Shandee's Story
A TRUE CRIME PODCAST BY HEDLEY THOMAS
Subscribers to The Australian have exclusive first access to episodes of Shandee's Story via The Australian app. Subscribe to The Australian here.
Shandee's Story is investigated and written by Hedley Thomas.
Audio and music production by Blacksmith & Co.
Additional reporting by David Murray and Isaac Irons.
Additional research by Isaac Irons.
Video trailer by Gwyn Dixon, 3P Studio.
Editorial Director, Claire Harvey.
Digital execution by Isabel Trujillo and Kellie Southan.
Marketing by Alice Bradbury, Dean Roffe and Jarrah Petzold.
Audio compiling, Lia Tsamoglou and Nicholas Adams-Dzierzba.
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SHANDEE'S STORY
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Shandee's Story
A TRUE CRIME PODCAST BY HEDLEY THOMAS
Shandee's Story
A TRUE CRIME PODCAST BY HEDLEY THOMAS
Episode 10 is available now exclusively to subscribers to
The Australian via the podcast player in The Australian app.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe to The Australian here.
• Accused’s abusive letter to murder victim ›
• Key witnesses notably absent at trial ›
• ‘Test again for blood in suspect’s car’ ›
• At long last, another shot at justice ›
• Inquest into Shandee’s murder set to be reopened ›
• Daniel’s father in plea to Premier ›
STORIES FROM THIS EPISODE
John Peros’s murder trial begins, and John's criminal defence lawyers fight to have evidence they believe is unfair to their client excluded. Evidence police labelled as ‘blood’ in John’s Toyota Hilux is ruled inadmissible by the trial judge because the results of the presumptive Luminol testing were not conclusive. The excluded ‘blood’ samples could still contain crucial DNA evidence, says forensic biologist Dr Kirsty Wright, as pressure grows on the Queensland Government to investigate the state-run lab’s forensic failures and retest samples. Prosecutor Josh Phillips reads a hateful and vitriolic document John wrote and sent to Shandee. Much of John’s treatment of Shandee fits definitions of domestic violence under Queensland legislation, but the jury at John’s trial will not hear the full extent of the abuse, contained in hundreds of angry text messages and the witness statements of close friends. And, just before this episode's release, the government announces in Parliament that it will ask for the inquest into Shandee's death to be reopened after Dr Wright's revelations on Shandee's Story.
Blood
EPISODE 10
Listen to the episode and explore related stories ›
Episode 11 is available now exclusively to subscribers to
The Australian via the podcast player in The Australian app.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe to The Australian here.
• Cabbie traumatised by what he saw ›
• Lawyer dug deep to defend accused killer ›
STORIES FROM THIS EPISODE
John’s defence lawyer Craig Eberhardt smashes the credibility of three key Australia Day witnesses as they try to deny obvious references to illicit drug use in text messages about “lollies”. Their evidence of hearing John say hatefully that Shandee should be stabbed is undermined. Craig highlights a tenuous purported DNA 'link' between William Daniel and the murder - and when a forensic scientist says it is statistically "meaningless", the judge tells the jury to ignore his comment. Cyclone Debbie looms and tensions rise as William Daniel's lengthy criminal history is read to the jury, sparking fiery scenes
Sugar Town
EPISODE 11
Lollies
Episode 11 is available now exclusively to subscribers to
The Australian via the podcast player in The Australian app.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe to The Australian here.
• Lawyer dug deep to defend accused killer ›
• Cabbie traumatised by what he saw ›
STORIES FROM THIS EPISODE
John’s defence lawyer Craig Eberhardt smashes the credibility of three key Australia Day witnesses as they try to deny obvious references to illicit drug use in text messages about “lollies”. Their evidence of hearing John say hatefully that Shandee should be stabbed is undermined. Craig highlights a tenuous purported DNA 'link' between William Daniel and the murder - and when a forensic scientist says it is statistically "meaningless", the judge tells the jury to ignore his comment. Cyclone Debbie looms and tensions rise as William Daniel's lengthy criminal history is read to the jury, sparking fiery scenes.
Lollies
EPISODE 11
Listen to the episode and explore related stories ›
Episode 11 is available now exclusively to subscribers to
The Australian via the podcast player in The Australian app.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe to The Australian here.
• Lawyer dug deep to defend accused killer ›
• Cabbie traumatised by what he saw ›
STORIES FROM THIS EPISODE
John’s defence lawyer Craig Eberhardt smashes the credibility of three key Australia Day witnesses as they try to deny obvious references to illicit drug use in text messages about “lollies”. Their evidence of hearing John say hatefully that Shandee should be stabbed is undermined. Craig highlights a tenuous purported DNA 'link' between William Daniel and the murder - and when a forensic scientist says it is statistically "meaningless", the judge tells the jury to ignore his comment. Cyclone Debbie looms and tensions rise as William Daniel's lengthy criminal history is read to the jury, sparking fiery scenes.
Lollies
EPISODE 11
Listen to the episode and explore related stories ›