Groundbreaking Podcast Uncovers Disturbing Patterns in Australian Partner Killings
A groundbreaking new podcast from 7NEWS has exposed the disturbing and predictable patterns behind some of Australia's most infamous intimate partner killings. The investigation reveals critical warning signs that were consistently missed before women tragically lost their lives.
Inside the Minds of Killers
The podcast, titled Kiss and Kill, takes listeners deep inside the minds of narcissistic offenders who murdered the women who trusted them. The investigation uncovers strikingly similar pathways followed by convicted killers including Gerard Baden-Clay, Borce Ristevski, Louis Mahony, Tyrone Thompson, Anthony Eriksen, and Charles Evans.
Investigations editor Alison Sandy, the journalist behind acclaimed podcasts The Lady Vanishes and The Truth About Amy, has spent months speaking with leading criminologists, forensic psychiatrists, and legal experts to compile this comprehensive analysis.
"We're showing what the red flags are, showing what to avoid, and in cases where someone has lost their life, we're pursuing justice," Sandy explained about the podcast's mission.
The Predictable Eight-Stage Pattern
According to criminologist Jane Monckton-Smith, intimate partner homicide represents the final step in a predictable pattern of behavior that can be identified and tracked.
"It tracks the offender's behavioral journey from before they meet their victim to when they might kill them," Monckton-Smith revealed. "This is a pattern of behavior specifically designed to trap someone in a relationship."
The research identifies a sequence of eight distinct stages that typically precede partner homicide:
- Establishing control over the victim
- Rushing intimacy and commitment
- Isolating the victim from support networks
- Gaslighting and psychological manipulation
- Begging or threatening self-harm if the woman attempts to leave
- Developing homicidal ideation
- Planning the homicide
- Carrying out the killing
"You can start to predict who these people are," Monckton-Smith emphasized, noting that while many controlling relationships stop short of violence, beyond a certain point the pattern becomes both predictable and deadly.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder and Repeat Offenders
The podcast investigation includes analysis from forensic psychologists who have diagnosed wife killer Gerard Baden-Clay with narcissistic personality disorder. These experts argue this condition cannot be effectively treated and the dangerous behavior will likely be repeated with new partners.
"They tend to move from one relationship to another behaving in a similar way," explained forensic psychiatrist Ian Freckleton, highlighting the importance of considering this pattern in both sentencing decisions and parole considerations.
Catalyst for Policy Change
The Kiss and Kill investigation has already sparked renewed hope for nationwide adoption of Clare's Law in Australia. This domestic violence disclosure scheme, which originated in the United Kingdom, allows potential victims to check a partner's history of abusive behavior.
Advocates hope implementing such legislation would honor women who have been killed while protecting future potential victims from similar fates.
The complete Kiss and Kill investigation will be available across Seven's full suite of broadcast, digital, and audio platforms, with exclusive content on 7NEWS at 6 PM and the full vodcast available on 7plus, LISTNR, and major podcast platforms.
Alison Sandy serves as the 7NEWS National Investigations Editor and Executive Producer of Kiss and Kill, bringing her extensive investigative experience to this critical examination of intimate partner violence in Australia.
