1 00:00:05,881 --> 00:00:07,801 Speaker 1: Appoche Production. 2 00:00:13,041 --> 00:00:15,281 Speaker 2: Welcome to Real Crime with Adam Shand. I am your 3 00:00:15,281 --> 00:00:21,361 Speaker 2: host Adam Shand. July nineteen seventy two, two young women, 4 00:00:21,801 --> 00:00:25,681 Speaker 2: Anita Cunningham and Robin Hoyneville Bartram, set off from Melbourne 5 00:00:25,681 --> 00:00:28,961 Speaker 2: to hitchhike to Robin's family home in Bowen, North Queensland. 6 00:00:29,961 --> 00:00:33,840 Speaker 2: Two bright young design students leaves to hitchhike up the 7 00:00:33,881 --> 00:00:39,681 Speaker 2: East Coast. They were never seen alive again. In November 8 00:00:39,721 --> 00:00:42,560 Speaker 2: of that year, Robin's body was found under a bridge 9 00:00:42,601 --> 00:00:47,160 Speaker 2: at Sensible Creek near Charters Towers, with two bullet holes 10 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:49,801 Speaker 2: in the back of her head in a way that 11 00:00:49,961 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 2: she was killed two bullets in the back of the 12 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 2: head two months loger execution. Anita has never been found. 13 00:00:57,681 --> 00:01:01,841 Speaker 2: It's one of Australia's most baffling unsolved murders. 14 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:04,961 Speaker 1: The worst thing that you could possibly imagine happened to 15 00:01:05,121 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: this family. 16 00:01:07,681 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 2: The Cunningham family continues to seek answers, and I'm joined 17 00:01:11,161 --> 00:01:14,200 Speaker 2: by Nita's brother David, who keeps the flame of the 18 00:01:14,241 --> 00:01:15,561 Speaker 2: investigation alive. 19 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:21,441 Speaker 1: We were actually deliberately kept in the dark. Such a tragedy. 20 00:01:21,481 --> 00:01:23,841 Speaker 1: What happened to them? You know, you want to do 21 00:01:23,961 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 1: something good for as the years and the decades have 22 00:01:27,721 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 1: gone by, the hope of that is just dissolved into nothing, 23 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:33,961 Speaker 1: not that there was much hope of that in the 24 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:34,680 Speaker 1: first place. 25 00:01:37,521 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 2: Welcome David, Hello Adam, it's great to see you again. 26 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:42,961 Speaker 1: Well, thanks for the opportunity. 27 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:45,961 Speaker 2: You and I have travelsome roads on this story. And 28 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:47,921 Speaker 2: I've got three or four of these long term missing 29 00:01:47,921 --> 00:01:51,201 Speaker 2: persons cases that I vow to solve or at least 30 00:01:51,241 --> 00:01:53,001 Speaker 2: follow through to the end of my career. Yours is 31 00:01:53,001 --> 00:01:55,641 Speaker 2: one of them. It's on a yellow post it note 32 00:01:55,681 --> 00:01:59,321 Speaker 2: on my wall, completion. It needs to be completed. 33 00:01:59,681 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 1: Well, let's hope we're getting closer to it every day. 34 00:02:02,601 --> 00:02:05,841 Speaker 2: Yeah, tell me who was Anita. 35 00:02:06,281 --> 00:02:13,641 Speaker 1: Anita was a delightful, strong, very gregarious, happy girl. She 36 00:02:13,761 --> 00:02:18,081 Speaker 1: was full of promise and she was a keen horse rider. 37 00:02:18,161 --> 00:02:23,521 Speaker 1: She rode in the Royal Melbourne Show. She was an 38 00:02:23,641 --> 00:02:27,840 Speaker 1: art student. She had the whole world going for her. 39 00:02:27,841 --> 00:02:30,961 Speaker 1: She was a beautiful girl. You know she was your 40 00:02:31,001 --> 00:02:33,441 Speaker 1: young sister. She was. Yeah, she was a year and 41 00:02:33,481 --> 00:02:35,721 Speaker 1: a half younger than I. 42 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:38,001 Speaker 2: You're a wild boy back in your day. Ye're off 43 00:02:38,041 --> 00:02:40,761 Speaker 2: doing your things at the time. Remember what you were 44 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:42,241 Speaker 2: doing in July nineteen seventy two. 45 00:02:43,161 --> 00:02:48,161 Speaker 1: July nineteen seventy two. I was young and stupid, following 46 00:02:48,481 --> 00:02:54,121 Speaker 1: the hippie trail and living a life of self discovery 47 00:02:54,161 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 1: and partying basically, I think you'd call it. 48 00:02:58,361 --> 00:03:00,561 Speaker 2: And so Anita goes away for what was going to 49 00:03:00,601 --> 00:03:03,441 Speaker 2: be a two or three week trip. What are your 50 00:03:03,481 --> 00:03:05,521 Speaker 2: memories of what was going on? Happened? 51 00:03:07,001 --> 00:03:11,521 Speaker 1: I was away, really I had seen Anita a bit 52 00:03:12,081 --> 00:03:14,881 Speaker 1: before they left, and I'd struck up a little bit 53 00:03:14,921 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 1: of a relationship with Robin. But like in those days, 54 00:03:19,841 --> 00:03:22,721 Speaker 1: life was sort of fancy free and there was nothing 55 00:03:22,841 --> 00:03:26,241 Speaker 1: sort of permanent. Were just sort of had a bit 56 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:29,881 Speaker 1: of a fling. And then next thing I heard they 57 00:03:29,921 --> 00:03:32,641 Speaker 1: were heading That was the school holidays and they were 58 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:36,761 Speaker 1: heading up north, and my parents contacted me and said 59 00:03:36,841 --> 00:03:39,241 Speaker 1: that they were really worried and they were trying the 60 00:03:39,321 --> 00:03:44,681 Speaker 1: hardest to convince the girls to accept a free airline ticket, 61 00:03:45,921 --> 00:03:49,041 Speaker 1: but they were determined to take off hitchhiking and sort 62 00:03:49,081 --> 00:03:52,521 Speaker 1: of have a happy, go lucky hippie life kind of thing. 63 00:03:53,201 --> 00:03:57,081 Speaker 1: We were all very naive then, and you know, sort 64 00:03:57,081 --> 00:04:00,161 Speaker 1: of middle class kids from a middle class background and 65 00:04:00,201 --> 00:04:05,481 Speaker 1: middle class school and zero experience of life so she 66 00:04:05,481 --> 00:04:08,881 Speaker 1: she fell in with the wrong crowd. That was the 67 00:04:08,921 --> 00:04:09,361 Speaker 1: end of it. 68 00:04:09,401 --> 00:04:11,921 Speaker 2: Do you have any any evidence or clues to that? 69 00:04:12,241 --> 00:04:15,561 Speaker 1: Yeah, And the evidence and the clues are set out 70 00:04:15,961 --> 00:04:21,721 Speaker 1: in Gern's book which was published recently called Here Our Cry. 71 00:04:22,601 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 1: It's published by Ingrin Spark and it's by Michael Gern 72 00:04:26,601 --> 00:04:30,641 Speaker 1: and he sets out all his evidence. He believes it 73 00:04:30,761 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 1: was a gang of local hooligans, perhaps assisted by Ivan Mullatt. 74 00:04:38,281 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 2: That's a big name in true crime. Ivan Malatt. 75 00:04:41,641 --> 00:04:41,881 Speaker 1: Yep. 76 00:04:42,361 --> 00:04:45,681 Speaker 2: Mick mcgern, I should say, is a retired Queensland Police officer. 77 00:04:45,921 --> 00:04:48,001 Speaker 2: He's now in his nineties. I believe he is. 78 00:04:48,041 --> 00:04:50,921 Speaker 1: He's ninety two. He's an ex senior detective. He used 79 00:04:50,921 --> 00:04:55,081 Speaker 1: to have his own department in the Queensland Police and 80 00:04:55,601 --> 00:04:58,561 Speaker 1: he's got a pretty good reputation in the police. 81 00:04:59,041 --> 00:05:02,161 Speaker 2: Of course he does. And I think he's incredibly selfless 82 00:05:02,201 --> 00:05:04,281 Speaker 2: what he's done. And the love for your family and 83 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:07,441 Speaker 2: the love of finding an answer is still driving him. 84 00:05:07,481 --> 00:05:09,281 Speaker 2: His health has a bit infirmed these days, but he 85 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:10,041 Speaker 2: doesn't give up. 86 00:05:10,401 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 1: He's so tenacious and he's powers of investigation and his 87 00:05:15,761 --> 00:05:21,721 Speaker 1: ability to get people to talk and interview people, and 88 00:05:21,761 --> 00:05:25,801 Speaker 1: he is just incredible. He's a born detective really. 89 00:05:25,481 --> 00:05:31,401 Speaker 2: And mixed efforts stand in stark contrast to the general 90 00:05:31,641 --> 00:05:35,840 Speaker 2: performance of the Queensland Police Service over all the years 91 00:05:36,601 --> 00:05:37,481 Speaker 2: of this mystery. 92 00:05:37,801 --> 00:05:42,601 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, I'm aware that back in those days, just 93 00:05:42,841 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 1: far north out back, Queensland was like a foreign country. 94 00:05:46,521 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 1: It was just it was nowhere and dirt roads, and 95 00:05:50,561 --> 00:05:55,241 Speaker 1: you know, the superintendent of police there at that time 96 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: was well known to be the biggest criminal in the 97 00:05:58,161 --> 00:06:03,721 Speaker 1: district and policing wasn't what really we expect it to be. 98 00:06:03,841 --> 00:06:07,441 Speaker 1: It was a different time, and so I always thought 99 00:06:07,521 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 1: put the police performance down to that general sort of 100 00:06:11,481 --> 00:06:14,361 Speaker 1: neglect of the time, because it was like cowboy country 101 00:06:14,401 --> 00:06:19,481 Speaker 1: and so on. But recently I've learned that actually, I 102 00:06:19,521 --> 00:06:21,441 Speaker 1: think there's more to it than that. I think there 103 00:06:21,481 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 1: was that deliberate cover up by the police, and more 104 00:06:25,241 --> 00:06:29,161 Speaker 1: evidence to support that is coming out all the time, 105 00:06:29,241 --> 00:06:33,401 Speaker 1: and so that's what we're pursuing at the moment, that 106 00:06:33,641 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 1: we were actually deliberately kept in the dark by the 107 00:06:38,361 --> 00:06:43,041 Speaker 1: police and we were steered in the wrong direction. Now, 108 00:06:43,481 --> 00:06:46,241 Speaker 1: whether that was because they've got something to hide and 109 00:06:46,241 --> 00:06:49,601 Speaker 1: they're trying to protect somebody, or whether it was just 110 00:06:49,641 --> 00:06:51,921 Speaker 1: a sort of an accident of fate. I don't know, 111 00:06:52,041 --> 00:06:56,601 Speaker 1: but our investigations coming up, I think we'll shed a 112 00:06:56,641 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 1: bit of light on that. We'll see how go. 113 00:06:58,281 --> 00:06:59,841 Speaker 2: I think you've got some new leads. And that's what 114 00:06:59,921 --> 00:07:02,281 Speaker 2: I find amazing about you, Davi, is you've not given up, 115 00:07:02,281 --> 00:07:04,641 Speaker 2: and you think with these cold cases to give when 116 00:07:04,641 --> 00:07:07,681 Speaker 2: they're so you get to the point where you think 117 00:07:07,681 --> 00:07:10,041 Speaker 2: to yourself, there's about two or three people in the 118 00:07:10,241 --> 00:07:13,201 Speaker 2: entire world who were thinking about this case and working 119 00:07:13,201 --> 00:07:16,121 Speaker 2: hard on it, because they just move on and unless you, 120 00:07:16,201 --> 00:07:20,321 Speaker 2: as a family continue to agitate, continue to ask questions, 121 00:07:20,881 --> 00:07:24,041 Speaker 2: it will just disappear. And I've seen this in other 122 00:07:24,041 --> 00:07:26,761 Speaker 2: cases that I cover, where when the last family member 123 00:07:26,761 --> 00:07:29,921 Speaker 2: passes away, there's virtually no chance of resolution. So you've 124 00:07:29,921 --> 00:07:31,401 Speaker 2: got a real urgency about what you're doing. 125 00:07:31,641 --> 00:07:36,401 Speaker 1: Well. The reason is because, for you know, forty five 126 00:07:36,521 --> 00:07:40,201 Speaker 1: years we were told only two things are known, and 127 00:07:40,241 --> 00:07:43,401 Speaker 1: that is the date, time and place the girl's left 128 00:07:44,321 --> 00:07:47,361 Speaker 1: and the date, time and place Robin's body was found. 129 00:07:48,521 --> 00:07:53,161 Speaker 1: Nothing else is known. Nobody saw anything, nobody knew anything. 130 00:07:53,841 --> 00:07:56,961 Speaker 1: There is no hope of anything being known, So you 131 00:07:57,041 --> 00:07:58,801 Speaker 1: might as well give up and go home. That was 132 00:07:58,881 --> 00:08:03,841 Speaker 1: what we were told basically, But it's only since Mick 133 00:08:03,921 --> 00:08:06,481 Speaker 1: gern has just pulled the whole thing together and just 134 00:08:07,041 --> 00:08:13,201 Speaker 1: found witnesses, and it's only since then that we have 135 00:08:13,441 --> 00:08:18,881 Speaker 1: a chance to maybe find Anita's remains and give her 136 00:08:19,441 --> 00:08:21,601 Speaker 1: a decent burial that she deserves. 137 00:08:22,361 --> 00:08:24,721 Speaker 2: How important is that to you? I mean it's self evident, 138 00:08:25,401 --> 00:08:27,721 Speaker 2: but I think if you've never been in this position 139 00:08:28,161 --> 00:08:31,001 Speaker 2: where you've lost a loved one and you've not got 140 00:08:31,001 --> 00:08:33,601 Speaker 2: the remains to bury, what does that represent to you 141 00:08:33,681 --> 00:08:34,361 Speaker 2: and your family? 142 00:08:35,641 --> 00:08:42,121 Speaker 1: Well, you can imagine what it represents, but especially when 143 00:08:42,161 --> 00:08:46,441 Speaker 1: they've been treated so badly, you know, when it's such 144 00:08:46,481 --> 00:08:49,521 Speaker 1: a such a tragedy, what happened to them, You know 145 00:08:50,001 --> 00:08:51,521 Speaker 1: you want to do something good. 146 00:08:51,321 --> 00:08:57,321 Speaker 2: For because I think missing person's detectives have always told 147 00:08:57,401 --> 00:09:02,441 Speaker 2: me that without a body to bury, there's always that 148 00:09:03,241 --> 00:09:05,921 Speaker 2: glimmer of hope that one day they're going to walk 149 00:09:05,961 --> 00:09:08,601 Speaker 2: down the driveway and say, well, I've been off somewhere 150 00:09:08,641 --> 00:09:12,961 Speaker 2: else for forty plus years. But as terrible as it 151 00:09:13,001 --> 00:09:16,961 Speaker 2: is to discover, and I'm sure for Robin Hoynevil Bartram's 152 00:09:17,041 --> 00:09:21,481 Speaker 2: family that was a difficult discovery, finding those remains is 153 00:09:21,561 --> 00:09:23,001 Speaker 2: some form of closure for you. 154 00:09:24,401 --> 00:09:28,641 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, you know, in early days we perhaps had 155 00:09:28,641 --> 00:09:32,441 Speaker 1: that hope that Anita might turn up, but she was 156 00:09:32,481 --> 00:09:35,761 Speaker 1: not the sort of girl who would just disappear. You know, 157 00:09:36,521 --> 00:09:40,601 Speaker 1: we were a strong family. She just wouldn't do that. 158 00:09:41,001 --> 00:09:43,521 Speaker 1: But you know, as the years and the decades have 159 00:09:43,561 --> 00:09:48,001 Speaker 1: gone by, the hope of that is just dissolved into nothing. 160 00:09:48,161 --> 00:09:50,241 Speaker 1: Not that there was much hope of that in the 161 00:09:50,281 --> 00:09:54,201 Speaker 1: first place. I think we pretty well knew that something 162 00:09:54,441 --> 00:09:59,401 Speaker 1: bad must have happened to them, you know, fairly soon 163 00:09:59,521 --> 00:10:03,961 Speaker 1: after they left because other you know, no money was spent, 164 00:10:04,121 --> 00:10:06,201 Speaker 1: they didn't have much hash with them, and their bank 165 00:10:06,241 --> 00:10:11,681 Speaker 1: accounts weren't touched and they never made any phone calls. 166 00:10:11,921 --> 00:10:19,641 Speaker 1: So you know, whatever happened took place fairly soon after 167 00:10:19,681 --> 00:10:21,081 Speaker 1: they went missing. I think. 168 00:10:21,401 --> 00:10:23,601 Speaker 2: So you think it might have as mixed theory is 169 00:10:23,641 --> 00:10:25,601 Speaker 2: that they fell in with a group of crooks or 170 00:10:25,601 --> 00:10:30,041 Speaker 2: hooligans as you put it, This might have happened days 171 00:10:30,081 --> 00:10:32,241 Speaker 2: after they left Melbourne, do you think, Well. 172 00:10:32,361 --> 00:10:38,961 Speaker 1: Either that or they were somehow not kidnapped but certainly 173 00:10:39,561 --> 00:10:45,881 Speaker 1: misled and led astray pretty strongly. And then I don't 174 00:10:45,921 --> 00:10:49,681 Speaker 1: know a matter of days, matter of weeks, but it 175 00:10:49,721 --> 00:10:53,761 Speaker 1: couldn't have been more than more than months, because I'm 176 00:10:53,801 --> 00:10:59,281 Speaker 1: sure she would have I don't know anyway. Look, it's 177 00:10:59,281 --> 00:11:03,001 Speaker 1: all just supposition, really, who knows that's right. 178 00:11:03,001 --> 00:11:07,041 Speaker 2: But what's not supposition is that at least Robin made 179 00:11:07,081 --> 00:11:10,481 Speaker 2: it to Sensible Creek near Pentland there, just near Chater's 180 00:11:10,481 --> 00:11:14,281 Speaker 2: Towers where her remains were found. And when you and 181 00:11:14,321 --> 00:11:18,281 Speaker 2: I walked those streets talked to people up there, more 182 00:11:18,281 --> 00:11:23,041 Speaker 2: information came out and you start to see the shithouse 183 00:11:23,121 --> 00:11:26,481 Speaker 2: investigation that was conducted by Queensland Police. I've got mates 184 00:11:26,561 --> 00:11:28,921 Speaker 2: up in Queensland Police, so I'm not characterizing all of 185 00:11:28,961 --> 00:11:32,121 Speaker 2: them this way, but the way that they failed to 186 00:11:32,321 --> 00:11:35,721 Speaker 2: follow up local leads. Let's look at some of those things. 187 00:11:36,241 --> 00:11:36,641 Speaker 1: We know. 188 00:11:37,961 --> 00:11:42,641 Speaker 2: A lady called Merle White saw the girls at the 189 00:11:42,681 --> 00:11:46,481 Speaker 2: Pentland Hotel when there was a music night on there, 190 00:11:47,641 --> 00:11:52,081 Speaker 2: and she was absolutely adamant that she'd seen them, and 191 00:11:52,121 --> 00:11:56,721 Speaker 2: that they had taken a ride with a guy in 192 00:11:56,761 --> 00:11:59,961 Speaker 2: a cowboy hat who may have even called himself cowboy, 193 00:12:00,761 --> 00:12:06,281 Speaker 2: who bore a striking resemblance to Ivan Mulatt. Police never 194 00:12:06,281 --> 00:12:10,081 Speaker 2: told you that, did they No? And then later that 195 00:12:10,241 --> 00:12:14,161 Speaker 2: night Merle and her mother are driving back to Charter's 196 00:12:14,241 --> 00:12:18,601 Speaker 2: Towers and they're getting near the area Sensible Creek and 197 00:12:18,681 --> 00:12:20,961 Speaker 2: they see in the headlights in the distance a car 198 00:12:21,001 --> 00:12:23,601 Speaker 2: parked on the side of the road, a group of men, 199 00:12:24,001 --> 00:12:28,521 Speaker 2: one man jumping up and down on something. And Merle's 200 00:12:28,561 --> 00:12:32,801 Speaker 2: mother said, this is not right, keep going, Merle, let's go. 201 00:12:34,041 --> 00:12:38,401 Speaker 2: The following day, they're back in Charter's Towers. Merle sees 202 00:12:38,441 --> 00:12:42,321 Speaker 2: the same man that she saw in the Pentland Hotel. 203 00:12:43,641 --> 00:12:48,201 Speaker 2: Now he's got a big scratch down his face. How 204 00:12:48,241 --> 00:12:52,041 Speaker 2: does this happen? And she was menaced or threatened by 205 00:12:52,081 --> 00:12:56,481 Speaker 2: that individual, who she believed to be Ivan Malatt. Did 206 00:12:56,521 --> 00:13:00,401 Speaker 2: the police tell you any of this? No, the police 207 00:13:01,841 --> 00:13:04,241 Speaker 2: spoke to Merle White, she tried to give her evidence. 208 00:13:05,481 --> 00:13:06,321 Speaker 2: What happened to it? 209 00:13:06,921 --> 00:13:10,961 Speaker 1: Well, the particular policeman who I won't name, who was 210 00:13:11,841 --> 00:13:16,561 Speaker 1: tasked with getting Merle's story and taking her out to 211 00:13:16,641 --> 00:13:22,281 Speaker 1: the scene of the crime, made Merle very very suspicious 212 00:13:22,401 --> 00:13:27,801 Speaker 1: and very uneasy. He was very creepy and was sort 213 00:13:27,841 --> 00:13:30,241 Speaker 1: of trying to it seemed like he was trying to 214 00:13:30,241 --> 00:13:32,441 Speaker 1: put the hard word on her. And then as she 215 00:13:32,521 --> 00:13:35,241 Speaker 1: got close to her Sensible Creek, she started to think 216 00:13:35,281 --> 00:13:39,441 Speaker 1: that this is according to Merle's daughter, she started to 217 00:13:39,481 --> 00:13:44,521 Speaker 1: think that she better not say too much because he 218 00:13:44,641 --> 00:13:48,281 Speaker 1: might try to implicate her in the crime and make 219 00:13:48,321 --> 00:13:51,201 Speaker 1: her seem like she's one of the guilty party. Because 220 00:13:51,401 --> 00:13:55,801 Speaker 1: he was acting so suspicious himself, she didn't trust him 221 00:13:55,801 --> 00:13:58,361 Speaker 1: at all, so she threw him off the scent and 222 00:13:58,521 --> 00:14:01,961 Speaker 1: just refused to cooperate and nominated at a different place 223 00:14:02,761 --> 00:14:06,121 Speaker 1: just to get out of the situation. Really, And then 224 00:14:06,361 --> 00:14:11,321 Speaker 1: after that police refused to take her seriously or refuse 225 00:14:11,441 --> 00:14:14,361 Speaker 1: to have anything to do with her, and refuse to 226 00:14:14,401 --> 00:14:20,321 Speaker 1: take her dying declaration and threatened her daughter to leave 227 00:14:20,361 --> 00:14:23,321 Speaker 1: the whole thing alone, and you know, not have anything 228 00:14:23,361 --> 00:14:24,281 Speaker 1: to do with it anymore. 229 00:14:24,521 --> 00:14:27,121 Speaker 2: Yeah, we make no allegations. Usually in my career, when 230 00:14:27,121 --> 00:14:30,041 Speaker 2: I got the choice between a conspiracy and a fuck up, 231 00:14:30,041 --> 00:14:32,681 Speaker 2: I always go for the fuck upright, But there may 232 00:14:32,681 --> 00:14:36,481 Speaker 2: indeed be a conspiracy in this case. And the idea 233 00:14:36,521 --> 00:14:40,641 Speaker 2: that Merle's testimony was not reliable or somehow motivated by 234 00:14:40,721 --> 00:14:44,001 Speaker 2: malice or something. You have to look at that in 235 00:14:44,041 --> 00:14:48,481 Speaker 2: relation to what she told her husband John on her deathbed, 236 00:14:48,641 --> 00:14:52,361 Speaker 2: that she told him he has to pursue this story. 237 00:14:52,361 --> 00:14:56,401 Speaker 2: And we interviewed John and his story was crystal clear 238 00:14:56,921 --> 00:15:00,241 Speaker 2: the way that I've related it to you, and he 239 00:15:00,401 --> 00:15:03,921 Speaker 2: was thumping the table and in tears trying to get 240 00:15:03,961 --> 00:15:06,841 Speaker 2: people to understand what Merle said was correct and should 241 00:15:06,921 --> 00:15:07,681 Speaker 2: be followed up. 242 00:15:08,401 --> 00:15:11,841 Speaker 1: Well, I'm like you, I have no grudge against police 243 00:15:12,041 --> 00:15:15,241 Speaker 1: in general. In fact, you know, we've had really good 244 00:15:15,441 --> 00:15:20,161 Speaker 1: policeman members of the family. You know, I've got the 245 00:15:20,201 --> 00:15:23,401 Speaker 1: greatest admiration for some of the individuals and for the 246 00:15:23,441 --> 00:15:27,361 Speaker 1: difficult job. But you know, it's a job that does 247 00:15:27,401 --> 00:15:31,801 Speaker 1: attract the sort of people who you wouldn't really want 248 00:15:31,841 --> 00:15:36,281 Speaker 1: in that job. And maybe some of those people were involved, 249 00:15:36,321 --> 00:15:39,961 Speaker 1: I don't know, but certainly the performance of the police 250 00:15:40,001 --> 00:15:42,481 Speaker 1: in this case has been shabby. 251 00:15:43,761 --> 00:15:45,921 Speaker 2: When we are on the ground in Pentland talking to 252 00:15:45,961 --> 00:15:48,641 Speaker 2: locals who had been there for a long time, the 253 00:15:48,881 --> 00:15:52,161 Speaker 2: first thing they said was look at corrupt police. They 254 00:15:52,201 --> 00:15:55,681 Speaker 2: mentioned a guy called MERV Stevenson who was the former 255 00:15:55,721 --> 00:15:56,801 Speaker 2: head of the Stocks and I'm going to do a 256 00:15:56,801 --> 00:15:59,161 Speaker 2: whole other episode on him because there's a lot of 257 00:15:59,281 --> 00:16:03,361 Speaker 2: murky doings around his career and his possible involvement in 258 00:16:03,481 --> 00:16:07,721 Speaker 2: murders or cover up the murders. And you also get 259 00:16:07,721 --> 00:16:11,161 Speaker 2: back to this attitude that was taken to hitchhikers generally 260 00:16:11,921 --> 00:16:16,441 Speaker 2: that silly girls. They shouldn't have been hitchhiking. They almost 261 00:16:16,481 --> 00:16:17,721 Speaker 2: deserved what they got. 262 00:16:18,001 --> 00:16:21,001 Speaker 1: Yeah, Well, one of the local residents said, oh, hitchhiker 263 00:16:21,081 --> 00:16:22,961 Speaker 1: is a fair game, aren't they. 264 00:16:24,121 --> 00:16:26,161 Speaker 2: And they also told us that there was a number 265 00:16:26,201 --> 00:16:28,921 Speaker 2: of people in that area passing through working at the 266 00:16:28,961 --> 00:16:32,361 Speaker 2: meat works on the way to mining jobs and so forth, 267 00:16:32,801 --> 00:16:37,561 Speaker 2: and under assumed names. And these two young attractive girls, 268 00:16:37,641 --> 00:16:42,321 Speaker 2: quite naive, quite suggestible, up for fun adventures, might have 269 00:16:42,401 --> 00:16:46,001 Speaker 2: been gold into a full sense of security. And I 270 00:16:46,041 --> 00:16:49,441 Speaker 2: can see that scenario happening, and it's such a tragedy. 271 00:16:49,761 --> 00:16:52,801 Speaker 2: And when we went to Sensible Creek and we looked 272 00:16:52,801 --> 00:16:56,321 Speaker 2: at the location where Robin's remains were found, my sense 273 00:16:56,521 --> 00:16:59,281 Speaker 2: was that there hadn't been a big enough search upstream. 274 00:16:59,521 --> 00:17:03,041 Speaker 2: And there's an assumption that Robin must have been killed 275 00:17:03,481 --> 00:17:06,600 Speaker 2: under that bridge, and I don't think that there's sufficient 276 00:17:07,441 --> 00:17:10,281 Speaker 2: evidence to confirm that. When I looked at the rainfall 277 00:17:10,321 --> 00:17:12,640 Speaker 2: records at that time in seventy t there were big floods, 278 00:17:13,201 --> 00:17:15,761 Speaker 2: it was quite possible that they might have been killed 279 00:17:16,201 --> 00:17:19,160 Speaker 2: further away from the road, which would make sense. And 280 00:17:19,241 --> 00:17:24,681 Speaker 2: therefore another search out on that floodplain might reveal something new. 281 00:17:25,001 --> 00:17:30,120 Speaker 1: Yep. And there's a lot of confusion about exactly where 282 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:34,761 Speaker 1: Robin's body was found too, because in the newspaper of 283 00:17:34,801 --> 00:17:38,561 Speaker 1: the date when they were found, the text of the 284 00:17:38,681 --> 00:17:41,920 Speaker 1: article says that they were found near or under the 285 00:17:42,041 --> 00:17:45,001 Speaker 1: railway bridge, but the photo of the police digging is 286 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:48,521 Speaker 1: under the road bridge. When we talked to one of 287 00:17:48,561 --> 00:17:53,240 Speaker 1: the crew who found the body, well, he seemed to 288 00:17:53,241 --> 00:17:56,041 Speaker 1: indicate that it was somewhere in between the railway bridge 289 00:17:56,041 --> 00:17:58,281 Speaker 1: and the road bridge. But I've got to get back 290 00:17:58,321 --> 00:18:02,001 Speaker 1: up there and get a more accurate idea from him. 291 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:04,761 Speaker 2: Yeah, you're talking about Shorty who he found at home, 292 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:06,961 Speaker 2: knocked on his door. He was in the middle of 293 00:18:06,961 --> 00:18:09,561 Speaker 2: a couple of libations in the afternoon when we spoke 294 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:13,481 Speaker 2: to him, and he had been there that day wet weather, 295 00:18:13,801 --> 00:18:16,921 Speaker 2: it was thirsty weather indeed, So her body was found there, 296 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:21,400 Speaker 2: badly decomposed, virtually a skeleton. And that was in November 297 00:18:21,481 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 2: of nineteen seventy two. Another suspect was in the area 298 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:29,720 Speaker 2: very soon before that, John Andrew Stuart. We know he 299 00:18:29,761 --> 00:18:32,840 Speaker 2: was in Pentland because he actually robbed a local man 300 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:36,200 Speaker 2: called Randall Wilson of some items and a suitcase and 301 00:18:36,241 --> 00:18:40,080 Speaker 2: a transistor and so forth that he also pitched into 302 00:18:40,281 --> 00:18:45,080 Speaker 2: Sensible Creek. So I think John Andrew Stewart is a 303 00:18:45,120 --> 00:18:49,561 Speaker 2: reasonable suspect to considering what a callous, nasty individual he was. 304 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:53,321 Speaker 2: He went on to murder multiple people in the fire 305 00:18:53,360 --> 00:18:55,721 Speaker 2: bombing of the Whiskey A Go Go in nineteen seventy three. 306 00:18:56,600 --> 00:19:00,321 Speaker 2: But the problem is, if we believe the rate of decomposition, 307 00:19:00,961 --> 00:19:03,281 Speaker 2: which the police suggested Robin had been killed up to 308 00:19:03,360 --> 00:19:06,481 Speaker 2: three months earlier, that doesn't work for Stuart. 309 00:19:07,961 --> 00:19:11,001 Speaker 1: Yeah, you're not the only one who suspects Stuart, But 310 00:19:11,321 --> 00:19:14,561 Speaker 1: to me, there's a couple of things working against it. 311 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 1: One is the rate of decomposition. And I know the 312 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:23,961 Speaker 1: decomposition is much faster up there in the hot, humid conditions, 313 00:19:25,001 --> 00:19:27,880 Speaker 1: but not that much faster, you know. I mean the 314 00:19:27,921 --> 00:19:31,441 Speaker 1: body was found in November. He was up there in November. 315 00:19:31,561 --> 00:19:33,360 Speaker 1: You know, I couldn't have got like that in just 316 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 1: two weeks, even if the pigs had been worrying the body, 317 00:19:36,681 --> 00:19:39,241 Speaker 1: and you know, the wild pigs and all that. It 318 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 1: just to me that it doesn't add up on that count. 319 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 1: And the other thing is I just put myself in 320 00:19:47,120 --> 00:19:51,001 Speaker 1: John Andrews Stewart's shoes, and think if I had buried 321 00:19:51,041 --> 00:19:54,721 Speaker 1: a body under a bridge and tried to conceal it, 322 00:19:55,120 --> 00:19:59,241 Speaker 1: I wouldn't be throwing somebody's stolen goods on top of it, 323 00:19:59,281 --> 00:20:02,681 Speaker 1: which could lead straight back to me, because I would 324 00:20:02,721 --> 00:20:06,041 Speaker 1: be trying to dissociate myself from from the whole thing. 325 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 1: You know. 326 00:20:06,761 --> 00:20:09,561 Speaker 2: Well, here's the thing though, when we were there, the 327 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:12,801 Speaker 2: creek was virtually dry, and then a huge thunderstorm came 328 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:15,720 Speaker 2: through and suddenly it was running a banker while we 329 00:20:15,721 --> 00:20:19,201 Speaker 2: were there, And I can see a situation where Anita 330 00:20:19,281 --> 00:20:22,641 Speaker 2: and Robin could have been murdered upstream and then floodwaters 331 00:20:22,681 --> 00:20:25,521 Speaker 2: carry them down. True, And then it kind of makes 332 00:20:25,561 --> 00:20:29,281 Speaker 2: sense because I don't believe this idea that wild pigs 333 00:20:29,321 --> 00:20:33,880 Speaker 2: could have attacked Robin's body and not left it completely scattered, 334 00:20:34,120 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 2: because the skeleton was not disarticulated. She was whole, and 335 00:20:38,281 --> 00:20:40,400 Speaker 2: there was clothes with her still and so forth. 336 00:20:40,481 --> 00:20:45,801 Speaker 1: So we have to consider the decomposition rate, and I 337 00:20:45,961 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 1: just can't conceivably see how it can get into that 338 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:53,241 Speaker 1: state in two weeks. You know, If John Andrew Stuart 339 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:56,521 Speaker 1: was there early in November, the body was found I 340 00:20:56,521 --> 00:21:00,281 Speaker 1: think on the fifteenth of November, so that leaves no 341 00:21:00,441 --> 00:21:02,360 Speaker 1: time for decomposition to happen, you know. 342 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:05,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, my personal view is that that wasn't the murder site, 343 00:21:05,681 --> 00:21:08,721 Speaker 2: that it was further upstream. And unfortunately we don't have 344 00:21:08,921 --> 00:21:12,001 Speaker 2: Robin's remains to refer to either, because in a flood 345 00:21:12,041 --> 00:21:15,360 Speaker 2: in nineteen seventy four, the forensic headquarters in Brisbane was 346 00:21:15,360 --> 00:21:18,480 Speaker 2: flooded and her remains were carried away for a second 347 00:21:18,481 --> 00:21:23,041 Speaker 2: time in a cruel irony, which also hampers any reinvestigation 348 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:23,761 Speaker 2: of her remains. 349 00:21:23,801 --> 00:21:29,041 Speaker 1: Now, yes, it is sad, but there are still witnesses 350 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:35,280 Speaker 1: alive so pursuing that avenue, and there may be some 351 00:21:35,321 --> 00:21:39,481 Speaker 1: other avenues which may yet still prove fruitful, so we 352 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:41,041 Speaker 1: still plug away at it. 353 00:21:41,201 --> 00:21:43,281 Speaker 2: Which I really admire you for. And you've dealt with 354 00:21:43,321 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 2: some absolutely bizarre, insulting, awful scenarios. For instance, when a 355 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:54,681 Speaker 2: psychic came up with the idea that your ex partner, 356 00:21:55,281 --> 00:21:58,960 Speaker 2: the mother of your daughter, was Anita somehow, that she 357 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:02,920 Speaker 2: had decided to take on this new identity and not 358 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:06,720 Speaker 2: alert the family and then become your partner. I mean, 359 00:22:06,761 --> 00:22:08,241 Speaker 2: you're involved in the conspiracy. 360 00:22:08,561 --> 00:22:12,241 Speaker 1: Yeah, she's supposed to have come down from Queensland, had 361 00:22:12,360 --> 00:22:16,880 Speaker 1: an incestuous relationship with me which produced a daughter, and 362 00:22:16,921 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 1: then she's gone back up to Queensland and she's living 363 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:26,921 Speaker 1: there under a false identity. Yeah, the whole thing seems bizarre, 364 00:22:26,961 --> 00:22:29,440 Speaker 1: but it would have taken the police five minutes on 365 00:22:29,481 --> 00:22:32,641 Speaker 1: the computer to look on the Internet, and they would 366 00:22:32,681 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 1: have seen that Anita and Jody were two totally different 367 00:22:37,481 --> 00:22:41,561 Speaker 1: looking people, and they could see Jody's family background on 368 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:46,961 Speaker 1: the computer too. I mean, it's like there's been other, 369 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:54,480 Speaker 1: much more solid seeming leads which they've discounted out of 370 00:22:54,521 --> 00:22:57,321 Speaker 1: hand and haven't even bothered to follow up, and yet 371 00:22:57,521 --> 00:23:01,880 Speaker 1: this sort of crazy psychic pops up and produces a 372 00:23:01,921 --> 00:23:05,801 Speaker 1: totally unbelievable story which they don't bother it's and they 373 00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 1: do this Dawn raid. You know, it's just laughable. 374 00:23:09,201 --> 00:23:11,921 Speaker 2: It is laughable. It is laughable. And I've been doing 375 00:23:11,961 --> 00:23:15,160 Speaker 2: a running survey of detectives over my career to ask them, 376 00:23:15,201 --> 00:23:18,761 Speaker 2: has a psychic ever actually assisted you to resolve a crime? 377 00:23:18,761 --> 00:23:22,041 Speaker 2: But I'm still zero after all these years. Despite the 378 00:23:22,041 --> 00:23:25,441 Speaker 2: fact that some of these psychics do purport to be successful, 379 00:23:25,441 --> 00:23:27,241 Speaker 2: I'd love to hear from a psychic. If you do 380 00:23:27,321 --> 00:23:30,561 Speaker 2: have evidence that you can solve crimes, you can also 381 00:23:30,561 --> 00:23:33,360 Speaker 2: find my car keys that I lost last week. So 382 00:23:33,961 --> 00:23:37,840 Speaker 2: your parents went to their graves not finding out, that's right. 383 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:40,921 Speaker 2: How do you deal with the idea that you may 384 00:23:40,961 --> 00:23:42,001 Speaker 2: never find out either? 385 00:23:42,561 --> 00:23:46,521 Speaker 1: Oh, well, it's nothing new. I mean I've been resigned 386 00:23:46,561 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 1: to the fact that I would never find anything out 387 00:23:48,961 --> 00:23:54,241 Speaker 1: for forty odd years until Mick Gern actually did some 388 00:23:55,600 --> 00:24:01,521 Speaker 1: first class detective work and found witnesses, evidence and so forth. 389 00:24:02,120 --> 00:24:06,521 Speaker 1: And the book it's called Here Our Crime. It gives 390 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:10,161 Speaker 1: all the steps, all the evidence, So if anybody wants 391 00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:13,041 Speaker 1: to follow it up, that's what I recommend. We're actually 392 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:16,360 Speaker 1: trying to call for a Commission of Inquiry to try 393 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:20,960 Speaker 1: and get witnesses onto the witness stand to testify under oath, 394 00:24:21,441 --> 00:24:24,360 Speaker 1: because it's the only way we really get people to 395 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:29,760 Speaker 1: open up. You know, people who I know had firsthand 396 00:24:29,801 --> 00:24:34,160 Speaker 1: knowledge of the girl's disappearance said to me, oh, I 397 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:38,361 Speaker 1: don't remember anything from that time. Sorry, I just can't remember. 398 00:24:38,761 --> 00:24:42,801 Speaker 1: Whereas everybody else in the town, everybody else we talked to, 399 00:24:43,441 --> 00:24:46,041 Speaker 1: had really strong memories of. 400 00:24:45,961 --> 00:24:49,480 Speaker 2: It, that's right, And we found new evidence just walking 401 00:24:49,521 --> 00:24:53,961 Speaker 2: around last year. So you wonder what the police could 402 00:24:54,001 --> 00:24:57,801 Speaker 2: do with their compelling powers, if you like, with these witnesses, 403 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:01,080 Speaker 2: because I think Pentland in particular is a small town 404 00:25:01,120 --> 00:25:01,961 Speaker 2: with a big secret. 405 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:05,001 Speaker 1: It's an interesting town, Pentland, and we met some love 406 00:25:05,360 --> 00:25:09,001 Speaker 1: people there and I think somehow we've got to get 407 00:25:09,001 --> 00:25:11,600 Speaker 1: the secrets to open up. You know, a lot of 408 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:14,641 Speaker 1: those people seem to know more than they were letting on. 409 00:25:15,481 --> 00:25:17,521 Speaker 2: Well, I certainly hope that this will come to some 410 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:20,080 Speaker 2: kind of resolution. We're going to keep fighting. I'll never 411 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:22,600 Speaker 2: stop trying to get this story back in the media, 412 00:25:22,681 --> 00:25:25,721 Speaker 2: trying to see if some new evidence can come to light, 413 00:25:26,120 --> 00:25:28,920 Speaker 2: because you deserve it. I Needa deserves it, and Robin 414 00:25:29,001 --> 00:25:30,801 Speaker 2: Jynvill Bartram deserves it as well. 415 00:25:30,961 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 1: Well. I really appreciate your help with his Adam, and 416 00:25:34,041 --> 00:25:36,241 Speaker 1: you know you've really you've put in a lot of 417 00:25:36,281 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 1: effort too, I've got to say, and it's greatly appreciated you. 418 00:25:39,801 --> 00:25:41,521 Speaker 2: Not as much as you, mate, but I'm proud and 419 00:25:41,561 --> 00:25:43,960 Speaker 2: pleased to be alongside to do it again here in 420 00:25:43,961 --> 00:25:45,721 Speaker 2: this podcast. So thanks for you time today, mate. 421 00:25:45,961 --> 00:25:46,801 Speaker 1: Thanks. 422 00:25:48,041 --> 00:25:51,440 Speaker 2: It was David Cunningham, the brother of Anita Cunningham, missing 423 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:56,521 Speaker 2: since July nineteen seventy two. There are people out there 424 00:25:56,761 --> 00:25:59,761 Speaker 2: who know what happened, and if you're listening, it's time 425 00:25:59,801 --> 00:26:02,121 Speaker 2: to come forward. If not to me, you can send 426 00:26:02,120 --> 00:26:05,041 Speaker 2: me an email on Adam shannded writer at gmail dot com, 427 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:07,921 Speaker 2: or if you're not comfortable talking to the media, call 428 00:26:08,001 --> 00:26:12,921 Speaker 2: crime Stoppers one eight hundred, triple three, triple zero. There's 429 00:26:12,921 --> 00:26:17,321 Speaker 2: somebody out there who knows someone who knows something. It's 430 00:26:17,360 --> 00:26:21,321 Speaker 2: time to resolve this mystery and to bring Anita home. 431 00:26:23,041 --> 00:26:25,640 Speaker 2: This has been real crime with Adam Shanned. Thanks for listening.