Cult On Trial: Who Are The Zizians?

Her husband died. She wrote a book about grief. Then she was charged with his murder.The Kouri Richins case is one of the most talked about recent criminal trials. While she was giving interviews spruiking the book she wrote to help her children cope with the loss of their father,  investigators were uncovering drug deals, secret debts, an affair and a sinister murder plot. In this episode, Tim & Xanthe discuss how a story of grief unravelled into a murder motivated by greed.  You can watch our full video episodes on Youtube - click here!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He was one of Australia's most feared predators - and he was never caught. In this episode, Tim & Xanthe revisit the terrifying crimes of Mr Cruel, the masked offender who stalked Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, targeting young girls, in the late 1980s. Tim worked alongside Victoria Police at the time, profiling the serial rapist as the attacks grew more brazen, escalating from calculated home invasions and kidnappings to the murder of 13-year-old Karmein Chan. More than thirty years on, the mystery remains: how did one of Australia’s most methodical offenders get away with it - and could Mr Cruel still be out there? You can watch our full video episodes on Youtube - click here!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Six deaths, multiple states and a high-IQ cult at the centre of it all. In this episode Xanthe and Tim unravel the bizarre and deeply unsettling case of 'The Zizians', whose alleged victims include a border patrol agent and one member's own parents. So how and why did a group of highly intelligent Silicon Valley overachievers spiral into violence? It's a twisted web authorities are still trying to untangle, with seven cult members currently behind bars awaiting trial. You can watch our full episodes now on Youtube: click here!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

She killed three babies and tried to murder two others. How is Australia's worst female serial killer now living in anonymity within close proximity to young children?An investigation by A Current Affair reporter Erin Ramsay has thrust the case of Helen Patricia Moore, the so-called killer babysitter, back into the spotlight. Despite serving less than fourteen years for murdering babies in her care, Moore rebuilt her life under a new identity - and was babysitting again.Plus, a chilling new claim from her own brother raises the possibility she got away with another murder. Erin Ramsay joins us to reveal what she uncovered and the alarming failures meant to protect children. You can watch A Current Affair stories here:  on Youtube or 9Now  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is this another case of wrongful conviction like Kathleen Folbigg?In this episode, we revisit the case of Lucy Letby, as fresh legal developments continue to reshape how the evidence is being examined. With new inquests announced and ongoing legal processes underway, questions are being raised about expert testimony, systemic failures and whether earlier conclusions still stand. Tim & Xanthe unpack what’s changed, what’s still contested and why this case remains far from settled.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The disappearance of four-year-old Gus Lamont has become one of the most troubling and fast-moving investigations in the country. The case that began as a desperate search in remote South Australia has since shifted into a major crime investigation. This episode, Tim & Xanthe discuss the key developments and turning points, and what detectives are saying now about their direction and their suspect. It's a case still unfolding with updates released literally as we record this episode, so by the time you're listening, the story may have already changed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the time this episode is released, Julian Ingram is one of the most wanted men in Australia. A major manhunt was launched in regional NSW after Ingram allegedly shot and killed his pregnant ex-girlfriend, her new partner and her aunt before fleeing the scene. As revelations emerge of his criminal history and recent release on bail, serious questions are being asked about risk assessment, firearm access and systemic failures. We break down what is known so far - and why this case is resonating far beyond one small community.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the remains of an infant were uncovered in a Sydney backyard, it was just the start of a dark and twisted scandal that shocked colonial Australia. As police uncovered over a dozen more infant remains, the secret world of Sarah and John Makin’s baby-farming operation came into view. In this episode we’re joined by author of ‘The Baby Farmers’, Dr Annie Cossens, to dissect what really happened and how baby farming thrived in an era when young women and unmarried mothers had nowhere to turn - and society looked the other way. Find more information on Dr Annie Cossins' books at the links below:The Baby FarmersFemale Criminality: Infanticide, Moral Panics and the Female Body    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robert Maudsley has spent more than 40 years in near solitary confinement, caged in a bespoke glass cell. Also branded ‘Britain’s Most Dangerous Criminal’ and labelled ‘Hannibal The Cannibal’, his story has been shaped as much by myth as by fact. In this episode, we unpack Maudsley’s troubled upbringing, his violent criminal history and the extraordinary lengths taken to isolate and contain him. It’s a case that raises countless legal and ethical questions around  how far a society can go in the name of safety… and what that means for human dignity.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fifty years after eight-year-old Eloise Worledge vanished from her bedroom, the case is back in the spotlight with a $1 million reward announced for answers. In this episode, we speak with Eloise’s aunt, Margie Thomas, who has spent decades refusing to let her niece be forgotten. She takes us inside the night Eloise disappeared, the investigation that stalled and the toll of living with unanswered questions. If someone knows the truth, this conversation is a reminder that it’s never too late to come forward. Anyone with information about the disappearance of Eloise Worledge is urged to contact crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.