In this episode, we explore one of the most gruesome and disturbing true crime cases in Australian history: the Snowtown murders. From 1992 to 1999, a group of individuals led by John Bunting carried out a series of murders in the town of Snowtown, South Australia. The victims, many of whom were Bunting's acquaintances, were tortured and dismembered, and their remains were hidden in barrels.

Join us as we delve into the chilling details of the investigation, the psychological makeup of the perpetrators, and the impact the murders had on Australian society. With quotes from investigators, contemporary media, and court documents, we examine the hunt for the killers and the ultimate conviction of Bunting and his accomplices. This episode is a disturbing but essential exploration of the dark side of human nature and the pursuit of justice.


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

Sources cited:
Anderson, P., 2014. How Australia’s worst serial killers John Bunting and Robert Wagner stained Snowtown with their sadistic kill games. Herald Sun, 21 May. Accessed December 18, 2022. https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/true-crime-scene/how-australias-worst-serial-killers-john-bunting-and-robert-wagner-stained-snowtown-with-their-sadistic-kill-games/news-story/7a8f5f816349f60b8eeee2e06b23b2a4

Cawthorne, N., 2014. Bodies in the Back Garden. London: John Blake Publishing Ltd.

Seven Nightly News (26 May 1999)

Brook, M., 2019. Snowtown twist, MSN News. 13 March. Accessed December 18, 2022. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6799561/Snowtown-monster-tortured-murdered-10-people-launches-legal-action-bid-secure-release.html

Anderson, P., 2014. Snowtown stigma lives on years after murders, Herald Sun. 21 May. Accessed December 18, 2022. https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/true-crime-scene/how-australias-worst-serial-killers-john-bunting-and-robert-wagner-stained-snowtown-with-their-sadistic-kill-games/news-story/7a8f5f816349f60b8eeee2e06b23b2a4

R v Bunting & Others (No 3), Supreme Court of South Australia. 2003. Accessed 18 December, 2022. http://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sign.cgi/au/cases/sa/SASC/2003/251