The Devil's Apprentice

A young woman murdered in an Australian country town. People too afraid to speak for decades are finally breaking their silence.  What happened in 23-year-old Rachelle Childs' final nine hours?  

Now, 24 years since Rachelle was murdered, an unstoppable cold case team has assembled to drive this live investigation.

Tips from the public are pouring in - could you hold the missing piece that cracks the case?

Dear Rachelle is hosted and investigated by journalist Ashlea Hansen, who teams up with retired detective and renowned cold case specialist Damian Loone.

Listen to this preview episode and search for Dear Rachelle in your podcast app and hit "follow" to have new episodes delivered to your feed. Eligible News Corp Australia subscribers receive new episodes early at dearrachelle.com.au and enjoy access to videos, articles, interactive evidence and more.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A killer is on the loose in an Australian country town.

Excited for the June long weekend, bubbly 23-year-old Rachelle Childs leaves work, calls her sister, and is dead within hours. Her burning, partially naked body is found nine hours later in bushland on a lonely coastal road. Her killer has never been caught.

Now innocent people, once too afraid to speak, are breaking their silence.

If you’re looking for your next true crime podcast obsession, search out Dear Rachelle.

An unstoppable cold case team is reinvestigating and uncovering damning new evidence. Could this finally be the break the family needs?

Dear Rachelle is hosted and investigated by journalist Ashlea Hansen, who teams up with retired detective and renowned cold case specialist Damian Loone.

The first episode of Dear Rachelle is now available on all podcast platforms. If you’re looking for your next true crime podcast binge and you want to be first to hear what’s next, visit dearrachelle.com.au - your News Corp Australia subscription grants you access to podcast episodes three weeks before everyone else, as well as exclusive access to videos, interactive evidence, behind-the-scenes content, and more.

Dear Rachelle is a podcast from True Crime Australia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Enjoy a sneak peak into another series from the team behind this podcast, called Life and Crimes. Life and Crimes’ a weekly series where veteran reporter Andrew Rule shines a light on the dark corners of Australian life. Andrew is joined by Anthony Dowsley to talk about the twists and turns in the Jason Roberts case. If you enjoy this episode, you can listen early and ad-free to Life and Crimes now on Crime X+.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Subscribe to Crime X+ today A jury decides Jason Roberts’ fate in a 24-year saga that only leaves shattered lives in its wake. 

More information at: https://devilsapprentice.com.au/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Subscribe to Crime X+ today WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE. Jason Roberts gets another day in court. And lined up to testify against him at his retrial is an old foe.

More information at: https://devilsapprentice.com.au/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Subscribe to Crime X+ today A secret document falls into a journalist’s hands. A document that will change everything. 

More information at: https://devilsapprentice.com.au/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Subscribe to Crime X+ today Decorated homicide detective Ron Iddles is asked to review the case of Jason Roberts. His enquiries go in unexpected directions and raise questions about the guilt of Jason Roberts, including an alibi.

More information at: https://devilsapprentice.com.au/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Subscribe to Crime X+ today While Bandali Debs sits in prison for his crimes, information comes out about his past life. And it paints a picture of pure evil.

More information at: https://devilsapprentice.com.au/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Subscribe to Crime X+ today Police have what they need. Bandali Debs and Jason Roberts go to trial, where prosecutors outline exactly what they think happened on the night of the police murders.

More information at: https://devilsapprentice.com.au/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Subscribe to Crime X+ today WARNING: This episode includes explicit language. In order to catch suspect Bandali Debs, the police wiretap his house, his car and the house of his young associate, Jason Roberts. For months they listen to every conversation, and wait for the moment to strike. 

More information at: https://devilsapprentice.com.au/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.