Women like Dorothy Davis, a 74-year-old widow, rarely go missing.

She lived in the seaside suburb of Lurline Bay in south-east Sydney. She had friends, children, and grandchildren. Her life was peaceful. She was financially comfortable. The people who loved her knew where she would be on any given day. She had a lot to live for.

But in May 1995, Dorothy went to visit a friend, and never came home.

Kerry Whelan, a healthy and well-liked 39-year-old, was also not the kind of woman who goes missing. She was married to Bernie Whelan, the CEO of a large multinational company that made forklifts called Crown Equipment. With their three children, the family lived on their sizable property at Kurrajong in north-western Sydney.

But in May 1997, Kerry made a trip to Parramatta, and never came home.

These two women didn’t know each other. But they did have one thing in common.

They both happened to know a man named Bruce Burrell.

CREDITS

Guest: Mark Tedeschi QC, author of Missing, Presumed Dead

Host: Jessie Stephens

Executive Producer: Gia Moylan

Audio Producers: 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.