1829: Beaten Unconscious Within Sight of the Gaol Wall: Hanged in Sydney for a Brutal Robbery
A brutal ambush in the shadow of the gaol wall left young William Hickey beaten unconscious, his skull cut open and his jaw broken, in a robbery that netted his attackers little more than a hat, a pair of shoes and twenty shillings. Read more →
1847: Mutilated to Frame a Maori Attack: the Family Murder That Nearly Sparked War in Auckland
When lookouts aboard HMS Dido spotted flames rising from a home near Auckland on 22 October 1847, sailors raced ashore to find Lieutenant Robert Snow, his wife Hannah and their young daughter Mary butchered, with flesh cut from each body and the house set alight. Read more →
1894: Caught Serving Poisoned Tea: Martha Needle Hanged in Melbourne for a Family Poisoning Spree
Martha Needle had already buried her husband and both young daughters, each death blamed on a mysterious wasting illness, when she turned her attention to the family of her fiance, Otto Juncken. Read more →
1979: The Hillside Strangler Was Two Men: Kenneth Bianchi Named His Own Cousin to Save Himself
Kenneth Bianchi confessed to being the Hillside Strangler, but he did not go down alone. Read more →
