Motive & Method

On February 18 2024, Sydney was shaken by the disappearance and tragic deaths of television presenter Jesse Baird, 26, and his partner, Qantas flight attendant Luke Davies, 29. Their bodies were found in surfboard bags near Goulburn, and ex-NSW police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon, 29, was charged with their premeditated killings. Authorities allege he used his police-issued gun after stalking Baird, his ex, for months, with Davies an alleged collateral victim.  In this episode, Tim and Xanthe reflect on the case, from the early days of the investigation to the current case being examined by police. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Human trafficking is a hidden crime that strips millions of their freedom every year. While many think it’s a distant issue, it’s happening closer than we realise - in neighborhoods, cities, and countries around the world, including Australia. In this episode, Tim and Xanthe speak to Matt Friedman - a leading, internationally renowned global expert on modern slavery and human trafficking. From forced labor to exploitation and coercion, Matt uncovers the dark reality of modern slavery and what we can do to fight it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been one year since the disappearance of 51-year-old Australian woman, Samantha Murphy. Samantha left her home in Ballarat, Victoria, for a morning run… and was never seen again. In this episode, Tim and Xanthe look at the investigation ahead of the impending court date and attempt to answer the public's burning questions about the case... Is her mobile phone the missing piece? Are Victorian Police doing all they possibly can? Where is Samantha's body?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Netflix's latest short series, 'The Breakthrough', has captured the attention of true crime fans across the globe for it's fictional account of the infamous 2004 double homicide in Linköping, Sweden. This double homicide went unsolved for 16 years... Until police on the case enlisted the help of a genealogist, who found the killer by identifying genetic relatives and building family trees. In today's episode, Xanthe sits down with CeCe Moore, aka. The DNA Detective, to discuss how Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) is changing the way criminals are being caught out... and why they need to start watching their backs.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia has experienced a significant increase in anti-Semitic incidents, with reported cases quadrupling since October 7, 2023.  Known more broadly as Hate Crimes, Tim and Xanthe sit down with Matteo Vergani, an Associate Professor at Deakin University who’s spent an enormous part of his career covering these issues.  What constitutes a hate crime? Is there a difference between hate crimes, extremism and terrorism? Can people be de-radicalised? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Later this month, infamous brothers Erik and Lyle Menendez will have a sentencing hearing, where a judge will determine their fate and freedom.  The brothers were found guilty of murdering Jose and Kitty Menendez with shotguns in 1989 and sentenced to life in prison without parole. With new evidence on the table and a brighter spotlight on the case following the popular Netflix series, Monsters, criminal expert Laura Richards joins Tim and Xanthe to unpack the many truths and myths. Laura Richards is the host of the popular podcast Crime Analyst. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's the most bizarre case you've ever worked on?  Do lie detectors REALLY work?  Do you ever suffer from Imposter Syndrome?  In this episode of Motive & Method, Tim and Xanthe answer your burning questions before giving a lookahead at what we can expect to see in the world of crime for 2025. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the most wonderful time of the year... But also rife for crime. In this episode of Motive & Method, Tim and Xanthe detail the crimes which escalate during the holiday period, the red flags to be wary of and their top tips for how to stay safe during the festive season. Want to get involved in the community? Follow @motiveandmethod on Instagram or TikTok.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In April 2024, the Netflix miniseries 'Baby Reindeer' captured the attention of millions across the world, following the story of a relentless stalker. For Di McDonald, the series hit too close to home... In this episode of Motive & Method, Tim and Xanthe discuss the recent statistics around stalking in Australia, before hearing from Di about a customer turned boyfriend turned stalker. Want to get involved in the community? Follow @motiveandmethod on Instagram or TikTok. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tracy Hall thought she’d fallen head over heels with the love of her life… But instead, she’d fallen for an elaborate scam which would cost her entire life savings. In this episode of Motive & Method, Tim and Xanthe sit down with Tracy as she unpacks her harrowing story, including the exact moment she discovered 'Max Tavita', aka. Hamish McLaren was an international con artist. Tracy's book, The Last Victim, is available to purchase now. Want to get involved in the community? Follow @motiveandmethod on Instagram or TikTok.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when a cop crosses the line and partners with a kingpin? Renowned investigative journalist Neil Mercer joins Tim and Xanthe to unpack the criminal empire led by drug lord Terry Clark and the complicity of Detective Sergeant Roger Rogerson. In his latest book, The Kingpin and the Crooked Cop, Mercer reveals an intricate web of corruption and betrayal and how this deadly alliance unraveled into one of Australia’s most notorious criminal scandals... Want to get involved in the community? Follow @motiveandmethod on Instagram or TikTok.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"At 5pm I was Deputy Police Commissioner of the New South Wales Police Force, at 5:30pm, I was unemployed" Mick Willing is one of our most decorated and experienced cops. In a career spanning decades he has seen it all, from drug busts, the Lindt Cafe and ultimately an timely end to a glittering career. In this episode of the podcast Mick opens up about it all, and more. Want to get involved in the community? Follow @motiveandmethod on Instagram or TikTok.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The worst serial killer in Australia’s history may be on the loose in the region from Newcastle to Byron Bay, where 67 murders and disappearances of women remain unsolved. Also in this episode we talk to Laura Clare, a former Byron Bay local who has begun a social media campaign from her troubling experiences in the region. If you have any information contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the podcast Xanthe and Tim give us their thoughts on the Netflix show Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, which has recently hit the headlines. Also Halloween is here, but what are there issues dressing up as Jeffrey Dahmer? Or walking around your neighbourhood as Leather Face? Want to get involved in the community? Follow @motiveandmethod on Instagram or TikTok.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The podcast series 'Rotten Apple' is available now wherever you listen to your podcasts. In this episode of Motive & Method we talk to the award winning journalist behind Rotten Apple, Camille Bianchi, and also one of the whistleblowers taking part in the podcast. This episode discusses child abuse, grooming and exploitation, please listen with care Bravehearts provides child sexual abuse counselling, they can contacted on - 1800 272 831 Laurel House for sexual assault support in Tasmania - 1800 697 877 Help is available through LifeLine on 13 11 14 Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recently there have been some very high-profile cases of alleged poisoning, some of which we have already dissected on this podcast. This week we are going to look at the breadth of motives and methods of the people who select this type of weapon to harm someone, and what kind of personality types are more likely to engage in this type of abuse. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week the country was shocked by allegations that Nirmeen Noufl (53) killed and dismembered her husband, Mamdouh Noufl (62), who has not been since since May 2023. The police allege this is a case of domestic homicide. The addition of dismemberment, whilst unusual, is not unique, and this week we will compare and contrast a number of cases where women have killed and disarticulated their partner. We will also discuss the differences between male and female murderers who desecrate remains in this manner. A difficult conversation, so listen with caution. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode we have a very special guest, Jae Gerhard, who we will be talking to about all things forensic DNA. Jae is an expert with over 20 years’ experience, working across all areas of casework – from multiple fatality incidents in the AFP, to crime scene analysis for New South Wales Police. She now works independently, and will be sharing her vast knowledge of new techniques to help us understand advances in forensics and investigation. We will be discussing this in relation to the Easey Street murders and other high-profile cases. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Childcare predator, Ashley Griffiths, plead guilty to 307 charges recently. He was active across multiple childcare facilities, with charges against him dating back as far back as 2003. He will be sentenced in November. This week we look at the motives and methods of those who prey on the most vulnerable, and how they can get away with it for so long. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve talked a lot about violence against women, in various forms, much of it domestic. Largely this has focussed on Australian cases, highlighting the epidemic of family and domestic violence in this country. We’ve seen that FDV permeates all strata of society, all cultures. And nowhere is this more starkly highlighted that in the sleepy, picturesque village of Mazan: The case of Dominique Pélicot. Behind closed doors, Pélicot enlisted strangers to rape his heavily-sedated wife over the course of a decade. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we will talk about the psychological impacts on families in unsolved child abduction and murder cases. This discussion is timely, as September 12th of this year is the tenth anniversary since William Tyrrell went missing from his foster family’s home in 2014. Ten years is a long time for his families to wait for answers. Other cases we will talk about are Madeleine (missing since May 2007), and the Wanda Beach murders – unsolved since 1965. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the 26 August 2024, Justin Stein was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for the brutal and callous murder of 9-year-old Charlise Mutten in January 2022. Stein claimed that the child’s mother, Kallista Mutten, to whom he was engaged, was the one who shot and killed her. But evidence proved otherwise. GPS tracking on Stein’s phone helped locate Charlise’s body, which Stein had cruelly put in a barrel and dumped off the side of the road. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we will be talking about female sexual predators, in the wake of two women school teachers being accused of sexual assaulting boys in their care. There appear to have been a spate of these types of alleged cases this year, but are cases of alleged abuse by teachers on the rise, or are more alleged cases being reported? We will addressing these questions, as well as discussing why some women target school age boys for inappropriate sexual relationships, what the offender demographics are, and can these women be treated and rehabilitated? Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1994 Henry Keogh was found guilty of the murder of his fiancée, Anna-Jane Cheney, and was sentenced to 26 years in prison. Henry’s conviction was overturned in 2014, when it was determined that Anna-Jane had died as the result of a tragic accident – she drowned in the bath whilst home alone. This is the sad case of a death that was misclassified, and a man who subsequently lost two decades of his life – partly due to the manifestly misleading and inaccurate evidence of South Australian ‘forensic pathologist’, Dr Colin Manock. Henry has now embarked on a new, positive life post-release, but he is no doubt scarred by his experience. However, his incredible resilience is a lesson to us all in how to deal with adversity and trauma.” Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ashlea Hansen is a familiar face to everyone interested in true crime, as she has spent over 15 years reporting on some of Australia’s biggest cases; including Malcolm Naden’s capture in 2012 and William Tyrell’s disappearance in 2014. Her career has resulted in Ashlea finding herself in some unusual, sad, frightening, uplifting, and sometimes funny scenarios over the years. We’ll hear some of the moments that she’ll never forget, the cases that have stayed with her, and a little tease about her next big project – a long-format podcast that’s currently in development. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Gareth, Nathaniel and Stacey Train shot and killed two police officers and their neighbour at their remote property at Wieambilla in December 2022, the country was shocked. What could motivate these three people to plan and carry out such premeditated violence? As the days unfolded, and we heard about the lives of the killers, their motives gradually became clear – this was Australia’s first case of Christian terrorism. In this episode, we speak to media identity Melissa Downes and senior news producer Jess Lodge, to learn more about this dark episode, and some of the details they have learnt whilst making their podcast on the case, ‘The Ultimate Sacrifice’. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s April 1994, and Anthea Bradshaw has just married her high school sweetheart, Jeff Hall, before embarking on what she believed was her new adventure, a life with Jeff in Brunei, South East Asia. But just 96 days later, Anthea would be found brutally murdered half a world away – and who killed her remains a mystery. On this episode, we delve into the what, why, and how’s of this cold case with journalist Ben Avery, who has devoted years trying to get answers for Anthea’s family. Search 'Just Married' in your podcast app to hear Ben's investigation. Or tap the link here. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve all seen some very scary footage recently of youth gangs targeting stores, stealing goods at knife point. The impression is that armed retail theft is on the rise, and data backs up that that is true. We’re also seeing more organised retail theft – much of it is technology enabled scams. What are the drivers for retail crime? Who are the offenders, and who are the victims. And what affect do these types of crime have on them, and society more broadly? This week we ask, what is retail crime costing you? Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sunday 7th July saw a father accused of the murder of three young children, and the attempted murder of four others plus their mother, in Sydney’s west. The case shocked the nation, but fire is a weapon that has become more common for murderers. This week we talk through the psychology of someone who would use fire as a weapon of murder, in an attempt to understand this inexplicable crime. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tim and I have seen many miscarriages of justice in our collective time, but none shock us more than the case of Derek Bromley, who along with John Karpany, were jailed in 1985 for the murder of Stephen Docoza, whose body was found in Adelaide’s River Torrens in 1984. However, the evidence used to convict them is wholly unsound, as you will here. Bother men maintain their innocence. Derek was released last week on parole, after serving over 38 years for a crime he did not commit. Here from legal expert Dr Bob Moles, who knows more about miscarriages of justice in Australia than anyone else. We ask: Is this the most egregious miscarriage of justice in Australian history? You decide. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The last few days has been full of news and imagery of Julian Assange returning to Australia after 5 years in a British prison for breaching the US Espionage Act. Assange had faced decades of incarceration in a US prison, until a plea deal was agreed with US prosecutors. This week we talk about Assange, but broaden that out to look at other whistleblower cases, and the psychological and physical implications of long-term confinement. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matricide – or the murder of a mother by their child – is an uncommon form of murder. However, unlike many homicides, history tells us a lot about the types of people who commit this crime. Data suggests men the most likely offenders, and that untreated schizophrenia together with an unhealthy parent/child relationship can be contributing factors. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We have all seen the horrendous accounts of harm against women, often caused by men they know. But where does this come from? In this episode, we talk about where misogyny stems from, the harm it is causing our kids, how AI is being used to cause further trauma, and how we can try to change the narrative. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We have recently seen a spate of knife crimes perpetrated by young people. This has included the Sydney stabbing at the church, knife violence between young people, and a 10-year-old girl stabbed to death, allegedly by her 17-year-old sister. In this episode, we discuss the link between young people, crime, and social media. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.