In 1970, eighteen-year-old Olive Waiker disappeared as she walked across Rotorua to babysit her nieces and nephews. Her semi-naked body was found hours later in a rest area south of the city, having been bashed to death so feircly that her skull had smashed into seven pieces. Deb Webber and Adelle Dishcombe investigate.
Australian case, unsolved double murder of Lorraine Wilson and Wendy Evans
In this episode of Sensing Murder we learn about the murder of Angela Blackmoore, a 21 year old woman with a 2 year old child. Divorced (or separated) from the father of her child she lives with her new partner in Christchurch. When her partner returns home from working late on the night of the 17th of August 1995, he finds Angela murdered in the kitchen of their home. She had been stabbed 39 times. The child was not harmed and the killer has not been found.
Almost Perfect revisits one of Australias most baffling family murders - the case of Elmer Crawford. He appeared to be an average family man, but then in 1970, he murdered his pregnant wife and three children, with no apparent motive. He electrocuted them then sent them over a cliff in the family car. Unbeknownst to Elmer, the car hit a small ledge and hung on above the crashing waves. It endured the stormy night hanging on the cliff edge with only a few centimetres of limestone stopping it from falling into the sea, and it was discovered the next morning by 2 tourists. A Coronial inquest was held in 1971, which found Elmer responsible for the deaths of his family. Despite numerous reported sightings over the past three decades, Elmer has never been caught. Psychics Deb Webber and Barbara Neilson re-investigate the crime and trace his movements since.
Sensing Murder Insight (screening TV2, 8:30pm Tuesday 4th September 2007) launches a new series of Sensing Murder on New Zealand television. Police detectives from around New Zealand reveal exciting new developments sparked by the Sensing Murder psychics in Series 1. And, for the first time, the Sensing Murder filming process is laid bare as die-hard sceptic and professional clinical psychologist Nigel Latta scrutinises a full psychic read.
In 1999, Kiwi engineer Aaron Hopa and his English colleague Robert Glazzard were murdered on board a survey ship in the Persian Gulf in. Aaron's father is the sole policeman in the South Island town of Geraldine and is convinced at least one of the 28 men on board the ship is responsible. Psychics Deb Webber and Kelvin Cruickshank investigate.
When 12 year old Agnes Ali'iva'a drowned in a ditch in 1992, the police initially thought her death was accidental. It was four years before public and political pressure forced police to re-investigate her death. A second coroner's inquest confirmed that Agnes had drowned under suspicious circumstances and a second police team concluded they were dealing with a possible homicide. Psychics Sue Nicholson and Deb Webber investigate the suspicious death of young Agnes.
In 1993, devoted father Kevin O'Loughlin came face to face with the dark side of sunny Nelson when he was brutally stabbed to death after a night out on the town. Police believe Kevin was killed by more than one person but, to this day, the identity of his murderers remains a mystery. Psychics Kelvin Cruickshank and Deb Webber investigate Kevin's murder.
54 year old Simon Buis was savagely beaten and kicked to death in an Auckland park in 1980 by persons unknown. To this day, his killers have evaded capture. Simon was a gifted photographer, who socialised with some of New Zealand's best known artists. Friend Tim Shadbolt described him as a "philosopher" and a "Socrates type" who enjoyed a good debate. His murder devastated his family and shocked Auckland's artistic community. Psychics Sue Nicholson and Deb Webber turn to the spirit world for answers
Spirited teenager Jayne Furlong dreamed of becoming a child psychologist - instead, she ended up a prostitute. In 1993, 17 year old Jayne vanished from her patch on Auckland's Karangahape Road. Police suspect that Jayne was murdered -- but, to this day, her body has not been found. Her disappearance is investigated by psychics Deb Webber and Kelvin Cruickshank.
42 year old Garth Doull was last seen on the 17th of August boarding a ship in Wellington harbour. Police don’t know if he died on that day, or at a later stage. A newspaper found in his bedroom was dated two weeks later, suggesting he may have died after the 17th. Police could not find a murder scene, nor could they narrow down a motive for murder. Garth had swindled many people, but he was a small time crook and police did not believe he’d angered enough to warrant them killing him. Garth’s sisters, who are still traumatised by his murder, remember a scared Garth fleeing Auckland shortly before his death. Did his past catch up with him somehow? In The Great Pretender, presented by Rebecca Gibney, psychics Deb Webber and Kelvin Cruickshank attempt to tune into Garth Doull’s spirit to answer the questions that have baffled police for all these years. When did Garth die? How did he die? Where? Why? And who killed him?
In 2006, 19 year old Blake Stott died in a mysterious car fire. Blake had seemingly pulled into a South Otago lay-by to have a sleep, when his late-model, un-modified car burst into flames. Because the fire damage was so severe, a team of fire experts were unable to conclusively determine the cause of the blaze. They suspected an “unspecified electrical fault” was to blame. The police found no evidence of foul play, the coroner ruled that Blake had died from carbon monoxide poisoning and the case was closed - much to the distress of Blake’s family. Kelvin Cruickshank and Sue Nicholson search for answers.
26 year old deaf woman Alexa Cullen vanished from her home in Manaia, on the Coromandel Peninsular in 1995. She had a history of hitch-hiking and police suspected she’d run away. But three years later, ominous rumors began circulating in the community, prompting police to launch a murder enquiry. To this day, Alexa’s body is missing and the events of that fateful day remain a mystery. Kelvin Cruickshank and Sue Nicholson investigate.
This week’s episode of Sensing Murder promises greater co-operation between psychics and police, attempting to uncover the truth about the death of 18 year old apprentice plumber Regan O’Donoghue, who was killed in a hit and run last year. Regan O'Donoghue was walking home from a party held at Elstow Hall near Te Aroha in 2007 when he was fatally struck down by a car. Police believe the car crossed the centre line to hit Regan, and that it may have been deliberate.
This week, for the first time ever, the prime suspect in a murder enquiry has turned to Sensing Murder for help. Since 1977, farmer Lindsay Calvert has had to endure local suspicion that he murdered his wife Lesley, who was missing for seven months before her body turned up in an area that had already been searched. Although the coroner ruled that Lesley died from 'unknown causes', and the police thought she had probably committed suicide, Calvert is still convinced that his wife was murdered. Calvert is adamant that he adored his wife. "It was everything I ever dreamed a relationship would be," he says. "We were soul mates - and she was a fantastic mum." Soon after Lesley's disappearance, some local people started to speculate on his possible involvement in the crime, and disturbing things began happening in the Calvert household. "We had a house cow shot. We had four sheep shot up here by the stock yard - gut shot at that, which is very cruel," Calvert explains. "My kids had two pet goats, they both disappeared." His daughter, Sandra Calvert also remembers the unsettling occurrences. "We'd go down to our grandparents for dinner and we'd come back and things had been moved in the house. Things had been pulled out of the hot water cupboard - it was scary." Now, frustrated by the years of suspicion, Calvert wants the psychics to clear his name and unmask the real killer. Psychics Webber and Cruickshank travel into the heart of Taranaki King Country in search of answers about Lesley's mysterious death.
Katikati man Siegfried Newman disappeared on February 25, 2008, after he had dropped his sons Thomas, 9, and Oliver, 7, at Pahoia School. Police carried out a three-day search but found no sign of him. At the time, police said Mr Newman was known to be suffering depression over the loss of his wife Vicki, who had died a few months earlier of cancer.
65 year old Alan Gordon Woodford, of Bedford St, Mossburn left his home on foot Saturday morning April 20, 1985 and was never seen or heard of again. Weeks of searching by police, family members and volunteers, taking in all rivers in the area and a shoulder-to-shoulder search of the Takitimu mountains, found nothing.
The psychics are back helping to uncover answers in four cold cases, taking a closer look into the secrets that surround these tragic and untimely deaths.
Sue Nicholson and Deb Webber continue their investigation into the gruesome death of 19 year old Joan Wech. Will the psychics be able to unearth new clues and identify her killer?
In 1995, a young man's bloodied body was found on the side of a highway just out of Ngaruawahia. Psychics investigate whether it was a hit and run - or something more sinister.
Kelvin Cruickshank and Sue Nicholson continue their investigation into the grisly death of a young man whose bloodied body was found on the side of a highway in 1995.
In 1957, a nine-year-old boy was on holiday on a remote farm near Gisborne when he vanished without a trace. Can Sensing Murder's psychics find answers in one of New Zealand's coldest cold-cases?
In 1957, nine-year-old Peter vanished on a Gisborne farm without a trace. Was the schoolboy murdered? Psychics Deb Webber and Sue Nicholson attempt to connect with his spirit to find answers.
Described as a brutal execution, a 46-year-old grandmother was found stabbed to death in her Napier home in 2008. Her family have come to Sensing Murder desperate for answers.
Final: Psychics Deb Webber and Sue Nicholson continue their investigation into the brutal death of a 46-year-old grandmother, who was found stabbed to death in her Napier home in 2008.
Part 1 of 2: Our new team of psychics are challenged to unmask the killer (or killers) of vivacious New Zealand hairdresser Paula Brown who was plucked from Sydney's downtown after a night out with friends.
Part 2 of 2: Our psychics are challenged to connect with the spirit of murder victim, vivacious New Zealand hairdresser, Paula Brown, to lead us to where her body was dumped and unmask her killer (or killers).
Part 1 of 2: Our psychics are challenged to connect with the spirit of murdered Christchurch scrap-metal dealer, John Reynolds, to discover his killer and reveal the truth surrounding the violent attack.
Part 2 of 2: Over twenty years on, our psychics are challenged to unmask the killer of Christchurch scrap-metal dealer, John Reynolds, and provide leads for our private detective to follow.
Part 1 of 2: The psychics are challenged to connect with the spirit of 53-year-old, Cynthia Greenwood-Smith, to unravel the lies and discover the grim truth surrounding her disappearance from her Gold Coast home.
Season Final. Part 2 of 2: Seventeen years after the mysterious disappearance of Cynthia Greenwood-Smith, our "Sensing Murder" psychics are put to the test to discover what really happened behind closed doors.