch on as police began their search for the offender. Brent Sande...
Jul 14, 2024•35 min•Season 2Ep. 107
Bikies live in a world where loyalty is fierce and silence is golden. So, when a member of the Gypsy Jokers was killed in outback Western Australia, a deadly game of cat and mouse began. The Gypsy Jokers were convinced the culprit was Don Hancock, a former Police Chief with a colourful past. And, as the investigation heated up, the stakes became deadly. In this episode, Hadyn Green takes us inside the forensic investigation that followed - a tale of bombings, one of WAs most notorious bikie wars...
Jul 09, 2024•46 min•Season 2Ep. 106
After coercing farmers to plant marijuana crops in their fields, organised crime figures laid the seed for a dominant and violent drug empire across the Victorian borders. But, when police raided the farms, it was the growers who faced the consequences, as mob members threatened them and their families to stay quiet. Former Victoria Police detective Ray Shuey was at the pointy end of that investigation, and sits down with host Brent Sanders to explain how he helped organise the 50kg drug buy tha...
Jul 07, 2024•38 min•Season 2Ep. 105
The body of 27-year-old mother of two, Samantha Bodsworth, was found in Noosa, surrounded by wattle trees. The killer thinks it’s the perfect crime, but what they underestimated was the power of the tiny, silent witnesses clinging to almost everything they touched – pollen. In this episode, Dr Lynne Milne, the scientist at the forefront of forensic palynology, reveals how, for the first time in an Australian criminal case, pollen helped unmask a murderer. This episode references men's violence a...
Jul 02, 2024•30 min•Season 2Ep. 104
For decades he was an adored media personality. But, after an iTV documentary exposed him as a sex offender, Jimmy Savile's story turned sinister, and questions were soon asked about the people who enabled his behaviour despite rumours and innuendo. For many of the children and young people Jimmy Savile offended against, they were finally heard - but, as former Detective Mark Williams-Thomas explains, justice will never be served against the now dead Savile, and the impact of his behaviour will ...
Jun 30, 2024•30 min•Season 2Ep. 103
Every word leaves a trace. A disgruntled employee's late-night Facebook rant, cryptic messages, riddled with emojis, arranging a drug deal, a threatening letter from a scorned ex. These are more than words to forensic linguist, Professor Georgina Heydon. They’re crucial clues that can act like a phonetic fingerprint, revealing the identity of the culprit - because sometimes the key to solving a crime isn’t what’s said, but how it’s said. In this episode, hosted by Kathryn Fox, Georgina explains ...
Jun 25, 2024•38 min•Season 2Ep. 102
As a door was bashed in, and a very ordinary seeming man was put in cuffs, the heinous crimes of the Claremont Serial Killer were finally brought to light. Todd Bowler, who spoke exclusively with Crime Insiders, is a former WA Tactical Group member has been on the other side of these investigations for several years, and during his career, was a lead member in several high profile cases. He sat down with host Brent Sanders to talk through his career and to explain how he was part of the dramatic...
Jun 23, 2024•47 min•Season 2Ep. 101
For 20 years, Henry Keogh was imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. What was a tragic accident turned into a full-blown murder trial, fueled by dubious evidence from now-discredited forensic pathologist, Dr. Colin Manock. In this episode, host Kathryn Fox talks with Forensic Photographer, Professor Gale Spring, one of the key experts who helped overturn Keogh's conviction in 2014. Hear about the intricate complexities of interpreting images and video, the misplaced trust juries often have in ...
Jun 18, 2024•44 min•Season 2Ep. 100
After finding a fragment of a skull several metres within a toilet plumbing system, police knew they were dealing with something sinister. Mike Bush is a former commissioner of the New Zealand Police Force and has had a decorated career. However, his time as a Detective and a lead investigator saw him take on some gruesome and confronting cases - a far stretch from the press conferences and media appearance as commissioner. He sat down with host Brent Sanders to explain some of these cases and t...
Jun 16, 2024•35 min•Season 2Ep. 99
A blood-stained cloth was the only evidence police had to work with when Marlene Maria Smith didn't turn up to work in August, 2000. This small clue would soon become part of the huge web of forensic evidence, ultimately leading to the conviction of a killer. Peter Baines OAM spent over two decades as a specialist forensic crime scene investigator with the NSW Police. In this episode with host Kathryn Fox, hear how a real CSI handles a crime scene, from start to finish. This episode contains gra...
Jun 11, 2024•48 min•Season 2Ep. 98
A man described as "pure evil", understand how police investigated his heinous crimes, caught him in and the process of holding him in prison whilst seeking a confession. Decorated former Victorian Police Detective Adrian Paterson joins host Brent Sanders to unpack his career, and go deep into how he helped catch some of Australia's most high-profile criminals. If this content affects you, the number for Life Line is 13 11 14. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Jun 09, 2024•45 min•Season 2Ep. 97
Drowning is the third-highest cause of death around the world, yet underwater recovery and aquatic forensic investigation remain heavily underresourced and underresearched. Forensic investigator and scientific diver, Sarah Mormino, is on a mission to change this. In this episode, host Kathryn Fox and Sarah unravel the fascinating and often perilous process of collecting and preserving evidence underwater. Discover why turtles can be unexpected adversaries for investigators and hear about the cas...
Jun 04, 2024•36 min•Season 2Ep. 96
A tragedy that rocked Melbourne in the late 80s, and one that left the nation questioning its own attitude towards guns and violence. Former Commissioner of Victoria Police Kel Glare was just a few months away from getting the top job when an armed gunman killed seven and injured 19 people in Melbourne's inner North. It's a case that stood out to Kel for its violence and senselessness, and one that shook him him despite him being as experienced as he was. Hear about that case, and others as Kel ...
Jun 02, 2024•29 min•Season 2Ep. 95
Heartbreaking was the only word that could be used to describe the death of a 10-month-old baby in Perth. What was less clear cut is the question that was posed to the judge - was the baby boy’s death an accident, or was he murdered by his father? Judith Fordham has been lauded as one of Western Australia’s most high-profile criminal lawyers, but her dual expertise in law and forensics sets her apart from her colleagues. In this episode with host Kathryn Fox, hear about one of the most divisive ...
May 28, 2024•54 min•Season 2Ep. 94
What happens when back up is three hours away, and you're faced with a violent and desperate situation? Mark Tregellas is one of Victoria's most experienced regional police officers. He's spent decades tackling violent and intense criminal situations, ones that are unique to that of Australia's wild and often unpredictable regional areas. Join host Brent Sanders as Mark walks him through two cases that stand out to him from his time in the force. This content contains references to men's violenc...
May 26, 2024•29 min•Season 2Ep. 93
Semen is the crack cocaine of the fly world, and while maggots love a corpse, flies feast on live human flesh and fluids. So, could a fly frame you for murder? And how do police differentiate fly 'artifacts' from human biological material at a crime scene? These are all things forensic biologist, Dr Annalisa Durdle has studied. Join host Kathryn Fox as Annalisa redefines what it means to be a 'fly on the wall'. If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, fam...
May 21, 2024•36 min•Season 2Ep. 92
The AFP and customs intercept hundreds of tonnes of narcotics every year. But, the techniques of criminals and smugglers are becoming more complex, and unfortunately, more effective. Nigel Phair is a former Australian Federal Police Officer who took on a range of high profile drug importation cases. This saw him intercepting large quantities of drugs, investigating its origin and surveilling its eventual destination in Australia. Understand this work and hear Nigel walk host Brent Sanders throug...
May 19, 2024•31 min•Season 2Ep. 91
It took 37 years, a failed murder trial, and an Australian mathematician to finally prosecute one of Scotland's most infamous serial killers. Professor David Balding is a pioneer in the field of mathematical computational genetics. Join host Kathryn Fox and hear how using things like probability, David can calculate the likelihood of DNA belonging to offenders, victims and crime scenes. If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence, c...
May 14, 2024•38 min•Season 2Ep. 90
The gangs of New Zealand are like nothing else, and as an undercover cop, you're forced to prove yourself, demonstrate you're a criminal and show you're capable of committing violent and often dangerous crimes. That was the life of undercover operative Mark Van Lee Warden, who spent years as a covert officer deep inside the underworld of the New Zealand ganglands. He was required to tackle some of the country's most powerful underworld figures, including the infamous convicted murderer Ricki Goo...
May 12, 2024•42 min•Season 2Ep. 89
Victims of stalking are systematically let down. So, how do the police handle reports of stalking? And what does the research tell us about effective intervention? 24-year-old Alice Ruggles was stalked and murdered by her ex-boyfriend. Alice did all the recommended things, including reporting his dangerous behaviour to the police multiple times. Unfortunately, Alice's story is not a one-off. It's a typical story illustrating the link between coercive control and stalking. Join host Kathryn Fox f...
May 07, 2024•36 min•Season 2Ep. 88
The consequences of online abuse can be fatal, and in the early 2000s, even experts were naive to the dangers of the online world for us, and our kids. Yasmin London is a former NSW Police Officer who took on a diverse set of roles in her decade in the force. She tackled the everyday stress of general duties, the diverse crimes of Rosebay in Sydney and the complex and unknown world of cyberbullying in the early days of the internet. Yasmin joined host Brent Sanders to talk through her career, an...
May 05, 2024•47 min•Season 2Ep. 87
Stalking is disturbingly common, yet often misunderstood by wider society. Professor Troy McEwan from the Swinburne University of Technology is a forensic psychologist specialising in understanding, assessing, and treating stalking behaviour. In this episode with Kathryn Fox, hear about the 5 different types of stalkers, and gain insights into their problematic behaviours. This episode is part 1 of 2. If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sex...
Apr 30, 2024•37 min•Season 2Ep. 86
Once an admired figure in NSW police, the now disgraced Roger Rogerson left a trail of corruption and death as he moved his way through the force. Former NSW Detective Deborah Locke was at the centre of Rogerson's grip on the police, and faced horrific consequences for standing up to him and his corruption. Deb sat down with host Brent Sanders, and unpacked the details of her life in the force and how she overcame both Rogerson and the police itself. This episode features references to suicide, ...
Apr 28, 2024•51 min•Season 2Ep. 85
Even when removed or burnt, forensic experts can use tattoos to identify offenders and victims of crimes. This is one of many techniques forensic photographers like Karen Byrne use to document everything from crime scenes to autopsies. Hear about the surprising ways evidence can be captured, the emotional weight of the job, and how forensic photography plays a crucial role in securing justice. If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual viol...
Apr 23, 2024•30 min•Season 2Ep. 84
One of the country's most effective crime fighting arms, Queensland Police have some of the world's most dedicated officers. Their experience in fighting online child sexual abuse is second to none, and James Maskey was part of that team. Join host Brent Sanders as he unpacks James' career. From General Duties, to the CPOL team, hear about the cases that defined James and eventually lead to his decision to leave the force. To learn more about James' work at Fortem visit the link below: https://f...
Apr 21, 2024•29 min•Season 2Ep. 83
They say pigs will eat anything. But can they diminish a whole human body? Surprisingly, science didn't have an answer to this question until recently. Forensic anthropologist, Dr Penny McCardle, has helped police investigate some of the most high-profile crimes in recent history, including the disappearance of William Tyrell and the 1986 murder of Roxlyn Bowie. In this discussion with Kathryn Fox, hear about the investigation into the murder of Roxlyn, which included the biggest excavation in N...
Apr 16, 2024•26 min•Season 2Ep. 82
Matt Newlands is a former NSW Police Officer who undertook general duties for much of his career. His career was well regarded, but was also peppered with difficulties and would end as part of a slippery slope of incidents in Matt's personal life. We'll understand what lead to that situation with host Brent Sanders, as he unpacks stories and cases from Matt's career and the one mistake which ended it. If this content affected you, the number LifeLine is 13 11 14. See omnystudio.com/listener for ...
Apr 14, 2024•46 min•Season 2Ep. 81
Technology has become a weapon for perpetrators of abuse. And, in our digitally intertwined lives, cyber forensics has become an essential step in almost all aspects of criminal investigation, particularly cases involving child exploitation and family violence. Cyber forensic expert, Rose MacDonald, has made it her life's mission to combat this insidious form of abuse. Her work ensures the complex process of evidence preservation of spyware-infested devices and encrypted apps brings these offend...
Apr 09, 2024•38 min•Season 2Ep. 80
A person of interest driving over five days and distributing drugs across the country was finally brought down after a complex sting. Noel, who's last name has been redacted for operational reasons is one of Victoria's most seasoned detectives, and has seen the state thrashed through a period of uncertainty by Melbourne's high-profile criminal underworld. He joins Brent Sanders, and talks us through his time in the force and what he's working on post policing. This episode contains references to...
Apr 07, 2024•33 min•Season 2Ep. 79
