DiscoverCrimes NZ
Claim Ownership
55 Episodes
Reverse
Teina Pora was wrongly imprisoned for 20 years for the rape and murder of Susan Burdett, brutally attacked in her Papatoetoe home in March 1992. Investigative journalist Eugene Bingham joins Jesse to us through the case.On Monday 23 March, 1992, Susan Burdett was raped and beaten to death with a softball bat.What followed would become one of this country's most prominent miscarriages of justice.Teina Pora was convicted of Burdett's rape and murder in 1994, found guilty again at a retrial in 2000, but eventually the convictions were quashed by the Privy Council in 2004.In 2020, prolific rapist Malcolm Rewa was found guilty of the crime.Investigative Journalist Eugene Bingham spent four years investigating the case and describes how a man spent more than 20-years of his life in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Deane Fuller-Sandys went missing on 21 August, 1989 after setting off to go fishing at the rough West Auckland beach Whatipu and for nearly a decade he was presumed drowned.Deane Fuller-Sandys went missing on 21 August,1989 after setting off to go fishing at the rough West Auckland beach Whatipu and for nearly a decade he was presumed drowned.In February 1997, police began investigating tips which led them to charge Auckland woman Gail Maney with ordering a "hit" on Fuller-Sandys.Maney has always denied any role in the murder and in the 2018 RNZ-Stuff podcast Gone Fishing, she said she had never even met Fuller-Sandys.Former police officer turned private detective Tim McKinnel believes Gail Maney is the victim of a miscarriage of justice. He talks about the campaign to uncover the evidence to have her exonerated. He believes her appeal could be bigger than Teina Pora's.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
David Dougherty was convicted for the rape and abduction of an 11 year old girl in 1993. But he wasn't guilty of the crime. Donna Chisholm was the journalist at the centre of the campaign to free him and have him compensated.In 1993, David Dougherty was convicted of abducting and raping an 11-year-old girl in Auckland.He spent more than three years in prison before being acquitted at a retrial in 1997, following fresh DNA evidence.Journalist Donna Chisholm supported him through his retrial and during his long fight for compensation.Dougherty died of pancreatic cancer in 2017 and Chisholm told RNZ's Saturday Morning the trauma of the conviction fueled Mr Dougherty's alcoholism, which is linked to pancreatic cancer."He was damaged for the rest of his life by it, and he couldn't get through it."Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Investigative journalist and presenter David Lomas began covering the Mr Asia drug ring case when he was a crime reporter at the Dominion newspaper in Wellington in 1978. He has followed the story ever since.The Mr Asia drug ring imported large quantities of drugs into New Zealand and Australia through the 70s.The drug ring, one of the largest New Zealand has ever seen, was led by Marty Johnstone, the original Mr Asia, and grew from marijuana imports to a massive heroin operation.Johnstone was killed on the orders of drug lord Terry Clark, divers found his mutilated body in a flooded quarry in England.David Lomas, investigative journalist, has followed the story since the late 70s.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Olivia Hope and Ben Smart disappeared in the Marlborough Sounds in the early hours of New Year's Day in 1998. Investigative journalist and author, Mike White, has covered this case through all its twists and turns over two decades.Ben Smart and Olivia Hope were last seen about 4am on January 1 1998 when they were dropped off to a yacht by a water taxi.Ben and Olivia were planning to sleep on the chartered yacht Tamarack but found all the berths were full.Three other passengers were travelling on the water-taxi, one was a single man who offered the pair a place to sleep on his yacht.Ben and Olivia head off with the man, to his yacht - this is the last time they are seen alive.Five months later, on the 15th of June, 1998, Scott Watson was arrested and charged with their murder.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
The case that brought the word "bondage" to dinner tables around the nation. Renee Chignall was a teenage dominatrix who was tried three times for the murder of Peter Plumley-Walker in January 1989.Peter Plumley-Walker died during a bondage session at the Remuera home of Renee Chignall and Neville Walker in January, 1989.The couple dumped his body over the Huka Falls.Renee Chignall was a teenage dominatrix who, along with her partner Neville Walker, was tried three times for the murder of Peter Plumley-Walker.Renee Chignall's lawyer, Stuart Grieve, discusses the case.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
It's one of the most famous unsolved mysteries in New Zealand history. In 1984, a bomb went off on the Trades Hall in Wellington killing caretaker Ernie Abbott. Former Secretary Graeme Clark remembers that day and the confusion that followed.On the 27th of March, 1984 at the Trades Hall in Wellington, caretaker Ernie Abbott bent over to pick up a suitcase left behind earlier in the day. It contained the equivalent of three sticks of gelignite in explosive power, which were set off by an unusual switch device inside.The 64 year-old was killed instantly.Mr Abbott was the sole victim of the attack and despite numerous investigations, police have always struggled to identify a motive for the bombing.They've also never laid charges for the bombing, but they believe they know who committed the crime.In 2017, they received new information and began collecting DNA samples from suspects. Back in 1984 there were 500 persons of interest. Detective senior sergeant Warwick McKee told RNZ's Morning Report that they were determined to resolve the investigation for Ernie Abbott and his family."We're pretty certain it wasn't aimed at Ernie Abbott, he was unfortunately the person that picked up the suitcase at the end of the day, being the caretaker. We believe it was targeted towards Trades Hall staff and employees."Secretary of the Wellington Trades Council, Graeme Clark remembers that day and the confusion that followed.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
In October 2016, a group of women gathered in West Auckland for a pamper party. It ended with the death of Carly Stewart. Defence lawyer, Marie Dyhrberg QC was involved in the case.In October 2016, a group of women gathered in West Auckland for what was supposed to be a fun social event - a chance to do their nails, catch up with friends, and have a few drinks.But the party took a bizarre and violent turn, when Anna Browne stabbed mother-of-two Carly Stewart to death. The case became known as the 'pamper party' stabbing.In the High Court in Auckland, Browne was found guilty of murder in 2017 and sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum non-parole period of 12 years.Browne stabbed Ms Stewart once in the head with a large kitchen knife, inflicting an 11 centimetre stab wound.She died after losing massive amounts of blood.Defence lawyer, Marie Dyhrberg QC, represented Browne.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
15-year-old Canterbury teenager, Kirsty Bentley from Ashburton went missing after taking her dog for a walk on New Year's Eve in 1998 - her body was found just over two weeks later. Stuff journalists Blair Ensor and Martin van Beynen recently completed an investigative piece on the unsolved case.It's one of the most high-profile cold cases in New Zealand's history - the murder of Canterbury teenager, Kirsty Bentley.The 15-year-old from Ashburton went missing after taking her dog for a walk on New Year's Eve in 1998, and her body was found in bushes near the Rakaia Gorge just over two weeks later.The case has never been solved.Eighteen years after her body was discovered, the coroner ruled the death of Kirsty Bentley was not accidental.Her older brother, John, the last person to see her alive, told police she left the house late in the afternoon to take the family dog for a walk.Two weeks later, on the day before her 16th birthday, Kirsty's partially buried body was found 60km away near the Rakaia Gorge.Stuff journalist, Blair Ensor and Martin van Beynen wrote an indepth investigative piece on the case.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
In 1989, two Swedish tourists, Sven Urban Höglin and Heidi Paakkonen, went missing in the Coromandel. Mr Höglin's body was discovered by pig hunters in 1991, but Ms Paakkonen has not been seen since.David Tamihere spent 21 years in prison for the 1989 murders of Sven Urban Höglin and Heidi Paakkonen.The Swedish tourists and had gone tramping in bush near Thames in April. They were reported missing in May.David Tamihere was convicted of their murders in 1990, he was granted parole late in 2010.Convicted double murderer Roberto Conchie Harris claimed Tamihere told him he had sexually molested Ms Paakkonen and Mr Höglin, killed them and dumped their bodies at sea. Mr Höglin's body was found in a shallow grave in 1991, but Ms Paakkonen has never been found.In 2017, Harris was found guilty of lying to the court and in 2020 Tamihere's conviction was referred back to the Court of Appeal.Investigative reporter Donna Chisholm has covered the story for years with all its twists and turns.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Canterbury plant scientist David Lloyd fell severely ill in suspicious circumstances in 1992. The ensuing investigation became known as the 'poisoned professor case'.When Canterbury scientist David Lloyd fell ill in 1992, suspicious immediately fell on his former lover.Dr Vicky Calder was arrested in 1994 and stood trial twice for attempted murder, or alternatively poisoning with intent. Lady Deborah Chambers QC presented The Trial - Crown vs CalderDr Calder was accused of poisoning Mr Lloyd with a chemical neurotoxin known as acrylamide.He was in a coma for months and was left blind with severe nerve damage.The first trial ended in a hung jury, the second jury found Dr Calder not guilty. Lady Deborah Chambers QC, who presented a documentary called The Trial - Crown vs Calder, in 1997.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
On a Sunday afternoon in Christchurch in 1996, scrap metal dealer John Reynolds failed to return home for lunch. Later that evening, his brother found the 55-year-old lying in a pool of blood at the scrap yard.Fifty-five year old John Reynolds was discovered lying in a pool of blood at this scrap metal yard in 1996.He had been hit repeatedly around the head with a blunt instrument.More than two decades on, Mr Reynolds' killer has never been found but the case is still very much alive. Blair Ensor and Martin Van Beynen investigated the murder for the three-part Stuff podcast, Heavy Metal.They were told there were no signs of a struggle, suggesting Reynolds was hit from behind and incapacitated and if robbery was the motive, the killer missed $2200 in the top pocket of his work shirt.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Six-year old Teresa Cormack went missing in 1987. Her body was found 10 days later. For 15 years her murder remained unsolved, until investigators got the breakthrough of the century. In 1987, on the 19th of June, the body of Teresa Cormack was found half buried under a tree on Whirinaki Beach, in Hawke's Bay.It took 15 years for find her killer.She left for school, but never arrived in class.Former detective Keith Price worked the case in those early days and interviewed Jules Mikus after DNA technology pointed to him being the killer.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
In 2002, an armed stranger snatched Baby Kahu from her stroller and held her for ransom for nine long days.Wellington lawyer Donna Hall was walking her dog with two nieces and eight-month-old baby Kahu, when a stranger brandishing a gun grabbed the baby and drove off.The next day the family was sent a ransom note demanding $3 million dollars.For nine terrifying days the family had no idea where Baby Kahu was or if she was safe. NZ Herald senior crime and justice reporter, Anna Leask, who also hosts a podcast series A Moment In Crime, recalls the case.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
The 1985 bombing of the Rainbow Warrior is described as the first act of terrorism against New Zealand. An assault which claimed the life of Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira.On 10 July 1985 the Greenpeace ship, the Rainbow Warrior, was sunk at an Auckland wharf.Two French agents planted two explosives on the ship while it was berthed at Marsden wharf, the second explosion killed Greenpeace photographer, Fernando Pereira.Author and academic, David Robie, spent weeks on the ship shortly before it was attacked, and wrote about his experience in Eyes of Fire.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
The details of the 1977 murder of Betty Benning were so bizarre, movie producer Philly De Lacey turned it into a black comedy.In 1977 on a quiet Karori street, Alf Benning brutally murdered his wife Betty.Her body parts were discovered buried beneath a freshly planted apple tree in the backyard. Alf had copies of books borrowed from the local library about getting away with murder.The killing is the subject of the black comedy film How to Murder Your Wife which was released in 2015 and produced by Philly de Lacey, chief executive of Screentime.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Coral-Ellen Burrows was reported missing on September 9th, 2003. She was six years old. Former detective John Gualter worked on the case, known as Operation Reef.On September 9 2003, six-year-old Featherston girl Coral Ellen Burrows was reported missing. Police were alerted when her mother went to pick her up from school, and found out that she hadn't attended class that day.Ten days later, Coral's stepfather Stephen Williams was arrested and charged with her murder. Former detective sergeant John Gualter worked the case known as Operation Reef.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
In 2002, Mark Lundy was found guilty of killing his wife Christine and 7-year old daughter Amber, but investigative journalist Mike White has some questions about the prosecution's case.Christine Lundy and her seven-year old daughter Amber were brutally killed in their own home in August, 2000.Two years later, Mark Lundy, Christine's husband and Amber's father, was convicted of their murders.Mark Lundy was in Wellington on a business trip, but became concerned when he could not get hold of his wife. He asked his brother-in-law to check on his family.When Mr Weggery stepped into the Lundys' home he found a horrific scene. His niece lay dead in the doorway of her parents' bedroom. Christine Lundy's body lay on her bed in a room spattered with blood.Both had been brutally bludgeoned to deathIt would be five months before the police made an arrest. The public were stunned when they learned it was the deceased's husband and father, Mark Lundy, who was charged.The motive suggested for the killings was the family's dire financial situation.Mike White began investigating Mark Lundy's case in 2007 because the evidence did not seem to add up. Thirteen years later, twenty years after the deaths of Christine and Amber, he published an article in North and South titled: Anatomy of a Scandal, 20 years of lies, cover ups, incompetence and shonky science.Mark Lundy is still battling to clear his name.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
The disappearance of Jane Furlong is a mystery that has gripped the nation for nearly thirty years.In 1993, 17-year-old Jane Furlong disappeared from Auckland's Karangahape Road.Nineteen years later her remains were found on a beach at Port Waikato. Her killer has never been brought to justice.Stuff journalist Kelly Dennett wrote The Short Life and Mysterious Death of Jane Furlong, a book which won a Ngiao Marsh award for Best Non-Fiction and outlines everything we know about the case.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Philip Nisbet was found dead in his Christchurch home on May 4, 2009.
Four years later his wife was found guilty of murder.In 2013, Helen Milner was found guilty of drugging her husband in order to get the life insurance payout.Four years earlier, she had convinced police her husband killed himself.But Lee-Anne Cartier, the victim's sister, felt something was off and began her own investigation.NZ Herald reporter Kurt Bayer followed the case through the courts - it was dubbed The Black Widow case.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Top Podcasts
The Best New Comedy Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best News Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best New Business Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best New Sports Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best New True Crime Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best New Joe Rogan Experience Podcast Right Now – June 20The Best New Dan Bongino Show Podcast Right Now – June 20The Best New Mark Levin Podcast – June 2024
United States
no discussion on the second smoking gun - the flecks of paint from.the tools in the locked shed?