Episode 13: The Missing Persons Report

Six months after she vanished, police finally came looking. But by then, was it already too late?In July 2018, 46-year old Priscilla Brooten vanished in Brisbane, leaving behind an abandoned car and a trail of unanswered questions. In Season 1 of Investigate, journalist Tara Cassidy unravels the case as it evolves from a missing persons investigation into something far more complex and sinister than anyone first imagined.  Through interviews with family and friends, some who’ve never spoken publicly, Tara pulls apart competing theories and uncovers disturbing new details. Across six episodes, this series examines what happened to Priscilla, the people involved - and why 8 years on she still hasn’t been found.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In December 2018, police knocked on the door of a Brisbane home. A missing persons report had been filed for Priscilla Deanna Brooten. Priscilla hadn’t been seen or heard from in more than six months, so why had it taken so long for her to be declared a missing person?In episode one, Tara Cassidy retraces the first steps of Priscilla’s disappearance, speaking to her daughter on the other side of the world who couldn’t reach her mum, and Priscilla’s  best friend who refused to stop searching for answers. As conflicting stories emerge about Priscilla’s whereabouts, Tara uncovers a series of missed opportunities, unanswered questions and a relationship that would soon become central to the investigation. When police finally knock on Priscilla’s former partner’s door, his answers only raise their suspicions. Contact us: [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weeks out from the third anniversary of the Wieambilla shootings, the State Coroner hands down his report - finding the actions of the Trains on 12 December, 2022 was not a ‘terrorist act’.  Some, but not all, of the key issues raised in the inquest are addressed in the Coroner's 10 recommendations - including drones for regional police, mandatory mental health checks for gun licences, intelligence sharing and training for triple 0 call operators. The McCrow and Arnold families voice their disappointment at the findings and recommendations. They pledge to continue to channel their grief into bringing about systemic changes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A major update in Donald Day Jr’s case - the man originally accused of inciting the deadly police ambush has struck a surprise plea deal in the United States. Melissa Downes is joined by Arizona journalist Cody Lillich to unpack the legal twists, the FBI recordings and how Day walked away with a watered-down conviction.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Gareth, Stacey and Nathanial Train had descended into a world of paranoia and conspiracy, experiencing a shared psychotic disorder; Folie à troix, “madness of three”. This is the assessment of one of Australia’s leading forensic psychiatrists who, after dissecting their upbringing, communications and relationships, has delivered a deep and comprehensive analysis of the Train’s mental state, concluding they were experiencing “identical persecutory and religious beliefs and delusions”.  In this episode we hear how Gareth's diagnosis may stem all the way back to birth, how this delusional disorder evolved and how he was able to transfer his delusions to his wife and brother, as he revealed his 'Grand Opus' - ultimately leading them to believe the police were devils, and that they must fight to the death to reach religious salvation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They’re some of the most highly trained police officers in Australia; and now, specialist operatives take us inside “the most dangerous operation” they’ve ever faced - Wieambilla in December 2022.  The team leader recalls the extraordinary ‘volley of gunfire’ that shook their heavy, armoured vehicles. The SERT commander lays out their mission to ‘isolate, contain and arrest’, and their tactical approach, fearing the Trains would escape. Plus, the court releases new recordings of negotiation attempts, appeals to the Trains to end the situation without violence, that went unheeded... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.