In June 1993, Elizabeth Stevens, 18, was murdered on her way home from the bus stop. Her death began a seven-week reign of terror for the people of Frankston. A serial killer was on the loose. No one was safe, not young mother, Debbie Fream, 22, taken on a trip to the shops, nor Natalie Russell, 17, murdered on her way home from school. The serial killer, Paul Denyer was captured and sentenced to life in prison. On appeal, he was granted a 30-year minimum sentence. Fast forward 30 years and Denyer has applied for parole. Award winning crime writer Vikki Petraitis was on patrol with police the night the final murder took place. She wrote the bestselling book, The Frankston Murders which has never been out of print. Vikki has revisited the case in a longform podcast to remind the world why Denyer must never be released. The Frankston Murders Podcast uncovers new material and new victims stalked by Denyer in the lead-up to the killings. Vikki interviews prison guards, police officers, family members, and people caught in the periphery of a serial killer. Credits: Created by Vikki Petraitis Research and writing by Vikki Petraitis Audio production and scoring by Mike Migas (https://mikemigas.com/) Audio production by Anthony Telfer Archive production by Catherine Seccombe/Arcdive (https://www.arcdive.com/) Archival audio supplied by The Footage Company / Nine Network Australia
Casefile Presents: Missing Niamh
It’s been four years since I first learned about the disappearance of Niamh Maye, an 18-year-old who went missing from the small New South Wales town of Batlow back in 2002. I don’t know if it’s because Niamh and I finished high school in the same year, or we shared a similar taste in music, but I felt instinctively drawn to her story. At the time of her disappearance, Niahm was just a young woman, setting out on an adventure with friends and testing the waters of life, like so many 18-year-olds do. But unlike the rest of us, something pulled Niamh under.
As I learned more about Niamh’s story, the revelations that unfolded left me in shock. I spent four years speaking with family, friends, witnesses and members of law enforcement to try and get some answers. The result is Missing Niamh, the latest 12 part series from Casefile Presents. Researched and hosted by me, the series features exclusive interviews with key players, who help us dive into the details of Niamh’s case as we go back to Batlow to try and make sense of what really happened.
The entire 12-part series is available now. Be sure to download and follow Missing Niamh, wherever you get your podcasts.
https://missingniamh.com
9/23/2024 • 4 minutes, 32 seconds
Casefile Presents: Troubled Waters
Troubled Waters is a 10-part ground-breaking podcast exploring the untold story of Louisa Ioannidis' tragic and mysterious death in 2011. Louisa Ioannidis was only 24. Beautiful, courageous, and vulnerable, yet her untimely death barely received a two-line report in a small local newspaper. Her body was discovered by passers-by in a local creek, clad in a pink dressing gown. Despite being a strong swimmer, police quickly determined there were no suspicious circumstances. Yet no one has been able to explain how or why she came to enter the creek.
Louisa’s brother Tass has always doubted the findings and is desperate for answers.
Over a decade after Louisa’s death, Private Investigator Julia Robson embarks on a fresh investigation and explores the full story of Louisa’s short life and the events leading up to her tragic passing. Together with Producer Clare McGrath, they uncover a gripping narrative full of intrigue. From an international kidnapping, a daring escape and a family’s desperate bid to stay together, it all unravels into a downward spiral exacerbated by a toxic relationship, all the while revealing flaws in a family violence support system that desperately needs fixing.
Listen now: https://casefilepresents.com/troubled-waters
6/16/2024 • 3 minutes, 55 seconds
Casefile Presents: The Easey Street Murders
47 years ago, on a warm summer’s night in Melbourne, Susan Bartlett and Suzanne Armstrong were stabbed to death in their home in Easey Street, Collingwood. Suzanne’s 16 month-old son was asleep in his cot at the time.
The double homicide left the community shocked and detectives rattled, as several promising early leads gradually petered out. Eventually, the case went cold.
To this day, the Easey Street murders is still one of Australia’s most confronting cold cases: a frenzied crime shadowed by strange twists of fact and fate. A million-dollar reward for information has failed to lead to an arrest, no one has ever been charged, and critical questions remain unanswered. Did the young women know their killer, or did they die in a brutal, random attack? Why has their murderer never been found?
Journalist Helen Thomas has been investigating Susan and Suzanne’s deaths for more than a decade, initially for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Background Briefing programme and then for her book, Murder On Easey Street. Now Helen has delved into the case again for a brand new, original podcast made for Casefile Presents.
In Casefile Presents: The Easey Street Murders, Helen explores the crime and the investigation that followed. She speaks with the young women’s family and friends, potential witnesses living in Easey Street who were never interviewed by detectives – and the retired police who were first at the crime scene in January, 1977 and remained haunted by it even now.
Want to hear more? Search for ‘Casefile Presents: The Easey Street Murders’ in your podcast app. Or binge the entire series for free, exclusively on the iHeartRadio app.
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-casefile-presents-easey-street-149620564/
2/19/2024 • 4 minutes, 6 seconds
Casefile Presents: The Bakersfield Three
When three friends disappeared or were murdered within a 30-day period in a California town, an investigation began that would ultimately unearth dark secrets and revelations no one was prepared for.
Written and reported by award-winning investigative crime reporter Olivia LaVoice. All 15 episodes of The Bakersfield Three are available to stream right now, wherever you get your podcasts.
Listen here:
Website - https://casefilepresents.com/the-bakersfield-three
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bakersfield-three/id1713527997
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2c1Qap8SSElRakXKUdFprZ
11/7/2023 • 4 minutes, 5 seconds
Casefile Presents - Unfiltered
Follow and subscribe to Unfiltered on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
8/31/2023 • 2 minutes, 5 seconds
Casefile Presents: Dragonfly
Step inside the shadowy world of the 90s music industry with Casefile Presents.
We go behind the velvet ropes to explore the dark side of the Hollywood club scene and the nightlife king and queen pins who ruled it. In this world, secrets trade hands like currency; among the most compelling is who murdered Brett Cantor.
The tragic death of Brett Cantor sent shockwaves throughout the entertainment industry. At just 25, Cantor had built an impressive career as an A&R executive at Chrysalis Music Group and was instrumental in helping discover bands like Rage Against the Machine.
Brett was at the top of his game, dating actress Rose McGowan and signing on as a partner in a popular Hollywood nightclub called Dragonfly. However, on July 30, 1993, his life in the fast lane took a tragic turn, and the music executive was murdered in his West Hollywood apartment. Today, nearly 30 years later, the case remains unsolved.
Join us as we reveal the findings of our 3-year cold case investigation of Brett’s final days, murder, and haunting aftermath documented by his family and friends. This is one rock 'n' roll true crime story you will never forget.
7/19/2023 • 4 minutes, 49 seconds
Casefile Presents: Crime Interrupted (Season 2)
We are thrilled to announce that Casefile Presents: Crime Interrupted is returning for a second season. The first series of Crime Interrupted, researched and written by Vikki Petraitis, delved into some of the biggest cases investigated by the Australian Federal Police, Australia’s national law enforcement agency.
Season 2 picks up where season 1 left off, featuring in-depth interviews with the officers who solved some of the AFP’s most challenging cases. Once again, we’ve been given exclusive access to their case vault, so you can learn more about fighting crime in Australia at a national level.
The first episode of season 2, Operation Kastelholm, takes listeners behind the scenes as officers work to thwart an attack on one of the country’s biggest cities. In 2016, four young men were planning to detonate an explosive device at Federation Square, in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD. They had chosen a time when the popular city venue would be at its busiest - at Christmas. When the Joint Counter Terrorism Team learnt of the impending terrorist attack, they had just days to stop it.
Operation Kastelholm is out now and is available wherever you get your podcasts. All remaining episodes of Crime Interrupted: Season Two will be released on a monthly schedule. Be sure to hit subscribe so you don’t miss each new episode. And if you haven’t already heard season one, you can go back and listen now.
4/13/2023 • 1 minute, 34 seconds
11: Episode 11: The ever after
When Denyer’s reign of terror was over, he left devastation in his wake. Family and friends struggle to make sense of the crimes. Debbie Fream’s son, now nearly 30 speaks of his loss. With the parole bid looming, we all need to be warned.
3/29/2023 • 58 minutes, 36 seconds
10: Episode 10: We need to talk about Denyer
So who is Paul Denyer? He was a boy with some strange and concerning habits which people noticed. As a 21-year-old in prison, he had to navigate a whole new world. We meet the people who met him in prison.
3/29/2023 • 1 hour, 6 minutes, 59 seconds
9: Episode 9: The sentence that didn’t last
As Natalie’s family holds her funeral, the police prepare the case against Denyer. He pleads guilty and the judge gives him a life sentence. He appeals and is granted a 30-year non-parole period. Widespread community outrage follows.
3/29/2023 • 42 minutes, 13 seconds
8: Episode 8: The confession
Denyer’s confession is like nothing the police have seen before. He is cocky and boastful and details his crimes with a note of pride in his voice. However, he is cagey about some aspects. He talks to the detectives like they are all friends.
3/29/2023 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 33 seconds
7: Episode 7: The net closes in
While Natalie’s loved ones spend the night wondering if the body found could be her, police frantically hunt the killer, fearing he’ll strike again. When two cops report checking a car near the murder scene, his name comes up on the computer.
3/29/2023 • 45 minutes, 8 seconds
6: Episode 6: Natalie, the final victim
Natalie Russell was on her way home from school at 2.30 in the afternoon when she was targeted by the serial killer. He had grown cocky and left evidence at the scene that would link him to the murders.
3/29/2023 • 59 minutes, 45 seconds
5: Episode 5: The investigation
A frantic hunt for Debbie is shadowed by images of her partner Garry and their tiny baby. He begs for Debbie to come home on the nightly news. Four days later, a farmer discovers her body. The public panics and fears of a serial killer grow.
3/29/2023 • 43 minutes, 30 seconds
4: Episode 4: A young mother vanishes
Debbie Fream’s new baby was just 12 days old when she invited a friend over for dinner to show him the baby. In the middle of cooking, she ran out of milk and left the friend with the baby while she went to the local store. She never returned.
3/29/2023 • 57 minutes, 35 seconds
3: Episode 3: Attempted abduction
After work Thursday 8 July, Roszsa Toth caught the train home to Seaford. Walking in the dark past the Seaford Reserve, Roszsa saw a man watching her. He suddenly lunged and grabbed her. She fought her way from him and was picked up by a passing car.
3/29/2023 • 54 minutes, 23 seconds
2: Episode 2: Stalking turns to murder
When Elizabeth Stevens left Tasmania, seeking a career in the army, she stayed with relatives, finally settling in Langwarrin to finish her studies. On a cold Friday night in June, her worried aunt and uncle wait for her, but she doesn’t come home.
3/29/2023 • 55 minutes, 28 seconds
1: Episode 1: In the lead up
The signs were there but no one recognised them as a serial killer in the making. Stalking, ‘accidentally’ ramming women and children with shopping trolleys, pets at the local kindergarten killed and left for the children to find.