True Crime

True Crime Conversations

True Crime Conversations explores the world’s most notorious crimes by speaking to the people who know the most about them. Hosted by Gemma Bath.

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The Melbourne Schoolgirl Strangler Jan 26, 2021

Show notes

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.

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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BEST OF 2020: The Fake Diving Resort Jan 13, 2021

Show notes

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 Jan 06, 2021

Show notes

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

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: Gary Jubelin & The Case That Cost Him His Job Dec 30, 2020

Show notes

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

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BEST OF 2020: How Nicola Gobbo Became Lawyer X Dec 23, 2020

Show notes

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

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Vanishing Of Vivienne Cameron Dec 16, 2020

Show notes

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.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After The Night: How The Night Caller Terrorised Perth Dec 09, 2020

Show notes

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.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Cost Saxon Mullins Paid For Being A ‘Witness’ Dec 02, 2020

Show notes

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.

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 Two Nov 25, 2020

Show notes

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 Nov 18, 2020

Show notes

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.

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