INFAMOUS: Shark Arm Murders
A shark, an arm, a mystery… what unfolded in Sydney, Australia, in 1935 is the stuff of legends:
When a tiger shark coughs up a human arm in the tank of a beachside aquarium, it kicks off a murder investigation full of winding turns and unpredictable twists. Detectives uncover a web of cons, criminal partnerships, and double-crosses… and the truth about Jim Smith – and why his arm ended up in a shark – becomes murkier than the water it was found in.
Listen in the Crime Junkie Fan Club
Unlock this episode & hundreds of other ad-free episodes across the Audiochuck network. Join the Fan Club now for more exclusive content like this & more.
James “Jim” Smith.
Credit: Fairfax Media via Getty Images
The tattooed arm.
Credit: New South Wales State Archives & Records
Reginald “Reg” Holmes.
Credit: National Library of Australia
Episode Information:
Shark Arm: A Shark, A Tattooed Arm, and Two Unsolved Murders
Check out the book we relied on for this episode: Shark Arm: A Shark, A Tattooed Arm, and Two Unsolved Murders by Phillip Roope & Kevin Meagher.
Suggested Episodes
MURDERED: Rachel Hansen
On June 2, 2022, Rachel Hansen opened her eyes to a dark figure standing over her bed, staring at her. She screamed, and the person took off. But the very next night — just after 2 a.m. — a dark figure entered her Gilbert, Arizona, apartment again, kicked down her bedroom door and shot her in the abdomen before fleeing.
MURDERED: Jill & Julie Hansen
The 1986 shooting of 16-year-old twin sisters Jill and Julie Hansen stunned the small town of Willow Creek, California. The investigation into who shot the girls and set fire to the Hansen family home is marked by twists and turns, with evidence ultimately pointing back to a suspect close to the family. Did tunnel vision cause investigators to overlook critical pieces of evidence?
MURDERED: Bobby Moore
What began as a whirlwind romance in the midst of murder in 1970s DC, ended in small-town Indiana with two bodies and no answers. Separated by five months, the deaths of Bobby and his wife, Barbara Moore, tore a town and a family apart.
Join our Fan Club to listen to this episode and more!
Unlock all of the exclusive benefits and dynamic listening experience as a Crime Junkie Fan Club member.
Join the Fan Club now to reap the rewards!
