Daniel Morcombe, a 13-year-old boy with bright blue eyes and dark brown hair, stands at a bus stop beneath an overpass. Today, he is wearing a bright red t-shirt. 

It’s Sunday, the 7th of December 2003, at 2:10pm. He’s waiting for a bus to take him to the Sunshine Plaza Shopping Centre so he can get a haircut and buy some Christmas presents. At home, are his parents, Denise and Bruce Morcombe, his identical twin brother Bradley, and his older brother, Dean. 

A bus passes but doesn’t stop. On it, is a 13-year-old girl who notices the boy on the side of the road. There’s a gaunt man standing behind him. Another girl on the bus, who is 17 years old, also notices the pair. She will remember the man with him as having long hair, a goatee and sunglasses, with a sports bag by his side. 

The bus driver motions to the boy that there is another bus coming. 

But by the time the bus gets there, the boy in the red shirt is gone. 

In the years afterwards, police would identify and befriend the paedophile they believed targeted Daniel that day. It would become one of the most remarkable police stings in Australian history, providing chilling insight into one of our country’s most evil killers. 

CREDITS

Host: Jessie Stephens

Guest: Kate Kyriaku, author of The Sting

Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: Ian Camilleri & Rhiannon Mooney

CONTACT US

Tell us what you think of the show via email at [email protected]  

Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group 

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Just by reading or listening to our content, you’re helping to fund girls in schools in some of the most disadvantaged countries in the world - through our partnership with Room to Read. We’re currently funding 300 girls in school every day and our aim is to get to 1,000. Find out more about Mamamia at mamamia.com.au 

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.