INFAMOUS: The Bowraville Murders
When three Aboriginal children go missing in a span of several weeks in the small town of Bowraville, New South Wales, Australia, a community is divided, and a long battle for justice begins.
This episode references the spoken names and images of deceased Aboriginal people. We acknowledge the cultural sensitivities involved in discussing and referencing deceased individuals from Indigenous communities. Our intention is to shed light on these cases with great care and respect, and to advocate for these victims and their families in the hopes that long-awaited answers and justice can finally be served.
For our friends in the Deaf and Signing community, you can view an ASL version of this episode.
Bowraville is an over-five-hour drive from Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Photo screenshotted from Google Earth.
Supporters of the victims’ families hold a protest at the New South Wales Parliament house in Sydney in 2016.
If you know anything about the murders, please contact:
New South Wales Crime Stoppers
We’d love to speak with you and see how we can support.
If you’re a law enforcement agency or family member of one of the people we mentioned in this episode, or if you’re looking for more coverage on a case, please reach out. You can email us at:
Episode Source Material
- Bowraville written by Dan Box.
- The Bowraville Murders. 2021. Directed by Allan Clarke via SBS On Demand.
- Bowraville (Limited Podcast Series). 2016. The Australian. Hosted by Dan Box via Spotify.
- The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW, AUS): Police fears for missing toddler, 4, by Jane southward, Rachel Loos, and Robyn Willis via Newspapers.com.
- The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW, AUS): Still no trace of four-year-old Evelyn despite weekend search, by Neale Prior via Newspapers.com.
- ABC (Ultimo, NSW, AUS): ABC Radio National – Background Briefing: 20 July 1997 – The Ghosts Of Bowraville via Internet Archive.
- Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW, AUS): Lone cop to tell inquest name of killer suspect via Internet Archive.
- ABC News (Ultimo, NSW, AUS): Community seeks murder answers.
- ABC News (Ultimo, NSW, AUS): Man faces trial over girl’s 1990 murder.
- The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW, AUS): Accused spoke of killing girl, court told, by Natasha Wallace via Internet Archive.
- ABC News (Sydney, NSW, AUS): Child murder trial hears buried bodies evidence.
- ABC News (Ultimo, NSW, AUS): Greenup murder accused acquitted.
- The Monthly (Carlton, Victoria, AUS): The mission, by Malcolm Knox.
- ABC News (Ultimo, NSW, AUS): VIDEO: Bowraville: Unfinished Business (text transcript).
- ABC News (Ultimo, NSW, AUS): Bowraville murder inquiry: legislation change could convict serial killer of Aboriginal children, by Lindy Kerin and Lucy Carter.
- ABC News (Ultimo, NSW, AUS): Double jeopardy: What is it? And why is it so important with the Bowraville murders?, by Jessica Kidd.
- ABC News (Ultimo, NSW, AUS): Bowraville child murder case too ‘contaminated’ for fair trial, defence lawyer argues, by Jessica Kidd.
- News.com.au (Sydney, NSW, AUS): No retrial for the man acquitted over Bowraville child murders, by Megan Palin and Australian Associated Press.
- Marie Claire (Australia): Investigating The Bowraville Murders: One Of Australia’s Worst Unsolved Serial Murder Cases, by Alley Pascoe.
- RNZ (New Zealand): Allan Clarke on The Bowraville Murders: A 30-year fight for justice, from Nine To Noon (radio programme).
- Crime Junkie: Update: James Reyos Exonerated (Podcast). Hosted by Ashley Flowers & Brit Prawat.
- Busselton Dunsborough Mail (Busselton): A Timeline of the Bowraville murders by Australian Associated Press.
- Court Documents: The Family Response to the murders in Bowraville by Standing Committee on Law and Justice.
- Court Documents: Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court (New South Wales).
- Explorer Motorhomes (Clontarf): Campervan, Motorhome, Caravan, Camper Trailer – What’s the Difference? Accessed via Explorermotorhomes.com.au
- AFL Europe (Melbourne): What is AFL? Accessed via Alfeurope.org
Suggested Episodes
WANTED: Justice for MMIP
May is Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Month, and we want to highlight some of the many cases involving members of Native American communities that so often go underreported and underserved, and thus unsolved.
WANTED: Justice for David Carter
Ohio State Highway Patrol were identifying unknown remains along the side of a highway in northern Ohio at the same time a man in Michigan was being reported missing.
WANTED: Justice for Arnold Archambeau and Ruby Bruguier
When a young South Dakota couple goes missing from the scene of a car accident in 1992, local police launch a large-scale investigation that ultimately ends in tragedy.
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!
