From A Current Affair and 9Podcasts, The Saints is a new investigative podcast unraveling one of Australia’s most shocking and heartbreaking stories: the tragic death of eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs. All 14 members of the fringe religious group known as The Saints - including her own parents - were found guilty of her manslaughter, but many questions remain unanswered. How did it all go so wrong? How did an innocent child slip through every safety net? How did a system meant to protect her fail so spectacularly? And will those responsible for her death ever repent? The Saints is out now, with new episodes released on Mondays. Listen on AppleListen on SpotifySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode 15: Donald Day Jr.
A year after the Wieambilla shootings, on the other side of the world, FBI agents swarmed a petrol station in a remote Arizona town, making a dramatic arrest and revealing the man behind the name “Don”. Donald Day Jr. is now heading to trial on five federal charges and the evidence against him has been laid bare in new court documents; disturbing videos praising the Trains, online comments boasting about being “an x-con, who’s armed to the teeth”, and the cache of guns found at his home. In this episode, U.S Correspondent Jonathan Kearsley breaks down the evidence and how rejected plea deals, and attempts to throw out the charges, have drawn out this case.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode 14: A Legacy of Change
Heartache and disappointment consumed the coronial inquest on its final day. The mothers of Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold deliver emotional statements, sharing the many “what ifs” that still haunt them from that day, and the critical questions that remain unanswered. In this episode, new details come to light around radio blackspots, body worn cameras, the Arnold family’s agonising five-hour wait for answers, and Rachel McCrow’s final message. And as Internal Investigations hone in on opportunities for improvement, the families are demanding more be done; fighting for Matt and Rachel’s legacy to be one of change, so their sacrifice will protect others.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode 13: The Missing Persons Report
Ominous final emails sent by Gareth Train never made it into the hands of Queensland police. Why were those four young constables sent to that property, into that ambush, without all the information? Would it have even made a difference? This episode takes us back to the start, unravelling the missing persons report that set this whole series of tragic events in motion. More than a dozen New South Wales and Queensland police officers are called into the witness box; every conversation, phone call and email scrutinised.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode 12: An Act of Terrorism
Was the Wieambilla attack an act of terrorism? An expert in political and religious extremism dissects the evidence to address this question. He breaks down Gareth, Stacey & Nathaniel’s radicalisation into five phases, highlighting their dramatic shift through the pandemic along with the part Donald Day Jr played in the rapid escalation of the Train’s extremist religious beliefs. The Coronial Inquest hears about prison letters, more Youtube videos and cryptic diary entries, and the actions the Train’s took to “bunker down” believing they were nearing their “time in battle”.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It was a scene of unspeakable evil when a routine callout turned into Queensland's deadliest police shooting.
Four young police officers were ambushed in the outback town of Wieambilla. Two were executed in cold blood, and an innocent neighbour was also gunned down. Two officers escaped the siege, injured but alive. Dozens of police reinforcements engaged in a six-hour gunfight against three heavily armed cop killers.
An investigation would unearth a dark and twisted web of conspiracy theories and religiously motivated terrorism. How a routine callout spiraled into a bloody massacre will be probed in a coronial inquest.The Ultimate Sacrifice is the latest podcast from the acclaimed team of 9News presenter Melissa Downes and producer Jessica Lodge, following their multiple award-winning podcast Hannah's Story, and is produced in partnership with 9News and 9Podcasts.
Content Warning: This series contains content that may be distressing for some listeners.
New Zealand