Set against the backdrop of the 1930’s Great Depression, the grey Melbourne streets were stalked by a serial killer the press dubbed The Schoolgirl Strangler. This predator, a few beers down each attack, blended in amongst the everyday downtrodden bloke walking the streets during this time. And that made him all the more dangerous…

Join Shaun and Chloe as they discuss the shocking murder of 4 young girls in Melbourne in the early to mid 1930’s, and the investigation that caught the man responsible.

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This episode was produced by True Blue Media using the open source materials referenced below: 

1. Archived contemporaneous articles obtained from newspapers.com from The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age 
2. Archived contemporaneous articles from The Argus newspaper
3. The Giant Book of Crimes That Shocked Australia by Alan Sharpe
4. http://inverlochhistory.com/books/murder-in-inverloch-the-sodeman-murders/
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Sodeman  
6. https://murderpedia.org/male.S/s/sodeman-arnold.htm
7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyO39czTqb8
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Depression_in_Australia
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phar_Lap

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Friday 23rd November 1978, Murwillimbah, NSW

Inside the branch of the Bank of NSW, the crew of thieves worked quickly and quietly.

They bypassed the combination lock of the vault and made their way inside. Shrouded in darkness, one of the bandits drilled into the safe, just above the lock, to expose the tumblers. From here, he could manipulate them and gain access.

Another thief cut a hole into the second floor of the building as backup escape plan. But they wouldn’t need it.

Stuffing the paper notes into cardboard boxes, the gang split, jamming the vault door in their wake, over 1.7 million dollars richer than when they entered.

Join Shaun and Chloe as they discuss the infamous Magnetic Drill Gang.

Join our Patreon community for access to exclusive content:

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Website - www.truebluecrimepodcast.com - includes our merch store

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This episode was produced by True Blue Media using the open source materials referenced below: 

RESOURCES

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murwillumbah
2. https://alyshaaitken.wordpress.com/2013/07/05/one-of-australias-biggest-bank-robberies-never-solved%E2%80%8F/
3. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110974684
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm7JxJhOgYM
5. https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/australias-most-notorious-robberies-the-day-qantas-was-hoxed-out-of-500k/news-story/a24cedd101775118e64429ae039a2eab
6. https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/graham-kinniburgh--the-quiet-underworld-achiever-20151104-gkqx4e.html
7. https://www.northernstar.com.au/news/mbah-bank-17m-raid-mystery-lives-on/3274687/
8. http://australiancrimes.com/crimes/magneticdrillgang.html
9. https://www.tweeddailynews.com.au/news/police-to-revisit-17m-legendary-bank-heist/2085524/
10. http://supporter.acast.com/true-blue-crime.
    
    

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Join Shaun and Chloe to discuss the tragic case of 6 year old Kiesha Weippeart, which happened around the Mount Druitt region of Sydney NSW in July of 2010.

There’s many aspects to this case which prompted a lot of discussion at the time, not only about those involved and the broader socio economic aspects, but the possible systemic failures of our community services.

Support the show on:

Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/truebluecrime

Link to one-off Supporter donations at the bottom of show notes

Website - www.truebluecrimepodcast.com - includes our merch store

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/380493356066315/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/truebluecrime/

Email - [email protected]

This episode was produced by True Blue Media using the open source materials referenced below:

1. https://www.smh.com.au/national/duty-of-care-what-happened-to-kiesha-20130826-2skl1.html
2. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/18/kristi-abrahams-jailed-murder-kiesha
3. Kristi Abrahams called 'putrid dog' and told to 'rot in hell' as she was sentenced to 16 years for murder of 'vulnerable and defenceless' Kiesha
4. By Amy Dale - The Daily Telegraph July 18, 2013
5. Kristi Abrahams jailed for at least 16 years for murder of 6yo daughter Kiesha Weippeart By court reporter Jamelle Wells - ABC.net.au July 19, 2013
6. Anger as forensic pathologist details injuries suffered by Kiesha Weippeart in Supreme Court testimony By Amy Dale - The Daily Telegraph June 25, 2013
7. Kristi Abrahams' Supreme Court sentencing hearing for Kiesha Weippeart murder continues The Daily Telegraph June 25, 2013
8. A life filled with abuse: kiesha murder By Isabel Hayes - Stuff.co.nz June 17, 2013
9. Kiesha Weippeart's step-father Robert Smith jailed By Peter Bodkin - The Daily Telegraph March 3, 2013
10. Kiesha Weippeart's body 'set alight and buried' after death By Amy Dale - The Daily Telegraph February 15, 2013
11. Kiesha stepdad 'burnt and buried her body' News.ninemsn.com.au February 15, 2013
12. Guilty plea over Kiesha Weippeart's death By Jamelle Wells - ABC.net.au December 16, 2011
13. Police allege Kiesha was thrown against wall or bed By Saffron Howden and Nick Ralston - Smh.com.au June 10, 2011
14. Remains found as Police charge Kiesha Abrahams' mother Kristi Abrahams and stepfather Robert Smith with murder By Amy Dale - Clementine Cuneo April 22, 2011
15. Mother, stepfather refused bail over murder AAP April 22, 2011
16. All hope is gone as Police reveal Kiesha Abrahams is dead The Daily Telegraph January 31, 2011
17. Kiesha Abrahams search called off AAP August 8, 2010
18. Missing girl Kiesha Abrahams knew life's harsh cruelty By Clementine Cuneo and Gemma Jones - The Daily Telegraph August 4, 2010
19. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/cycle-of-abuse-and-failure-kiesha-murder
20. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htkLhkNHtEw
21. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/true-blue-crime.
    
    

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Mr Cruel was a child abductor, sexual predator, and presumed murderer, active in suburban Melbourne during the late eighties to early nineties. He has been quite accurately described as the bogeyman for children who grew up in the area at this time.

The crimes attributable to this unidentified offender are some of the most calculated, meticulous, and sickening we’ve ever seen here in Australia. But it’s what we don’t know, which is a lot, that makes this tale equal parts mysterious and downright frightening...

Join Shaun and Chloe in part 2 of this episode to discuss questions, theories, persons of interest and suspects.

Support the show on:

Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/truebluecrime

Link to one-off Supporter donations at the bottom of show notes

Website - www.truebluecrimepodcast.com - includes our merch store

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/380493356066315/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/truebluecrime/

Email - [email protected]

This episode was produced by True Blue Media using the open source materials referenced below: 

1. https://www.9now.com.au/australian-crime-stories/season-3/episode-7 - Australian Crime Stories Season 3, Ep 7 Mr Cruel

2. https://www.heraldsun.com.au/archive/the-investigator/mr-cruel-still-on-the-most-wanted-list-says-the-investigator-charlie-bezzina/news-story/b125099085ba1df96d473a42f263e587

3. https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/mr-cruel-was-a-meticulous-intelligent-predator-say-police-investigators/news-story/a88da79742d534a0f10cd255bfd41f65

4. http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/0a8fb1587d83c6e071b9cfe669381632?width=650

5. https://www.news.com.au/news/national/child-abducting-murderer-mr-cruel-could-still-be-alive/news-story/b317a3e9f6971deacc3e60b56801707a

6. https://www.news.com.au/news/national/child-sex-offender-mr-cruel-has-never-been-identified/news-story/26b509b9960d3053b65df4450048e0f0

7. https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/mr-cruel-suspected-of-at-least-a-dozen-attacks-on-children/news-story/a9025019f12955de575702a7bd96c282

8. http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2010/12/14/3093126.htm

9. https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=22072015&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjEyMDcxNTcxNCwiaWF0IjoxNTk2NDQ5OTkxLCJleHAiOjE1OTY1MzYzOTF9.5Gq_0JtMx4ME4fG3msinBngndguCcnrDzdtVLm5KoG8

10. Daley, Paul; Catalano, Antony (21 April 1991). "A man in dark shatters a happy family". The Sunday Age. 

11. https://www.theage.com.au/national/mr-cruel-filmed-his-victims-say-police-20060408-ge23k9.html

12. https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/the-hunt-for-mr-cruel-20101214-18wtw.html

13. https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/mr-cruel-link-missing-with-bung/news-story/aea1fc90c3243e310e2bca7c40828f1f?sv=582c2e6287fc9e162317e20c7978c13d

14. https://www.northernstar.com.au/news/sacramentobased-serial-killer-shared-bizarre-trait/3396162/

15. https://listverse.com/2019/08/26/10-chilling-facts-about-mr-cruel/

16. https://truecrimenewsweekly.com/the-great-criminal-mr-cruel-prime-suspect-wrote-sex-death-essay-to-do-evil-while-committing-rape-attacks/

17. https://thecoldcasefiles.com/tag/mr-cruel/

18. https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/up-to-20-men-were-suspected-of-being-mr-cruel-and-one-prime-suspect-still-lives/news-story/6f5663c332f611339fd4765967d291ae

19. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr_Cruel

20. https://s3.amazonaws.com/uploads.knightlab.com/storymapjs/cf9f1a518caf46006bbe43aa7ac82a36/mr-cruel/draft.html

21. https://www.vice.com/en_au/article/av9j85/a-new-fbi-profile-sheds-light-on-karmein-chans-killer

22. Why Mr Cruel has to be caught. By Bruce Tobin, The Age Apr. 12, 1993

23....

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Mr Cruel was a child abductor, sexual predator, and presumed murderer, active in suburban Melbourne during the late eighties to early nineties. He has been quite accurately described as the bogeyman for children who grew up in the area at this time.

The crimes attributable to this unidentified offender are some of the most calculated, meticulous, and sickening we’ve ever seen here in Australia. But it’s what we don’t know, which is a lot, that makes this tale equal parts mysterious and downright frightening...

Join Shaun and Chloe as they discuss the details of Mr Cruel's confirmed attacks, and the fear and panic that was instilled in families across Melbourne during the late eighties and early nineties.

Support the show on:

Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/truebluecrime

Link to one-off Supporter donations at the bottom of show notes

Website - www.truebluecrimepodcast.com - includes our merch store

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/380493356066315/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/truebluecrime/

Email - [email protected]

This episode was produced by True Blue Media using the open source materials referenced below: 

1. https://www.9now.com.au/australian-crime-stories/season-3/episode-7 - Australian Crime Stories Season 3, Ep 7 Mr Cruel
2. https://www.heraldsun.com.au/archive/the-investigator/mr-cruel-still-on-the-most-wanted-list-says-the-investigator-charlie-bezzina/news-story/b125099085ba1df96d473a42f263e587
3. https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/mr-cruel-was-a-meticulous-intelligent-predator-say-police-investigators/news-story/a88da79742d534a0f10cd255bfd41f65
4. http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/0a8fb1587d83c6e071b9cfe669381632?width=650
5. https://www.news.com.au/news/national/child-abducting-murderer-mr-cruel-could-still-be-alive/news-story/b317a3e9f6971deacc3e60b56801707a
6. https://www.news.com.au/news/national/child-sex-offender-mr-cruel-has-never-been-identified/news-story/26b509b9960d3053b65df4450048e0f0
7. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/true-blue-crime.
   
   

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Andy Kingston arrived at 125 South St in the middle of the day, overcome by insatiable lust.

Bernadette and Mario in unit 2 invited him inside, expecting a visit from the guy they’d spoken to over the phone a number of times now. He was alone, Jenny, his wife, wasn’t with him.

Andy explained that she couldn’t be there this time, but next time, she would. He’d told her about them and she was excited.

He looked nice to both Bernadette and Mario; well dressed, in good shape, a friendly guy. Mario was happy to get things underway, to watch this time around, and Andy and Bernadette had sex in the loungeroom.

Andy notioned for Mario to become involved, but Mario would just watch this time. He’d get his when Jenny came the next time they met…

Join Shaun and Chloe as they discuss the dark tale of millionaire property mogul, Herman Rockefeller.

This episode was produced by True Blue Media using the open source materials referenced below.

Resources:

1. Murder Calls documentary, Herman Rockefeller https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5bwfjh
2. Dirty Dozen 5: done and dusted by Paul Anderson
3. The Double Life of Herman Rockefeller by Hillary Bonney
4. https://au.news.yahoo.com/murdered-millionaires-lover-reveals-27-year-affair-7582650.html
5. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10826783
6. https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/loyal-widow-of-slain-swinger-herman-rockefeller-wins-146m-fortune-ng-7cfc0c82410871eb070519157ff5df43
7. https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/mistress-given-share-rockefeller-estate
8. https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/australia-to-deport-maltese-man-who-killed-multimillionaire.697663
9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeqpZct96FU
10. https://www.9news.com.au/national/the-story-of-herman-rockefellers-murder/f2707490-08ce-4460-9ad5-c77eac5c6959#close
11. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQesfMWNy1Q
12. https://www.smh.com.au/national/herman-rockefellers-killers-jailed-20100908-1504z.html

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At around 7:15pm mother of three, Trang Nguyen, answered a knock at the door of her home in Nordlingen Drive. The voices called out ‘it’s the police’. Trang opened the door, and was immediately confronted by two men brandishing large kitchen knives…

Join Shaun and Chloe as they discuss the case of the lesser-known strangler of Wagga Wagga, Matthew Harris.

Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/truebluecrime

Website - www.truebluecrimepodcast.com - includes our merch store

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/380493356066315/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/truebluecrime/

Email - [email protected]

This episode was produced by True Blue Media using the open source materials referenced below: 

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_James_Harris
2. https://murderpedia.org/male.H/h/harris-matthew-james.htm
3.  R v Matthew James Harris [2000] NSWSC 285 (7 April 2000), Supreme Court (NSW, Australia).
4. "Strangler jailed". The Daily Advertiser. 8 April 2000.
5. R v Harris [2000] NSWCCA 469 (20 December 2000), Court of Criminal Appeal (NSW, Australia).
6. NSW: Man admits to three strangulation murders, court hears, AAP General News (Australia)

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/true-blue-crime.

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August 1986, Melbourne, and the National Gallery of Victoria has just had their most recently acquired prized work of art stolen, and received a ransom letter detailing the demands…

Join Shaun as he tells the story of the stolen Picasso 'Weeping Woman' from the National Gallery of Victoria.

Support the show on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/truebluecrime

Website - www.truebluecrimepodcast.com - includes our merch store

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/380493356066315/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/truebluecrime/

Email - [email protected]

This episode was produced by True Blue Media using the open source materials referenced below:

1. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-14/retrofocus-picasso-weeping-woman-famous-unsolved-art-heist/11498936
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theft_of_The_Weeping_Woman_from_the_National_Gallery_of_Victoria
3. https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/picassos-weeping-woman-could-mystery-of-1986-ngv-art-heist-be-solved-20160721-gqae1t.html
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIjoQ_SWjAE by ABC Retrofocus
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Picasso

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In 1986, Perth and the whole of Western in Australia was flying high, booming at this time, with the likes of Iron Ore magnate Lang Hancock and the occasionally corrupt Alan Bond flexing their business muscles.

Yachts were docked aplenty in Fremantle post Australia’s 1983 America’s Cup win, which Alan Bond actually bankrolled.

In the news, the number of disappearances of local Perth women were starting to raise many eyebrows, and then, news of the bodies hit the headlines…

Join Shaun and Chloe as they discuss the infamous Moorhouse Murders, and the twisted tale of serial killer couple, David and Catherine Birnie.

Support the show on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/truebluecrime

Website - www.truebluecrimepodcast.com - includes our merch store

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/380493356066315/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/truebluecrime/

Email - [email protected]

This episode was produced by True Blue Media using the open source materials referenced below: 

1. Australian Families of Crime: David and Catherine Birnie
2. Crime Investigation Australia: The Moorhouse Horrors
3. Beyond the Darklands: David and Catherine Birnie
4. Murder Uncovered: The Kate Moir Story
5. The Husband And Wife Serial Killers: Part One & Two, True Crime Conversations, specifically the research of author Andrew Byrne
6. The Birnies: Australia’s House of Horrors, by Paul B Kidd’s book Australia’s Serial Killers
7. ‘Inquiry on Prison Rape Claim’ by Tim Clarke
8. Birnie Given Secret Pauper’s Funeral - murderpedia
9. www.crimestopperswa.com.au
10. https://missingpersons.gov.au

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This tale is about the Tromp family from the little eastern Melbourne suburb of Silvan and the interesting road trip the family of 5 went on back in 2016.

On August the 30th 2016, police arrived at the family's 18 acre redcurrant farm to find, well, nothing. 51 year old Mark Tromp, his wife 53 year old Jacoba or Coby, and their 3 adult children - 29 yo Riana, 25 yo Mitchell, and 22 year old Ella, had simply vanished, with no clue as to why or where they might’ve gone.

And as time went on, the police’s search for the family would yield even stranger results, results with questions which still remain unanswered to this day…

Jon Shaun and Chloe as they discuss this bizarre road trip and the many swirling theories on the potential reasons behind it.

Support the show on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/truebluecrime

Website - www.truebluecrimepodcast.com - includes our merch store

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/380493356066315/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/truebluecrime/

Email - [email protected]

This episode was produced by True Blue Media using the open source materials referenced below:

1. https://www.mamamia.com.au/tromp-family/
2. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4284496/Tromp-family-normal-bizarre-trip.html
3. https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/australia/83901623/the-tromp-family-saga-what-we-know-and-what-remains-a-mystery
4. https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Folie_%C3%A0_deux#/Individual_cases
5. https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/search-for-missing-victorian-man-mark-tromp-enters-its-fifth-day/news-story/8c86d8c1977beb37d184e310c3f6d96e
6. https://www.pedestrian.tv/podcast/tromp-family-road-trip-folie-a-deux/
7. https://www.smh.com.au/national/bizarre-tale-of-tromp-family-road-trip-cloaked-in-mystery-20160901-gr6ujf.html

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/true-blue-crime.

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