Dark Stories: On This Day In True Crime History - Dark Stories True Crime Tours

1934: The Pyjama Girl: A Body in a Culvert and a Mystery That Lasted Decades

On 1 September 1934, the body of a woman with a bullet through the neck was found in a culvert beneath near Albury, New South Wales.

Dressed in silk pyjamas, she remained unidentified for a decade, preserved in formalin and viewed by thousands before police named her as Florence Linda Agostini, an English-born woman who had lived on Darlinghurst Road in Kings Cross and later moved to Melbourne with her husband Tony Agostini.

Tony Agostini confessed to killing Linda and was convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to six years. He served just over three years before being deported to Italy.

Photograph of Linda Agostini(Linda Platt) - Pyjama Girl Mystery — Photograph of Linda Agostini(Linda Platt) – Pyjama Girl Mystery

⬅ See all events from 1 September

Albury Australia Cold Case Darlinghurst Kings Cross Manslaughter Melbourne Murder NSW Sydney Trial Unsolved VIC

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

1846: Explorer John Horrocks Shot Dead by His Own Camel in South Australia

On 1 September 1846, explorer John Horrocks was shot near Lake Dutton in the far north-west of South Australia. While reloading his shotgun during the expedition, a kneeling camel named Harry shifted its packload and tripped the weapon’s trigger.

Harry, the camel responsible for the accident and reputedly the first camel to arrive in Australia, was shot dead on Horrocks’s own orders before he died of his wounds on 23 September.

⬅ See all events from 1 September

Accident Australia Death Exploration Lake Dutton Lake Torrens Penwortham SA South Australia

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

1997: Princess Diana Killed in Paris Tunnel Crash

In the early hours of 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales, died after a high-speed car crash in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel beside the River Seine in Paris. The Mercedes carrying her struck a concrete pillar while being pursued by press photographers. Diana was 36. Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul were also killed; bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones was the sole survivor.

French investigators concluded that Paul had been driving at excessive speed while affected by alcohol and prescription drugs. The crash nevertheless became the subject of numerous conspiracy theories, including claims that Diana and Dodi were deliberately killed, that British intelligence or members of the Royal Family were involved, and that the collision had been engineered to prevent an alleged marriage or pregnancy.

These allegations were examined in detail by Britain’s Operation Paget investigation, which found no evidence of a conspiracy to murder Diana. A subsequent British inquest, concluded in 2008, returned a verdict of unlawful killing caused by the grossly negligent driving of Henri Paul and the pursuing paparazzi.

Princess Diana smile, circa 1997. vintage post stamp,. LIBERIA - CIRCA 1997: canceled stamp printed in Liberia dedicated to the memory of princess Diana, circa 1997. vintage post stamp isolated on black background. princess Diana with silver crown | ID 98306680 © Fmua | Dreamstime.com — ID 98306680 © Fmua | Dreamstime.com

⬅ See all events from 31 August

Accident Disaster Europe France Inquest Paris

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

1825: John Riddel Hanged at Hobart for Murder, Confessing Two More Killings

A dispute over the butchering of a pig turned fatal in Hobart in 1825. John Read Riddel, a carpenter, had hired a butcher to cut up a slaughtered pig. Dissatisfied with the work, the two men came to blows, and Riddel drove a knife into the man during the struggle.

Standing on the gallows for his crime, on 31 August 1825, Riddel confessed to the gathered crowd to smothering two of his wives while they slept in a drunken stupor, to forging a letter with an English postmark to deceive a clergyman into marrying him, and to a failed attempt on the life of his Captain, where he had snatched a concealed sword and was about to strike when a bystander intervened.

Riddel himself requested that the full weight of his crimes be made public, before being launched into eternity.

Piggy bank hanging from a hangmans noose on a golden rope

⬅ See all events from 31 August

Australia Confession Execution Fraud Hobart Murder TAS Trial

1934: The Pyjama Girl: A Body in a Culvert and a Mystery That Lasted Decades

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

1846: Explorer John Horrocks Shot Dead by His Own Camel in South Australia

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

1997: Princess Diana Killed in Paris Tunnel Crash

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

1825: John Riddel Hanged at Hobart for Murder, Confessing Two More Killings

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Subscribe to Dark Stories