Synopsis
Think nothing ever happens in your town? Australia's suburbs are home to some of the most mysterious and disturbing true crime cases in the world.Meshel Laurie is a true crime obsessive. Emily Webb is a true crime author. And together with expert interviews with writers, victims, investigators and perpetrators, they probe the underbelly of our towns and suburbs, and uncover the darkness at the heart of Australian life.
Episodes
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ATC - "Just The Facts": Sarah's brave act that forever stopped a child predator
16/08/2023 Duration: 17minThis is a "Just The Facts" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. Sarah spent decades explaining her self-destructive behaviour to people as a consequence of one terrible year of bullying in primary school.Her abuser wasn't another child, but her principal, an elderly Catholic nun.But while Sarah tried to overcome the trauma of that experience, and of one terrible incident in particular, by talking about it with friends and seeking counselling, it wasn't until she heard a line in a true crime podcast while driving her car that she realised the one detail she'd always kept to herself was the thing that was preventing her from healing.Sarah contacted us at Australian True Crime because she wants to share what happened after she pulled her car over to the side of the road that day. She wants to share her story in case even one of you hears this true crime podcast and is set free the way she has been.For Support: www.bravehearts.
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Sarah's brave act that forever stopped a child predator
16/08/2023 Duration: 39minSarah spent decades explaining her self-destructive behaviour to people as a consequence of one terrible year of bullying in primary school.Her abuser wasn't another child, but her principal, an elderly Catholic nun.But while Sarah tried to overcome the trauma of that experience, and of one terrible incident in particular, by talking about it with friends and seeking counselling, it wasn't until she heard a line in a true crime podcast while driving her car that she realised the one detail she'd always kept to herself was the thing that was preventing her from healing.Sarah contacted us at Australian True Crime because she wants to share what happened after she pulled her car over to the side of the road that day. She wants to share her story in case even one of you hears this true crime podcast and is set free the way she has been.For Support: www.bravehearts.org.auwww.nationalredress.gov.auLifeline on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Isl
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ATC - "Just The Facts": Re-Issue: The Fight to Bring an Alleged Pedophile Headmistress Back to Australia to Face Justice: Survivor Dassi Erlich's Story
13/08/2023 Duration: 19minThis is a "Just The Facts" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. This is a re-issue of episode 99 from May 2019 2019Dassi Erlich is living a life today she literally could never have imagined as a child. She couldn’t have imagined it because so much of what the rest of us take for granted was hidden from her by her parents and the other adults around her. Dassi and her six siblings were raised in the ultra-Orthodox Adass Israel community of Melbourne. you may have seen Dassi and two of her sisters on Australian Story, because their conservative sheltered upbringing was an illusion, far from being overly protected, they were actually being preyed upon in more ways than one.Warning: please be advised this episode contains accounts of child sexual assault.Show notes for Episode 99:Your hosts are Meshel Laurie and Emily WebbWith thanks to Dassi ErlichLike us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram or TwitterSupport us on PatreonVisit our
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Re-Issue: The Fight to Bring an Alleged Pedophile Headmistress Back to Australia to Face Justice: Survivor Dassi Erlich's Story
13/08/2023 Duration: 55minThis is a re-issue of episode 99 from May 2019 2019Dassi Erlich is living a life today she literally could never have imagined as a child. She couldn’t have imagined it because so much of what the rest of us take for granted was hidden from her by her parents and the other adults around her. Dassi and her six siblings were raised in the ultra-Orthodox Adass Israel community of Melbourne. you may have seen Dassi and two of her sisters on Australian Story, because their conservative sheltered upbringing was an illusion, far from being overly protected, they were actually being preyed upon in more ways than one.Warning: please be advised this episode contains accounts of child sexual assault.Show notes for Episode 99:Your hosts are Meshel Laurie and Emily WebbWith thanks to Dassi ErlichLike us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram or TwitterSupport us on PatreonVisit our BookshopListen on Apple PodcastsListen on Google PodcastsListen on SpotifyIf you would like to talk to someone about sexual assault, no matter th
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ATC - "Just The Facts": The disappearance of Susan Thomson leaves more questions than answers
06/08/2023 Duration: 14minThis is a "Just The Facts" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. Susan Warren, 15 years old in the year of 1965, ran away with a man 8 years her senior, Arthur Thomson.The next 34 years of her life are quite frankly, a complete mystery.She had no friends, no community, and hardly any family contact.In fact, her life was so isolated that when she went missing in 1999, there wasn’t a missing persons report with the police until 2006.And this wasn’t because Arthur reported her missing - it was actually the subsequent result after both he and his mother, were found dead in their rural Queensland home.Searching through his “museum like” house, full of antique furniture with their price tags still attached, they found an old letter from Susan that she had addressed to her mother.This letter indicated that she had not just ran away, as Arthur had fleetingly suggested to the community years prior.The complete mystery of Susan’s life and
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The disappearance of Susan Thomson leaves more questions than answers
06/08/2023 Duration: 33minSusan Warren, 15 years old in the year of 1965, ran away with a man 8 years her senior, Arthur Thomson.The next 34 years of her life are quite frankly, a complete mystery.She had no friends, no community, and hardly any family contact.In fact, her life was so isolated that when she went missing in 1999, there wasn’t a missing persons report with the police until 2006.And this wasn’t because Arthur reported her missing - it was actually the subsequent result after both he and his mother, were found dead in their rural Queensland home.Searching through his “museum like” house, full of antique furniture with their price tags still attached, they found an old letter from Susan that she had addressed to her mother.This letter indicated that she had not just ran away, as Arthur had fleetingly suggested to the community years prior.The complete mystery of Susan’s life and disappearance has always stuck with crime and investigative journalist, Paula Doneman, who is our guest for today’s episode.For Support: 
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ATC - "Just The Facts": What you need to know to keep your child safe online
02/08/2023 Duration: 14minThis is a "Just The Facts" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. We return this episode with our guests Jon Rouse APM and Akhim Dev, answering your questions about the fight against online exploitation of children.Akhim Dev is the creator of The Children In the Pictures, a documentary and podcast that looks into the amazing and unrelenting work of members at Task Force Argos, of which Jon Rouse was a founding member of. For those not in the know, Task Force Argos is a world renowned branch of the Queensland police force responsible for the investigation of online child exploitation and abuse, which you can learn more about from our previous episode.Akhim Dev's documentary "The Children in the Pictures" can be viewed on SBS On Demand. His podcast of the same name is also available wherever you listen to your podcasts.We implore you to make a report to https://www.esafety.gov.au/ if you or a child you know has been abused onli
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What you need to know to keep your child safe online
02/08/2023 Duration: 30minWe return this episode with our guests Jon Rouse APM and Akhim Dev, answering your questions about the fight against online exploitation of children.Akhim Dev is the creator of The Children In the Pictures, a documentary and podcast that looks into the amazing and unrelenting work of members at Task Force Argos, of which Jon Rouse was a founding member of. For those not in the know, Task Force Argos is a world renowned branch of the Queensland police force responsible for the investigation of online child exploitation and abuse, which you can learn more about from our previous episode.Akhim Dev's documentary "The Children in the Pictures" can be viewed on SBS On Demand. His podcast of the same name is also available wherever you listen to your podcasts.We implore you to make a report to https://www.esafety.gov.au/ if you or a child you know has been abused online.For Support: Lifeline on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peopl
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ATC - "Just The Facts": Task Force Argos: The police who rescue children from online sexual exploitation
30/07/2023 Duration: 15minThis is a "Just The Facts" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. Task Force Argos is a world renowned branch of the Queensland Police Service, responsible for the investigation of online child exploitation and abuse.Our guests for this episode are Jon Rouse APM and Akhim Dev. Rouse was one of the founding members of the Argos Task Force, and Dev is a documentary film maker, whose film and podcast "The Children in the Pictures" featured the work of the Rouse's team. Next episode will feature Rouse and Dev answering our listeners' questions, but on this episode, we learn more about the most common threats to young people online today.Akhim Dev's documentary "The Children in the Pictures" can be viewed on SBS On Demand. His podcast of the same name is also available wherever you listen to your podcasts.For Support: Lifeline on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Isl
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Task Force Argos: The police who rescue children from online sexual exploitation
30/07/2023 Duration: 41minTask Force Argos is a world renowned branch of the Queensland Police Service, responsible for the investigation of online child exploitation and abuse.Our guests for this episode are Jon Rouse APM and Akhim Dev. Rouse was one of the founding members of the Argos Task Force, and Dev is a documentary film maker, whose film and podcast "The Children in the Pictures" featured the work of the Rouse's team. Next episode will feature Rouse and Dev answering our listeners' questions, but on this episode, we learn more about the most common threats to young people online today.Akhim Dev's documentary "The Children in the Pictures" can be viewed on SBS On Demand. His podcast of the same name is also available wherever you listen to your podcasts.For Support: Lifeline on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Guests: Jon Rouse APM & Akhim DevExecut
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Can We Be Real? - The Secrets!
25/07/2023 Duration: 48minIntroducing "Can We Be Real?" - our new podcast that delves deep into the realm of authenticity and vulnerability.Join us as we encourage our listeners to share their most intimate secrets, creating an atmosphere of connection and openness.In this episode, we're thrilled to unveil some of our favourite secrets shared by our incredible listeners so far. Prepare to be moved, entertained, and inspired as we explore the depths of human emotions and experiences.Simply search for "Can We Be Real?" on your favourite podcast app. Make sure to hit that subscribe and follow button, so you never miss an episode. Tune in every Tuesday for the latest episodes as we bring you authentic stories that will leave you pondering long after the episode ends.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/australiantruecrime. Become a subscriber to Australian True Crime Plus here: https://plus.acast.com/s/australiantruecrime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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ATC - "Just The Facts": A "real life monster" from Australia's Great Depression
23/07/2023 Duration: 17minThis is a "Just The Facts" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. During the Great Depression, 32% of working age men were put out of work, with many of them resorting to drunken and violent lifestyles.During this time, there was a significant spike in Australia's murder rate, with many so called "monsters" being birthed from the era.Michael Adams from the "Forgotten Australia" podcast, joins us to tell us the story of one of those "monsters", William Moxley.Michael Adams' new book "The Murder Squad", which covers this case and many others from Australia's great depression, is available on the 25th of July. You can access and read a free extract here.For Support: Lifeline on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram
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A "real life monster" from Australia's Great Depression
23/07/2023 Duration: 50minDuring the Great Depression, 32% of working age men were put out of work, with many of them resorting to drunken and violent lifestyles.During this time, there was a significant spike in Australia's murder rate, with many so called "monsters" being birthed from the era.Michael Adams from the "Forgotten Australia" podcast, joins us to tell us the story of one of those "monsters", William Moxley.Michael Adams' new book "The Murder Squad", which covers this case and many others from Australia's great depression, is available on the 25th of July. You can access and read a free extract here.For Support: Lifeline on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Guests: Michael AdamsExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardGET IN TOUCH: Send us a question or comment on this episode to be used in our "Episode Download" series: https://www.speakpipe.c
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ATC - "Just The Facts": Unfinished Business - a survivor defies the odds of Australia’s Court System (Part 2)
19/07/2023 Duration: 15minThis is a "Just The Facts" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. This is part two of a two part series with our anonymous guest. If you haven’t yet listened to our previous episode, we highly suggest you go and listen to that one first.Our guest is a recovering heroin addict, and in our previous episode, we delved into her early childhood years, and the chaos brought into her life at the hands of her mother. Concurrently to that, however, there was something else happening in her life. She and her younger sister, aged 8 and 6, were being groomed and sexually assaulted by their adult neighbour for almost 5 years. In fact, this particular part of her story motivated our guest to reach out to us initially, emphasizing the crucial fact that it's never too late to report abuse.For Support: Lifeline on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800
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Unfinished Business - a survivor defies the odds of Australia’s Court System (Part 2)
19/07/2023 Duration: 30minThis is part two of a two part series with our anonymous guest. If you haven’t yet listened to our previous episode, we highly suggest you go and listen to that one first.Our guest is a recovering heroin addict, and in our previous episode, we delved into her early childhood years, and the chaos brought into her life at the hands of her mother. Concurrently to that, however, there was something else happening in her life. She and her younger sister, aged 8 and 6, were being groomed and sexually assaulted by their adult neighbour for almost 5 years. In fact, this particular part of her story motivated our guest to reach out to us initially, emphasizing the crucial fact that it's never too late to report abuse.For Support: Lifeline on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Guests: AnonymousExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardGE
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ATC - "Just The Facts": The Groundhog Day Lifestyle of Heroin Addiction
16/07/2023 Duration: 18minThis is a "Just The Facts" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. Today's episode is part one of a two part series. Part two will be available this coming Thursday.For reasons that will become apparent, our guest has chosen to remain anonymous.Raised mostly in a single father household alongside her sister, our guest's upbringing was far from ordinary. Her relationship with her turbulent mother added to the complexity of her early years, as her mother's attempts to be involved often resulted in further pain and confusion.Today, our guest is a law abiding citizen, who has had a long career in social work. Her past, however, was anything but. Despite being a smart kid, full of promise and adored by her father and teachers, she found herself developing a severe heroin addiction, and a subsequent lifestyle of crime to support that addiction.For Support: Lifeline on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line
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The Groundhog Day Lifestyle of Heroin Addiction
16/07/2023 Duration: 42minToday's episode is part one of a two part series. Part two will be available this coming Thursday.For reasons that will become apparent, our guest has chosen to remain anonymous.Raised mostly in a single father household alongside her sister, our guest's upbringing was far from ordinary. Her relationship with her turbulent mother added to the complexity of her early years, as her mother's attempts to be involved often resulted in further pain and confusion.Today, our guest is a law abiding citizen, who has had a long career in social work. Her past, however, was anything but. Despite being a smart kid, full of promise and adored by her father and teachers, she found herself developing a severe heroin addiction, and a subsequent lifestyle of crime to support that addiction.For Support: Lifeline on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Co-Hos
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Introducing… They Walk Among Us
05/07/2023 Duration: 16minHave you ever wondered if there is a dark side to your neighbour? The cashier at the supermarket? The delivery driver? The person that sleeps beside you?Delving into UK cases that are scarily close to home, They Walk Among Us explores both, lesser-known crimes committed by seemingly ordinary people, along with examining the infamous cases that are splashed across the headlines. The award-winning podcast has been praised by The Guardian, which called the show “a cult hit”; The Financial Times, referred to it as “sharply written”, and The Evening Standard applauded They Walk Among Us and its “expertly understated storytelling".You can listen to They Walk Among Us now on Acast, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/australiantruecrime. Become a subscriber to Australian True Crime Plus here: https://plus.acast.com/s/australiantruecrime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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ATC - "Just The Facts": Three days before her pregnancy was due, Krystal Fraser went missing
01/07/2023 Duration: 19minThis is a "Just The Facts" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. On the 20th of June, 2009, a heavily pregnant Krystal Fraser, 23 years old, checked herself out of hospital to go to a party in Pyramid Hill. A country town in the far north of Victoria. Krystal was intellectually disabled, and did not have any credit left on her phone to make any calls. One of the last sightings of Krystal that night, was meeting an unknown, well dressed man, who was waiting for her at the Pyramid Hill train station.For a long time, local police did not consider Krystal to be a victim of foul play, and wrongfully believed she was responsible for her own disappearance. Our guest today, Dennis O'Bryan, is a former police investigator, and author of "Last Train Home". A book in which he delves deep into the events and people involved in Krystal's disappearance.More info:Dennis O'Bryan's Last Train Home can be purchased at this link. Also at
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Three days before her pregnancy was due, Krystal Fraser went missing
01/07/2023 Duration: 44minOn the 20th of June, 2009, a heavily pregnant Krystal Fraser, 23 years old, checked herself out of hospital to go to a party in Pyramid Hill. A country town in the far north of Victoria. Krystal was intellectually disabled, and did not have any credit left on her phone to make any calls. One of the last sightings of Krystal that night, was meeting an unknown, well dressed man, who was waiting for her at the Pyramid Hill train station.For a long time, local police did not consider Krystal to be a victim of foul play, and wrongfully believed she was responsible for her own disappearance. Our guest today, Dennis O'Bryan, is a former police investigator, and author of "Last Train Home". A book in which he delves deep into the events and people involved in Krystal's disappearance.More info:Dennis O'Bryan's Last Train Home can be purchased at this link. Also at Collins booksellers, or via the Help Us Find Krystal Fraser" Facebook groupWe encourage our listeners to join the "Help Us Find Krystal Fraser" Fa