Episodes

  • When evil came to Leeton: The Stephanie Scott murder
    Apr 23 2020

    On Easter 2015, in Leeton, NSW, around five hours from Sydney, a chill hung in the air of the usually bustling country town.

    Leeton was a quiet, unassuming place. Nothing bad ever seemed to happen there. People kept their doors unlocked and every one know each other at the local grocery store. The worst crime would be a scuffle outside of the pub on Friday night. But five years ago, evil came to Leeton. 


    On Easter Sunday, 2015, 26-year-old schoolteacher Stephanie Scott said goodbye to her fiancé Aaron Leeson-Wooley, and headed into Leeton High School for a few hours.


    Stephanie was a drama and English teacher at the local high school. And in a few days time, she was getting married to the love of her life. Friends and family would tell you just how excited Steph was to become Mrs Leeson-Wooley. She’d been planning her wedding for months – and it was nearly here.


    That Easter, Stephanie had decided to dedicate a few hours to preparing work for her students while she was away on her honeymoon. See, Steph had a heart of gold. She was adored by anyone and everyone who met her. Spending a Sunday devoted to making sure her pupils wouldn’t miss a beat while she was away was typical Steph. 


    But that day at Leeton High, Steph would come face-to-face with a monster. The excited bride-to-be was brutally murdered just days before she was due to say I do. The story of her death is utterly heartbreaking and touched so many people who had never even met her, including Leeton journalist Monique Patterson.


    Monique – who once edited the local paper The Irrigator – wrote a book on Stephanie’s murder and the effect it had on the town of Leeton. She joins us on today’s episode.



    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    43 mins
  • How did Sydney's ghost train really catch on fire?
    Mar 25 2020

    When you think of Luna Park you probably think of fun, rides and fairy floss. But on the 9th of June 1979, as many Sydney-siders and tourists flocked to the amusement park - they had no idea some of them would be leaving without their lives. Because in 1979, Sydney’s Ghost train ride caught on fire and it killed six children and one adult. On this episode of Investigates Stephen sits down with journalist John Burfitt to find out how the fire really started…


    If you or someone you know needs support, help is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14.


    Your host is Stephen Downie


    The Executive Producer is Elissa Ratliff


    Subscribe to Investigates here: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/investigates/id1344649849


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    17 mins
  • Why do some people see ghosts?
    Mar 18 2020

    Why do some people see ghosts? And are they actually real?


    Most of us love a good ghost story. Popular culture is rife with spooky tales of apparitions, poltergeists and unexplained noises in the night. While some ghosts are said to be benign, others can be malicious or even downright evil – if you believe that kind of stuff.


    And there are plenty who do.


    Today, we’re talking to Karina Machado, host of the Ghost Files podcast and author of the books Spirit Sisters and Love Never Dies. On her podcast Karina hears stories from everyday Australians about their encounters. Everyone one of them is absolutely convinced they saw or heard something paranormal.


    But just because they can’t explain what it is, does it necessarily mean it’s a ghost? Let’s unravel the mystery…


    If you or someone you know needs support, help is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14.


    Your host is Stephen Downie


    The Executive Producer is Elissa Ratliff


    Subscribe to Investigates here: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/investigates/id1344649849


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    32 mins
  • Missing William Tyrrell: How can a little boy vanish?
    Mar 11 2020

    In the tiny mid-north coastal town of Kendall, in NSW, Australia, a little boy in a Spiderman suit was running around his grandmother’s backyard on Benaroon Drive His name, of course, was William Tyrrell.


    It was September 12, 2014 – and at around 10.30am – three-year-old William was playing hide-and-seek with his older sister.


    William was a cheeky, playful little boy and one of his favourite games was pretending to be a tiger.


    As his mum and grandma went inside for a cup of tea, William let out one final roar, ran around the side of the house, then nothing.


    “It had become quiet,” his foster mum would later say. “Too quiet.”


    When William’s mother came outside only moments later, she expected to see her two young children playfully running about the backyard, but there was no sign of William.


    She called out his name again and again. But there was only silence. By all accounts, he’d simply vanished off the face of the earth.


    The police were called, and by 11.30am, there was an official search party combing the nearby woods for the little boy in the Spiderman outfit.


    This was six long years ago – and William, who would now be eight years old, still hasn’t been found. No trace of him – not a single hair follicle or piece of clothing - has ever been found.


    Award-winning journalist and author Caroline Overington, like many of us, is fascinated and heartbroken by the story of William Tyrrell.


    In her book, Missing William Tyrrell, Caroline delves into the mystery and explains why Australia won’t give up until we have answers.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    42 mins
  • Who was Sydney's first serial killer?
    Feb 26 2020

    In December 1932, as the Depression tightened its grip, the body of a woman was found in Queens Park, Sydney. It was a popular park. There were houses in plain view. Yet this woman had been violently murdered without anyone noticing. Other equally brutal and shocking murders of women in public places were to follow. Australia's first serial killer was at large. Author Tanya Bretherton joins April to discuss this case.


    You can find Tanya's book The Killing Streets at any good bookstore now.


    If you or someone you know needs support, help is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14.


    Your host is April Glover


    Your audio editor is Melanie De Gioia


    The Executive Producer is Elissa Ratliff


    Subscribe to Investigates here: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/investigates/id1344649849


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    35 mins