What It Was Like

Tom Phillips has been hiding out in New Zealand's remote northwest with his three young children since 2021. Despite extensive searches, the family has managed to evade capture—even after Tom allegedly robbed a bank with his 10-year-old daughter. In this episode, we’re speaking with journalist Tony Wall, who’s covered the case from the beginning. He’ll share insights on those who may be helping Tom and why he’s been so difficult to catch.

For a decade, a man posing as a police officer called fast-food chains across the US and asked managers to strip-search their employees. Dozens complied, leading to multiple cases of sexual assault. In this episode, we speak with a detective named Buddy Stump who solved the case after a friend's daughter became a victim.

John Leonard Orr is a convicted arsonist and mass murderer. He is believed to have set nearly 2,000 fires in a 30-year spree, making him the most prolific serial arsonist in American history. But his daughter Lori hasn't always seen him this way. She talks about her childhood memories of seeing John as a hero firefighter. A man who always had a special knack for being the first on the scene.

When Lorraine Murphy met up with a pig farmer at a cafe in Vancouver, she couldn't have been less impressed. "Willy," as everyone called him, was creepy and smelled terrible. She left and didn't see him again for 12 years — when Willy was arrested as the most prolific serial killer (by body count) in Canada's history.

This is a rerun from 2022 but it's one of our favourites so we're giving it a second play. If you haven't already heard it, you're in for a treat.

On October 12, 2002, Phil Britten arrived in Bali with his footy mates from Perth. A few hours into their first night, a van packed with explosives detonated outside the nightclub. Phil barely made it out alive. On this anniversary of the Bali Bombing, we reflect on one of Australia’s darkest periods.