Shandee's Story

Introducing Shandee's Story

Shandee Blackburn was brutally murdered as she walked home from work - but this cold-case can still be solved. Gold Walkley Award-winning journalist Hedley Thomas - who created The Teacher’s Pet and The Night Driver - goes deep to find out who killed Shandee, and why. To contact Hedley Thomas anonymously with any information on Shandee's Story, email Shandee@theaustralian.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 1: Sugar Town

Shandee Blackburn is a popular, outgoing young woman who lives with her mother Vicki in a Queensland town renowned for its sugar, Mackay. Shandee walks home at night from her coffee shop job sometimes and she’s filmed by CCTV cameras - along with her killer who runs to launch a frenzied and savage knife attack. Shandee’s murder stuns the community and triggers ongoing trauma and investigations into her relationships including with a former boyfriend. Subscribers to The Australian have exclusive first access to episodes of Shandee's Story via The Australian's app. Subscribe to The Australian here.You can download on The Australian's app in Apple's store here. Also get it on Google Play here. To contact Hedley Thomas anonymously with any information on Shandee's Story email Shandee@theaustralian.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 2: Sweating Bullets

Police detectives talk to Shandee’s former boyfriend, John Peros, who discloses his trust issues, their arguments, problems in the bedroom and break-up. John willingly goes to the police station to make a statement, but he declines to give a sample of his DNA. One of the detectives describes John as very nervous - he tells another cop in a recorded chat at the station that John is ‘sweating bullets’. Jarrod Hau discloses how he warned Shandee and John when they got together to keep their relationship casual. To contact Hedley Thomas anonymously with any information on Shandee's Story email Shandee@theaustralian.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 3 - Toxic Love

Detectives forensically examining Shandee’s iPhone uncover thousands of text messages and evidence of fierce rows between John Peros and Shandee in the year before she died. Unresolved trust issues plague John and Shandee’s toxic love as Shandee begs John to stop telling her to kill herself, while John demands to be left alone. John visits mental health professionals after breaking up with Shandee and talks of a difficult childhood. Shandee’s friends on the Gold Coast say they heard fierce and abusive rows between John and Shandee sent over a voice-messaging app called HeyTell. Subscribers to The Australian have exclusive first access to episodes of Shandee's Story via The Australian app. Subscribe to The Australian here.You can download on The Australian's app in Apple's store here. Also get it on Google Play here. To contact Hedley Thomas anonymously with any information on Shandee's Story email Shandee@theaustralian.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 4: Stealth Mode

John Peros tells a friend he has entered “stealth mode”, purchasing a motor scooter, deleting social media and using a new phone as police obtain a warrant to search his property. Friends who socialised with John on Australia Day 2013 give police statements, alleging that John made hateful comments about his former girlfriend on that day, two weeks before Shandee was murdered. A vitriolic document John sent to Shandee is analysed by a forensic linguistic expert, and a former detective speaks about his role in the murder investigation from his home outside Brisbane. Many people who remember John say he is a great bloke. A talented fighter who is calm and measured, and a fiercely loyal friend. Subscribers to The Australian have exclusive first access to episodes of Shandee's Story via The Australian app. Subscribe to The Australian here.You can download on The Australian's app in Apple's store here. Also get it on Google Play here. To contact Hedley Thomas anonymously with any information on Shandee's Story email Shandee@theaustralian.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.