In 1948, an unidentified man was found dead on Somerton Beach in Adelaide, with no identification and no signs of violence. The only clue was a scrap of paper found in his pocket with the words "Tamam Shud" (meaning "ended" or "finished" in Persian) printed on it.

Join Holly and Matthew as they examine the various leads and theories that have been explored over the years, from espionage to black market trading to a love affair gone wrong. Come along as they unravel the mysteries surrounding this enigmatic case, and explore the enduring fascination it holds for true crime enthusiasts around the world.


Main Theme music – Kevin MacLeod
"Slow Ticking Clock" – Kevin MacLeod
Used under a Creative Commons license.

Sources cited:
Castello, Renato. 2013. "New twist in Somerton Man mystery as fresh claims emerge." Herald Sun, November 23. Accessed February 19, 2020. https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/new-twist-in-somerton-man-mystery-as-fresh-claims-emerge/news-story/18b3fe551a0b50d1adad4b42646a1748.

The Evening Advocate. 1945. ""Sans Wine, Sans Song"." June 4: 1. Accessed February 19, 2020. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/214186187.


The Adelaide Advertiser. 1949. "Curious Aspects of Unsolved Beach Mystery." June 22: 2. Accessed February 19, 2020. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/36373373.

Watkins, Emily. 2011. "Rau refuses to dig up body of unknown man found dead at Somerton Beach." The Adelaide Advertiser, October 15. Accessed February 19, 2020. https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/rau-refuses-to-dig-up-the-unknown-man-found-dead-at-somerton-beach/news-story/9c4bf81107db66ff441708b8

Debelle, Penelope, and Gabriel Polychronis. 2019. "Somerton Man cold case: SA Attorney-General Vickie Chapman grants conditional approval to exhume body." The Adelaide Advertiser, October 14. Accessed February 19, 2020. https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/attorneygeneral-vickie-chapman-wants-to-solve-somerton-man-cold-case-conditional-funding-approved/news-story/6531247eee73fa0e227fe5fd518dc751.