Felon True Crime

On June 21st, 2005, the body of Kristy Scholes was discovered in the bedroom of her grandparents’ home in West Dubbo, New South Wales. She was twenty-four years old, living with her partner and young daughter. Police quickly determined that she had been strangled, and the circumstances of her death were immediately alarming. The home showed no signs of forced entry, and nothing appeared to have been stolen, suggesting that the perpetrator had a familiarity with the house or its occupants. Kristy’s partner had been absent at the time, leaving questions about who could have accessed the property and how the crime had been committed without interruption. The shock of the discovery rippled through the Dubbo community. Neighbours and friends struggled to reconcile the violence of the act with the normalcy of suburban life. For investigators, the case presented immediate challenges. They needed to consider not just potential intruders or opportunistic offenders, but also those who had pre-existing connections to the family. Given the nature of the crime, attention quickly turned to individuals known to the household—family members, close friends, or acquaintances—anyone with the means and opportunity to commit such an act. The investigation required careful examination of relationships, movements, and behavioural patterns. Earlier that year, on January 4th, 2005, another member of the extended family, Lateesha Nolan, had disappeared under circumstances that were, at the time, equally confounding. Lateesha was also twenty-four and a mother of four children. She had been last seen leaving her home in Dubbo to run errands, and when she did not return, immediate concern arose among her family. Within hours, relatives began contacting authorities, describing her sudden absence and the unusual nature of her disappearance. As the investigation unfolded, the community watched closely. Rumours circulated, sightings were reported and discounted, and the tension in Dubbo grew. Two women, both young, both connected to the same family network, were either missing or dead. The reasons for their suffering were unknown, and the question of who could have committed such acts—and why—loomed over every lead, every interview, and every search. It was the beginning of an investigation that would stretch for years, involve multiple law enforcement agencies, and eventually expose the extraordinary lengths one man would go to evade capture.

The 13th of June 2016, a quiet disappearance would soon ripple into a national tragedy. At first, there was nothing to suggest anything sinister. It was just another ordinary Monday. The sky over Perth’s southern suburbs was its usual soft grey. School children made their way to class. Cars trickled through the streets of suburban Wellard. And a young man named Aaron Pajich-Sweetman went about his day. But Aaron would not return home. What followed would pull back the curtain on something deeply disturbing. A world hidden just beneath the surface—lurking behind suburban fences and ordinary smiles. A fantasy brought to life with chilling precision. A betrayal by those meant to be friends. And a house hiding secrets no one could have imagined.

A crime so brutal, so deeply out of place with the town’s quiet character, would unfold—forever altering the way locals looked at their community, and how outsiders viewed the Darling Downs. The town that had once prided itself on its safety and simplicity found itself at the centre of one of Queensland’s most chilling and confounding murder investigations. In the space of a few days, Pittsworth would go from pastoral calm to the front page of newspapers across the state.

In the still hours before dawn, on a quiet suburban street in Cairns, a young woman was found slumped on a bus stop bench—unconscious, bleeding, and barely alive. Her injuries were brutal. Her attacker had vanished without a trace. No witnesses. No weapon. Just one chilling clue: a brief, anonymous phone call made from a nearby pay phone... and then silence.

April 28th, 1996. A day of horror, of unspeakable violence, and of tragedy that reshaped a nation. But the story of Port Arthur’s darkest day did not begin with the first shot. It began decades earlier, in the mind of a man whose life would spiral into infamy.

It began with a routine call to a 24-hour electrician. An apartment had lost power. The tenant said there was an issue with the oven. When the electrician arrived, he noticed a strong, unpleasant smell coming from the unit — a smell that was impossible to ignore. It was the first clear sign that something inside was very wrong. What started as a simple maintenance call quickly became the catalyst for a police investigation — and the discovery of a crime that would shock the community.

April 11, 2022. The Sydney Royal Easter Show was alive with colour and energy, pulsing with the sound of laughter, music, and the buzz of excited conversation. The evening air was thick with the smell of hot chips, donuts, and sizzling meats drifting from food stalls. Fluorescent lights from carnival rides flickered against the dusk sky, casting streaks of pink, blue, and yellow over the crowds that moved steadily through the showgrounds like a tide. Families meandered through the showbag pavilions, arms heavy with glossy plastic bags filled with treats and toys, while wide-eyed children tugged at their parents' sleeves, begging to visit one more attraction before bedtime. No one could have imagined that within that crowd—beneath the flickering lights and beside the laughter—something unimaginably dark was about to unfold.

 7:00 AM, November 18, 1994. The first light of dawn stretched across the horizon, bathing Collaroy Plateau, a northern suburb of Sydney, in a soft golden glow. A crisp breeze carried the scent of the ocean up from the cliffs, rustling the leaves of towering gum trees that lined the quiet suburban streets. The houses, their windows still dark, stood in neat rows, their driveways empty save for the occasional parked car. Birds stirred in the treetops, their morning calls breaking the hush that settled over the neighborhood. A lone jogger padded along the footpath, their breaths rhythmic, their mind lost in the familiar routine of their early run. The sound of their sneakers tapping against the pavement was the only disturbance in an otherwise undisturbed street. The jogger spotted a taxi, sitting idle by the roadside. At first, it seemed unremarkable—just another vehicle left overnight. But as the jogger approached, something felt wrong. The car’s engine was silent, yet it hadn't been abandoned. A man, who appeared to be the driver, sat slumped in the front seat, unmoving. 

In December of 2012, Michelle Reynolds and her friend Wayne Jones would find themselves in the sunny city of Coffs Harbour. Michelle and Wayne like many others who visit the city, were on a holiday to enjoy some downtime. But in a motel on the south side of town, their beachside getaway would soon turn in to a gruesome tragedy.

On the 13th June, 2014, just after 5am. Scott Collingwood on a morning walk, not far from his home, made a disturbing discovery. At the base of an external set of stairs to a second floor apartment, lying on the ground was 25 year old, Michael Phillip Martin. Michael was bound at the hands and feet and blindfolded with gaffer tape, struggling to move and calling out for help.  Scott quickly approached him and removed the tape.  No longer bound there came an emotional plea from Michael... 'my Dad’s up there!  they got my dad! I think he’s dead' 

On the 8th of September, 2013, at approximately 2.30am, Jean Redmond stirred from her sleep to the sound of shuffling coming from the room of her flat mate. As she listened closely, she could hear faint scratching, similar to the scratching of chalk on a board. This scratching was soon followed by a thump, then a mumbling which became what sounded like snoring except it was different from the usual sound of snoring that she was used to hearing. It seemed louder. Jean had previous woken up when her flatmate Morgan Huxley had entered his room around an hour earlier. She had assumed he had gone to sleep and she tried to do the same. But now this strange series of noises had stirred her. After around 5 minutes the irregular snoring had not stopped.  Jean got out of bed and made her way to the nearby room to investigate. The scene waiting for her only metres from where she had been sleeping would be horrific.

Dearne Louise Nonnenmacher was born on the 4th January 1972. In 1990 she was eighteen and living with her family and working as trainee chef at the Robin Hood Hotel. She had shared with family her dreams for the future and looked forward to the day she could work as a chef on a cruise liner. On Christmas day of 1990, like many families, the Nonnenmacher family gathered together to celebrate with a Christmas lunch. Little did her family know that this would be the last time they would see their beloved Dearne. By boxing day, Dearne's family had not heard from her and made repeated attempts to reach out. Feeling uneasy about her sudden disappearance and lack of contact they soon reported her missing at the Orange Police Station. ..

The Nowra Bodies in the Barrels On the 29th of January 2006, Peter Dalton and his wife were cycling along a track through the Tomerong State Forest, not far from the township of Nowra. During their ride they had noticed burning smell that grew stronger and stronger. As they drew nearer to a clearing in the forest they could see the source of the smoke. The flames had died down but two barrels were smoldering and black smoke rose from within them.  Sponsor: shipstation .com Promo code: FTC

Located south 2 hours south west of the NSW capital of Sydney, is an area of known as the Southern Highlands. If you travel 3 kms west from the Hume Highway that runs through this region you will soon end up in the towering trees of the Belanglo State Forest. The title of the forest ‘Belanglo’, has become synonymous with the callous serial killings of several young backpackers who died at the hands of Ivan Milat. From 1989 to 1993 this tranquil forest would become a dumping ground for Milat. Over a series of searches authorities would discover the remains of 7 individuals who had fallen victim to Milat while hitchhiking through the region. Despite this gruesome history and the negative association with its name, Belanglo forest has still continued to be used as a popular recreational destination for trail bike riders, 4 wheel drive enthusiasts, and campers. But despite locals and tourists alike trying to shake the memory of Milat, In 2010 a disturbing event would bring the names Belanglo and Milat to the media spotlight once again. Sponsor: ShipStation  https://www.shipstation.com/  Codeword: FTC Podcast Suggestion: Human/Ordinary http://humanordinary.com/

Frank Vitkovic (Part 2) On the 8th of December 1987, Frank Vitkovic, armed with high powered, sawn off rifle, shot indiscriminately at unsuspecting office workers as he moved through the Australia Post Building at 191 Queen Street in the Melbourne CBD. 8 lives were cut down at the hands of Vitkovic in a brutal attack that lasted 17 minutes. During Vitkovic's frenzied attack Police gathered in the street below. They had received an alert from the building when a worker inside had triggered the bank alarm. Initially assuming they were dealing with an armed robbery they swooped on the scene. But as a shots echoed from the floors above they soon realized that were not dealing with a robbery. Podcast Recommendation: True Crime Enthusiast https://audioboom.com/channel/the-true-crime-enthusiast-podcast https://truecrimeenthusiast.wordpress.com/ Sponsor: Hayu Head to hayu.com or download the app today to start your 30-day free trial. Thanks to Ben and Doug for lending their voices.

While you wait for Part 2 of Frank Vitkovic.... I was honoured to guest host an episode of In Sight Podcast. If you haven't had a chance to listen via In Sight's stream, here is it.  For those unfamiliar with In Sight, I highly recommend checking it out. On January 29 2009, Arthur Freeman was driving his three children across the West Gate Bridge in Melbourne. It would be his 4-year-old daughter, Darcey’s first day of school. Unfortunately she would never make it. For reasons no one would ever be able to explain, Freeman calmly exits his vehicle with Darcey in his arms and tosses her off the bridge. Freeman goes back to his car with his other two children inside and drives away. It would not be long before Freeman is apprehended, arrested and charged with the little girl’s murder. What would cause a loving, doting father to murder his own daughter?  www.patreon.com/insightpod Facebook/insightpod Twitter @insightfulpod Instagram @insightpod insightfulpod@gmail.com insightpod.com Music by Scott Buckley

The 8th of December, 1987. In the Vitkovic family home in West Preston, Frank Vitkovic wrote in his diary, packed a large bag with some items and with this bag in hand boarded the number 4 tram towards the city. The events that would soon unfold would shut down the city of Melbourne and shock the nation. Podcast Suggestion: Canadian True Crime  https://canadiantruecrime.ca/

Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory is a popular holiday destination for both Australian Residents and international visitors alike. Also known as Australia's Tropical capital, its warm weather, night clubs, beach markets and laid back life style are among the many reasons why people choose to live in or visit Darwin. But behind this carefree façade hides another face of Darwin that is much more sinister. Per capita Darwin has the highest crime rate of any Australian city. In 2004, It would be the backdrop to an horrific crime that would be etched in to Darwin's history for many years to come. Vote for Felon in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards https://australianpodcastawards.submittable.com/gallery/2829f195-1021-4d7c-853f-f0ce775f4fa4/9795253 Felon Social Media facebook.com/felontruecrime Instagram @felontruecrime Twitter @felontruecrime