Crime Insiders

What secrets do documents hide—and how are they uncovered?   From forged wills to counterfeit passports, the world of document examination is a high-stakes game of detection and deception.  No one knows this better than Justin Watt, a forensic document examiner with the Department of Home Affairs.   In this episode of Crime Insiders | Forensics, hosted by Kathy Fox,...

In 1995, a deliberately lit fire in Sydney left 8 people dead. But how was it lit? How can forensics tell, and what information do they need to build a case for conviction?  Professor Peter Ellis is a veteran of forensics in Australia and has worked across a number of high profile criminal investigations. He's also worked overseas, in mass grave sites in Kosovo and mass disasters like the 2004 Box...

Graeme Simpfendorfer was a decorated Victorian police officer. He used good old-fashioned policing to convict an arsonist who deliberately lit a fire in a shopping strip on the NSW/Victoria border.  His hunch proved right. Later, Graeme worked in the prestigious Victorian Police Homicide Squad, where he obtained two departmental commendations for solving difficult, high-profile murders. Graem...

The psychology of this policing is like no other, and requires a particular set of skills. For Anthony Macklin, it suited his attention to detail and unrelenting work ethic. He was dedicated to his work, and to the force. But, when bureaucracy and the decisions of those above him meant an offender slipped through the net - he had to rethink his career.  Anthony Macklin is a former Detective I...

Thousands of people cross Pheasants Nest Bridge on the Hume Highway every day, probably unaware of its haunting past. Beneath this towering structure lies a history shrouded in tragedy—suicide, dismembered remains, mysterious deaths, and dozens of unanswered questions. In 1989, the bridge became the site of a chilling case: the untimely deaths of two 15-year-old boys, Matthew Kelly and Jaymi...

An innocent child was charged with the murder of his classmate - becoming Canada's youngest death row inmate. It wasn't until The Innocence Project became involved that Steven Truscott finally had his conviction overturned almost 5 decades later. Professor Gail Anderson is Canada’s first-ever full-time forensic entomologist and has been working in the field for nearly 35 years. Her work is dedicat...

Dozens of young girls were subjected to years of sexual abuse and trafficking, only to be consistently let down by every institution that was supposed to protect them.  The police response was so poor, Maggie Oliver left her 16-year career with the Greater Manchester Police so she could blow the whistle on the consistent failures of the police.  If you or anyone you know needs help: Life...

When victims share their stories, it's often with the hope that no one else will have to endure what they did. It’s about raising awareness, spotting the red flags, and, ensuring that those in power take your concerns seriously. These themes are also at the heart of every story we share on this podcast. In this episode, we’re drawing on the expertise of law enforcement professiona...

The ripple effects of crime stretch further than we often imagine—touching lives in ways that are raw, profound, and deeply personal. On Crime Insiders , we’re privileged to hear the untold stories of those who face crime's impact head-on.  In this episode, we’ll delve into some of these extraordinary stories.  Crime Insiders is hosted by Brent Sanders and Kathryn Fox....

Why? It’s the question that draws so many of us to true crime. Why would someone kill? What drives a person to stalk? Are some people truly evil? Are good people capable of terrible things? We grapple with these questions, trying to make sense of the unimaginable. Is it their childhood? Their biology? Or something more complex? These aren’t just the questions we ask. Detectives, f...

10 years ago, Sydney came to a standstill. A lone gunman took 18 hostages captive inside the Lindt Café, some of whom escaped, others were trapped for 16 harrowing hours.  The siege ended in the deaths of two innocent people—Tori Johnson, executed by the terrorist, and Katrina Dawson, struck by a ricochet from a police bullet when the Tactical Operations Unit stormed the building...

When the bodies in the barrels were found, Australia was rocked. A murder investigation was underway, and forensics was set to play a huge part. But where to even begin? Professor Roger Byard AO had been working in forensics for just two weeks when he got the call. A set of barrels had been found in a bank vault, and he was needed at the scene. The investigation that followed was taxing on Roger,...

Over a harrowing 69 minutes on September 2013, 12 people were shot dead and many more wounded in what was Washington DC's deadliest mass shooting. Navy contractor Aaron Alexis terrorised thousands of workers at the Washington Navy Yard. Former FBI Agent Timothy Gallagher led the operation at the navy yard, and he describes to host Brent Sanders how hours felt like minutes as he and his colleagues...

A man-hunt that lasted more than 7 years. One of Australia's most wanted men finally caught. But by who? And at what cost? Ricky Hennessy was an integral member of the NSW Police Force for over 22 years. His skill, and level of focus lead to several high-profile convictions all across Australia. One of his most notable, was the capture of fugitive and convicted killer Malcolm Naden; who was on the...

One night, four crime scenes, 32 gunshot wounds, and eight members of the same family slain in their homes. Two years later, a local family of four was arrested for the murders. These are the events now known as the Piketon Massacre, Ohio's most notorious mass murder. Dive into the chilling details of this case with forensic investigator, Joseph Scott Morgan. Known for his insights on high-profile...

CTE is surprisingly common - but, it can only be diagnosed post-mortem, and by a forensic expert. So, how is does an examination work? And why is it so hard to have one done?  Dr Linda Iles is a forensic neuropathologist, and someone who performs post-mortem brain examinations on people every single day. What she discovers in these exams is extraordinary, and revealing of the life that person lead...

A young cop in England realises whilst chasing a suspect with a rifle that his life will never be the same again. It lead to infiltrating football hooligans as a 17-stone skinhead.  Garry Rogers QPM is a former undercover operative who served 30 years with the Greater Manchester Police.  Garry played a key role in one of the UK's most successful undercover policing operations, targeting...

Taskforce Argos was built to catch the worst of the worst - to infiltrate and stop child exploitation material networks.  Its former head, Jon Rouse spent years in the operation, and became entrenched in the world of saving children from abuse and sexual exploitation. Now, he's got some distance from the front-line, but, questions still linger. How does it all affect him? And what is he doing now...

When a human body is discovered in the United States, there is a person who takes on the role of eyes and ears of the dead: the death investigator. There is a whole chain of officials from the police, to forensic pathologists, to families and loved ones that depend on these specialists to unlock stories the dead can no longer tell. No one knows this role like Joseph Scott Morgan.  In this episode,...

What happens when you report a sexual assault? What are the processes and how do they affect the outcome of a case? In this episode, former GP Kathryn Fox speaks to forensic physician Dr Maaike Moller to demystify and debunk the process of reporting a sexual assault. Maaike will walk us through how and when to report an assault, how evidence and DNA is collected from a survivor, and the autonomy o...

How did Anne Hamilton-Byrne control her followers? How did the police eventually catch her? And what happened to the dozens of children that were in the 'care' of The Family.  Lex de Man investigated The Family for more than four years, and helped rescue dozens of children from the abuse of Anne Hamilton-Byrne and her followers.  Join Lex as he walks host Brent Sanders through the case in exclusiv...

When an off-duty officer made a disturbing discovery off a country road in Sheffield, detectives were immediately notified. They rushed to the scene to preserve evidence and begin piecing together clues. For Detective Nigel Donohue though, despite the horrific scene, this case proved much more complex, and more disturbing than what initially appeared.  Former South Yorkshire Detective Inspector Ni...

Does your family have a favourite recipe, a meal that feels like home? For Mario, that was his wife’s famous spaghetti and meatballs. But one evening, what should have been a comforting dish left him feeling... uneasy. And then, it happened again and again. Was it just a bad batch—or something far more sinister? In this episode, meet John Franceschini, a forensic chemist with over 30 years of expe...

The murder of Inge Lotz is one of the most controversial homicide investigations in South Africa's history. A lone fingerprint police claim to have lifted from a DVD case led to the acquittal of the alleged murderer, and resulted in accusations of fabricated evidence. Dr Scott Chadwick is a fingermark detection expert. His research focuses on optimising existing fingermark detection techniques and...

It’s July 7th 2005, and it’s a typically busy morning on London’s underground. It’s like any other day. But then, simultaneously, three trains and a double decker bus explode.  Smoke fills the carriages, and panic and devastation takes over London.  Detective Gary Powell was sitting at his desk when he heard what we now know as the 7/7 terrorist attacks. Gary sits down with host Brent Sanders to t...