Katherine Knight is one of the most chilling figures in Australian criminal history, often mentioned in the same breath as Ed Gein and Jeffrey Dahmer. A former abattoir worker from rural New South Wales, she appeared to be just another volatile woman with a troubled past — until one night in 2000, when her unspeakable actions stunned the nation. Her crime wasn’t defined by the number of victims, but by the sheer brutality and grotesque detail.

Before the infamous Port Arthur Massacre, an often forgotten massacre took place in the quiet suburb of Strathfield Sydney on August 17, 1991. In just minutes, Wade Frankum killed seven people and injured six others before taking his own life. The Strathfield Massacre stunned Australia and became a pivotal moment that helped spark national conversations about gun control, mental health and public safety.

WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners are warned that this story details the accounts and names of deceased persons.

Since the fateful day in 1986 when Yindjibarndi boy, John Pat, died in police custody, the 28th of September has been known as John Pat day in Australia. It is a constant reminder of the oppression and injustice that the indigenous people continue to face. His death launched the landmark Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and exposed the fractured relationship between the justice system and First Nations people. To this day, no one has ever been found guilty of an Indigenous death in custody in Australia.

Frederick Deeming is not only Australia’s most notorious criminal of the 19th century, but also one of the world’s first ever recorded serial killers. With over 35 aliases, the globetrotting conman has left a hazy trail of crimes that may never fully be realised, but the most pressing question continues to persist; was Frederick Deeming Jack the Ripper?

The Perth suburbs of 1986 were thrown into fear when multiple young women suddenly started to go missing. Too late for several victims but thanks to one, police eventually discovered the “house of horrors” where sadistic couple Catherine and David Birnie would rape, torture and ultimately, murder.