Anonymous

Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at any time you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. For suggested phone numbers for confidential support and for a more detailed list of content warnings, please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website.

Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at any time you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. For suggested phone numbers for confidential support and for a more detailed list of content warnings, please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website.

Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at any time you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. For suggested phone numbers for confidential support and for a more detailed list of content warnings, please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website.

Saturday August 10 1963 was a stormy winter's night in Perth, with heavy rain and thunder. But Carl and Wendy Dowd were heading out anyway to go to a party just a kilometre from their home in Dalkeith. The suburb was just south of Netherlands, which had been upended by the Australia Day shootings six months earlier. The initial panic after that event had somewhat calmed down by now,

Saturday August 10 1963 was a stormy winter's night in Perth, with heavy rain and thunder. But Carl and Wendy Dowd were heading out anyway to go to a party just a kilometre from their home in Dalkeith. The suburb was just south of Netherlands, which had been upended by the Australia Day shootings six months earlier. The initial panic after that event had somewhat calmed down by now,

Saturday August 10 1963 was a stormy winter's night in Perth, with heavy rain and thunder. But Carl and Wendy Dowd were heading out anyway to go to a party just a kilometre from their home in Dalkeith. The suburb was just south of Netherlands, which had been upended by the Australia Day shootings six months earlier. The initial panic after that event had somewhat calmed down by now,

Even though the shooter hadn't been apprehended, the fact that there hadn't been any shootings since meant that locals had started to relax ever so slightly. Carl and Wendy had hired a second-year university student to babysit their eight-month-old while they were out. Shirley MacLeod was a diligent science major who was filling in for her friend, the Dowd's usual sitter.

Even though the shooter hadn't been apprehended, the fact that there hadn't been any shootings since meant that locals had started to relax ever so slightly. Carl and Wendy had hired a second-year university student to babysit their eight-month-old while they were out. Shirley MacLeod was a diligent science major who was filling in for her friend, the Dowd's usual sitter.

Even though the shooter hadn't been apprehended, the fact that there hadn't been any shootings since meant that locals had started to relax ever so slightly. Carl and Wendy had hired a second-year university student to babysit their eight-month-old while they were out. Shirley MacLeod was a diligent science major who was filling in for her friend, the Dowd's usual sitter.

She had won a scholarship to attend university and her plan was to become a social worker. There are so many people who need help, she had once told her father. Shirley had been devastated by the murder of her friend John Sturkey in the Australia Day shootings. They had shared some of the same uni lectures. Carl and Wendy felt confident leaving their baby in Shirley's care.

She had won a scholarship to attend university and her plan was to become a social worker. There are so many people who need help, she had once told her father. Shirley had been devastated by the murder of her friend John Sturkey in the Australia Day shootings. They had shared some of the same uni lectures. Carl and Wendy felt confident leaving their baby in Shirley's care.

She had won a scholarship to attend university and her plan was to become a social worker. There are so many people who need help, she had once told her father. Shirley had been devastated by the murder of her friend John Sturkey in the Australia Day shootings. They had shared some of the same uni lectures. Carl and Wendy felt confident leaving their baby in Shirley's care.

She was a kind, conscientious girl who'd brought her textbooks with her. As the baby was sleeping, Shirley was hoping to get some study done. The Dowds said goodbye, then headed out to their party. It was 2am when they arrived home, happy and in high spirits after a fun night out.

She was a kind, conscientious girl who'd brought her textbooks with her. As the baby was sleeping, Shirley was hoping to get some study done. The Dowds said goodbye, then headed out to their party. It was 2am when they arrived home, happy and in high spirits after a fun night out.

She was a kind, conscientious girl who'd brought her textbooks with her. As the baby was sleeping, Shirley was hoping to get some study done. The Dowds said goodbye, then headed out to their party. It was 2am when they arrived home, happy and in high spirits after a fun night out.

Wendy went straight to the bedroom to check on the baby, while Carl headed to the lounge room where Shirley had been sitting when they left. The lounge was well lit and warm, as Shirley had the heater running. A teacup and saucer sat on the coffee table, and the turntable was spinning with a record that had long since finished playing.

Wendy went straight to the bedroom to check on the baby, while Carl headed to the lounge room where Shirley had been sitting when they left. The lounge was well lit and warm, as Shirley had the heater running. A teacup and saucer sat on the coffee table, and the turntable was spinning with a record that had long since finished playing.

Wendy went straight to the bedroom to check on the baby, while Carl headed to the lounge room where Shirley had been sitting when they left. The lounge was well lit and warm, as Shirley had the heater running. A teacup and saucer sat on the coffee table, and the turntable was spinning with a record that had long since finished playing.

Shirley's shoes sat neatly on the floor while she sat on a small couch, her head slumped. Carl assumed she must have dozed off while studying, as she was still holding a pen and notepad. Then Carl noticed that Shirley's clothes and face were covered in blood. Clearly visible in her forehead was a bullet hole. She had been shot and killed with a .22 caliber rifle.

Shirley's shoes sat neatly on the floor while she sat on a small couch, her head slumped. Carl assumed she must have dozed off while studying, as she was still holding a pen and notepad. Then Carl noticed that Shirley's clothes and face were covered in blood. Clearly visible in her forehead was a bullet hole. She had been shot and killed with a .22 caliber rifle.