A young boy’s disappearance leaves a nation in shock | Forensic Files

[Music] today's episode relates to violent crimes against children that will not be
suitable for all listeners please keep that in mind before continuing on December 7th 2003 13 year-old Daniel
Malcolm left his home in the Queensland hinterland town of palm woods to go to the Sunshine Plaza shopping center in
Maroochydore he planned to get a haircut and look for Christmas presents he had begged his twin brother Bradley to go
with him the twins went to the plaza together on the bus often but on this rainy day Bradley didn't want to go so
Daniel went alone their joint birthday was only 12 days away and shortly after that it would be Christmas despite
having to go by himself Daniel was happy it was excited to buy his parents something special for
Christmas Daniel left his home on one boy Palm Woods Road and made the one kilometre 20-minute walk from his house
to the bus stop underneath the killed Melton overpass he passed the small service station along the way the owner
jenny noticed him walking alone just after 1:00 p.m. in the direction of the bus stop sheltered beneath the overpass
on nimble connection Road was an unofficial bus stop it's unmarked the buses would pick up and drop off
passengers there if requested the grass on the side of the road was worn to dirt
where buses had pulled in and out it is a curved stretch of roadway that begins in the south at Forest Glen and ends at
the subtropical inter LAN town of near bought to the north around 7 kilometers in length that takes six minutes to
drive from one end to the other there are four lanes - in each direction the road is framed on both sides by trees
and bushes and it is always busy with local and tourist traffic daniel had caught the bus from here to the shopping
plaza many times before standing underneath the overpass he waited for the 135 scheduled afternoon bus service
to sunshine Plaza driving time from the bus stop to the I was about 15 to 20 minutes the spot
where Daniel waited for the bus was just a short distance away from the big pineapple a popular tourist landmark on
what is known as the Sunshine Coast the overpass is also in view of the nearby Suncoast church the bus Daniel was
expecting had broken down 750 meters before the overpass but it was out of his sight due to the breakdown a
replacement bus had already been dispatched but the driver had been instructed by the Judy controller to run
an express service and not stop along the way at 2:15 after Daniel had been waiting 45 minutes
this replacement bus approached him Daniel signaled for the bus to stop the driver saw him signal but he continued
on as instructed he gestured to Daniel that another bus was coming as a small shuttle bus was only a few minutes
behind stopping to pick up the stranded passengers along the route a female passenger confronted the driver about
not stopping for Daniel who she had seen trying to flag down the bus just three minutes later at 2:18 p.m. the small
shuttle bus reached Daniel's bus stop however during those 3 minutes Daniel had vanished without a trace
[Music] palm woods is a small country town in Queensland's hinterland nestled just off the Bruce Highway with
just over 5,000 residents it's a close-knit and unassuming town 20 minutes from the Sunshine Coast tourist
resort town of Mooloolaba the land around was once covered in pineapple plantations which propped up the area's
farming industry in the early 2000s Bruce and Denise Morgan purchased the large family home at the northern end of
palm woods closer to the smaller town of Wambach they had three young boys so the
spacious four-bedroom home and a stunning five acres was the perfect family home Bruce and Denise were
regional franchises for the Jim's mowing business and Bruce was a keen gardener so he was drawn for the sprawling garden
and the old barn which used to be used for storing pineapples from the local plantations they had moved from another
house close by so the area was familiar to them from a young age the boys were used to riding their bikes around and
having their own independence when the twins were six Daniel was hit by four-wheel-drive out the front of the
family's house it was okay to spend the night in the hospital they were resilient kids by 2003 the family had
been in their new home for two and a half years and their sons Dean aged 15 and the twins Daniel and Bradley aged 13
were entrenched in their local community the boys had moved schools to budino and they spent weekends helping their
parents do up their property they had a dam which they stopped with fish like Australian bass golden perch and
barramundi and the boys helped their father plant over a hundred fruit trees the boys love spending time at home and
exploring the area Bruce Malcolm described Daniel as a shy quiet boy who would pick flowers and collect
knickknacks for his mother on the way home from school Payan twin Bradley were best mates and
were always together Bruce and the twins had befriended two ponies at a local plant nursery although not technically
twins as the ponies were born a day apart two different mothers but the same father the boys still formed the special
bond with them when they were old enough the ponies came to live with the Morgans
their property Daniel nineties pony bullet and Bradley's pony was called Sorento the boys would walk them around
and ride them every second day they had ducks chickens cats and Daniel's other best buddy was their German Shepherd
chief chief was very protective of Daniel Daniel shy and quiet temperament led him to have a special way with
animals he was kind and patient and it was no surprise to his family that he wanted to become a vet the Morcom family
was close and has mid 2003 approached their mowing business had over 50 franchisees Bruce and Denise looked the
qilin down their lives so they sold off half of them and planned a Greek holiday
to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary after their holiday in October 2003 Bruce and Denise rejigged
to their business and decided to run their operations from home so they could spend more time with the boys
the afternoon Daniel had gone to the shopping center Bruce and Denice Malcolm arrived home from a work Christmas party
in Brisbane about 4:30 they had wanted their three sons to go to but the boys decided to stay home and pick passion
fruits on a neighboring farm neither Dean nor Daniel was home when Bruce and Denise arrived Bradley told
his parents Dean was at a friend's house and Daniel had left to go to sunshine Plaza earlier in the day but he wasn't
home yet Bruce and Denise immediately believed something was wrong they called the bus company and learned of the
problems with the broken down bus that afternoon they drove along the bus route expecting to find Daniel stranded
somewhere along the way but he was nowhere to be found at 7:30 they drove to Maroochydore
police station Daniel's description was noted and an alert was put out for patrol officers to
be on the lookout for him Bruce and Denise were told to go home and wait for Daniel in case he returned home and if
he didn't they could file a missing persons report the next day they spent the remainder of the night calling
friends and family to check if Daniel had wound up at their houses but no one had heard from him using flashlights
they searched their own property in case Daniel was in the sheds or stables at the den or amongst the fruit trees they
also headed back to the bus stop but they weren't sure what they was supposed to be searching for by now it was 9:00
and Daniel was afraid of the dark they were frantic with worry Bruce and Denise stayed up on the couch waiting
all night but Daniel didn't return home at 8 a.m. the next morning they returned
to the police station to make a report by 9:00 a.m. police officially named a Daniel Malcolm a missing person and
released pictures of the smiling boy to the media his disappearance made local news and Bruce and Denise front of the
media appealing for information over the following days up to 50 state emergency
service volunteers began a door knock and a large-scale search of the aerial rescue helicopters search from the air
to cover more land a mannequin was dressed in the outfit Daniel wore on the day he went missing I read a Billabong
brand t-shirt navy blue shorts and grey globe green sneakers there was place burn
to kill Mountain overpass where Daniel had been waiting to catch the bus witnesses came forward and confirmed
seeing a child matching Daniel's appearance beneath the overpass between 2:00 10:00 and 2:00 2:15 p.m.
some recalled seeing him drawing in the dirt with the stick the driver of the replacement bus confirmed being flagged
by Daniel the driver of the smaller shuttle bus who had been told to pick up Daniel and any other stranded passengers
confirmed to the bus stop was empty when he arrived three minutes later sightings
of a blue sedan in the area were reported by other witnesses they described seeing a young male near the
blue car and an adult male with him some witnesses saw two adult males in the blue car a woman confirmed she had seen
Daniel waiting under the overpass so she drove past moments later a blue lady's model car came speeding past her quote I
could see a person which I thought was a male in the back seat he was punching and moving violently in the back of the
seat slightly to the right the woman had attempted to write down the license plate number but her pen
didn't work properly and she had thrown out in the piece of paper she tried to write on another witness described a
white four-wheel-drive vehicle parked near the bus though the driver of the first bus and several passengers
mentioned seeing an unkempt gaunt me and standing a short distance behind Daniel
presumably also waiting for a bus he was described as having a tattoo on his shoulder and a goatee beard when the
second bus came by a couple of minutes later both Daniel and the unknown men were gone as divers conducted searches
of nearby waterways and dams investigators focused their attention to identifying the unknown men the news of
Daniels disappearance had by now gained a national media attention but despite an appeal the stranger from the bus stop
never came forward his identity remained a mystery and police began to suspect he
had some involvement in Daniels disappearance task force Argos the child sex offender
investigation team of Queensland police spoke to known and suspected child sex offenders who lived in the area at the
time a total of 39 known pedophiles were found to be in the vicinity of the bus stop on the day Daniel disappeared each
had their own alibi and none could be proven to be the man seen near Daniel [Music]
meanwhile a vigil was held in support of the Morken family at Daniel's school Siena Catholic College 400 friends and
supporters joined Bruce and Denise and Daniel's brothers at the service on the 19th of December 12 days after he
disappeared that was Daniel and Bradley's 14th birthday birthdays were usually a special day for the twins that
would blow out the candles on the cake together and take turns opening their presents but this was a terrible day for
Bradley with no sense of celebration on December 21st 14 days after his disappearance police re-enacted Daniels
movements on the day he vanished to jog the memories of motorists who drove along near board connection Road that
day for the first time since the start of the investigation the Morgans stated publicly that Daniel had been abducted
police continued to search homes Fields and waterways they collected statements questioned persons of interest and
checked alibis they were under pressure to find Daniel and identify the unknown man seen with him at the bus stop rumors
of a child snatcher kept children from travelling alone and to the lingering terror of when he would strike again
kept the local community on edge throughout this ordeal Daniels parents were never idle from the day Daniel went
missing Denise and Bruce Malcolm vowed they'd never give up looking for him they personally followed up every call
they received about their son's disappearance investigated every clue they could and conducted many of their
own searches they searched areas where they believed the Daniel could have been taken or his body disposed of at each
location they would search on their hands and knees for any evidence of their son even discovering what they
thought was a piece of Daniels red shirt in a junk pile during one search Christmas past with the Morgan family
preparing a seat at the dinner table for Daniel despite his absence 2003 ended with no new discoveries but the Morgans
continued onwards never giving up hope that would find Daniel the first day for Daniel service was held on the 20th of
April 2004 the color red had become a symbol of Daniel and Bruce and Denise launched a thousand red balloons into
the sky they maintained awareness and encouraged others not to forget many fundraisers and defense were held in his
honor and over a million leaflets calling for information were distributed by late 2004 the Queensland state
government announced the 250,000 dollar reward and possible indemnity from prosecution for any information that
would help solve Daniels disappearance this reward was the biggest in Queensland's history and - led to 8,000
calls from the public to Crimestoppers composite sketches of the unknown man seen at the bus stop were drawn up using
descriptions given by multiple witnesses the sketches showed an older Caucasian male with dark hair heavy brows lean
face goatee and a tense jaw on the first anniversary of Daniel's disappearance a
memorial was unveiled at the area where he vanished a thousand people attended the service and a plaque with a message
circled with red ribbon thanked the efforts of those who contributed their time and effort in the search at the end
of the plaque at red Daniel was a much-loved brother of Dean and Bradley and son of Denis and Bruce may peace be
with you the more consult their family home and moved to a smaller house in the same district after leaving Daniels
bedroom and belonging is untouched after all this time in anticipation of his return Denis carefully packed away his
things and placed the items in a storage shed by Neil Bruce and Denice Malcolm had been bombarded with hundreds of
emails and letters full of conspiracy theories and disturbing false information mediums pedophiles and
others contacted the Morgans with many different theories about what had happened from how he was killed to where
he was hidden and everything in between none of this information ever led anywhere in February 2005 Bruce and
Denis launched the Daniel Morgan foundation the foundation aimed to educate children on personal safety to
assist victims of crime and to support the families of missing persons it was paramount in ensuring Daniel
wasn't forgotten eighth year on the anniversary of his disappearance his image and story became headlines in the
Australian media once more as time passed there were no major breakthroughs with the case another 750,000 dollars
was donated privately making the total reward for information on Daniel $1,000,000 but the reward went unclaimed
the private donation expired in May 2009 the 250,000 dollar reward from the state
government still remained on offer on the day the private donation portion of the reward expired the media reported a
known pedophile Douglas Jack Way could be of interest to police Jack Wei had been released from
prison in 2003 one month before Daniel disappeared Jack Wei had a proven criminal history
of snatching young boys in broad daylight for the purpose of sexually assaulting them the theory Jack Wei was
responsible was further supported by the blue sedan witnesses spotted near the bus stop which matched a carjacked way
owned at the time he also had tattoos on his shoulder and a goatee beard Jack Leigh lived in goodness
an hour and a half drive from the kill Mountain overpass and he had plans to be in the area on the day of Daniels
disappearance he told police his car had broken down near the kill Mountain overpass the day after Daniel
disappeared prior to his release clear evidence had been presented that Jack Lai was a risk of reoffending but he was
released anyway and the Queensland Government was heavily criticised Jack Wei was a solid suspect but there wasn't
enough for an arrest a full-size model of the unknown me and senior Daniel was placed underneath to
kill me at an overpass within a few days the police received another 300 tip-offs
from the public in total Crimestoppers received over 20,000 leads during the investigation more than 100 police
officers conducted over 10,000 interviews but as time passed the investigation slowed to a halt there was
little doubt Daniel had met with foul play but there was no concrete evidence to direct police towards an arrest the
caronia inquest into the disappearance of Daniel Morgan began on October 11 2010 seven years after he disappeared
the Malcolm's hoped their search for the truth would soon be over in the 10,000 page police brief given to the coroner a
total of 35 people were listed as high-level persons of interest their names were suppressed from the
media each suspect was referred to by the letter P for person of interest along with a number Bruce and Denice
Malcolm attended each day of being quest they listened to the sordid and disturbingly detailed history of abuse
each person of interest had previously perpetrated against children one person of interest known as p1 actually
confessed he and an accomplice dumped a barrel containing Daniels body into the brisbane river the river was searched
but nothing was found the confession was the later proven false another person of
interest known as p5 described as a psychopath who had previously been accused of rape and kidnapping had
threatened his girlfriend into giving him an alibi when his girlfriend was asked why she protected him she claimed
she was blinded by love p5 had approximately five hours unaccounted for on the day Daniel went missing
on the 31st of March 2011 p7 was summoned to give evidence p7 traveled from his home in Western Australia to
Brisbane after being told a warrant would be issued for his arrest if he didn't appear p7 was a tall lanky man
with light-colored eyes a goatee and he wore silver earrings he had a tattoo of a clown on his shoulder and tattoos of
skulls on his arm the nice and welcome later eyes on him and felt a cold shiver she felt in that moment after seeing
scores of people take the stand at p7 was the men who took her son peace evans real name was Brett Peter Cowan
he was born on September 18th 1969 in Bunbury Western Australia his parents were Marlene a homemaker and Peter a
Vietnam War veteran the family moved through Queensland and Cowan grew up in the suburb of Everton Park around the
ten kilometres north of Brisbane Cowan was described as ordinary with few hobbies interests or social groups
he was often overlooked by those around him Callum was raised in a strict military household and was the third of
four brothers his father suffered PTSD from his experiences in the Vietnam War his mother was a proud member of the
community Cowan was considered the black sheep of the family he boasted of an extensive history of sexual predation
and abuse against children by age 18 Kellan claimed to have preyed upon up to 30 children aged between 6 & 8 starting
when he was around 10 years old Kalen targeted most of his victims at the local swimming pool in fleeting
encounters in order to avoid detection he later started abusing a younger female relative the abuse continued over
a nine-year period Kalin claims he would ask for permission first and only realized he was doing something wrong
when he was much older there is no evidence to suggest the Cowen himself had been abused to growing up in his
teens Cowen attended mussel and college a Catholic High School in Northside Brisbane he was a loner prone to violent
behavior towards people he perceived as weaker he also displayed a cruel streak towards animals on weekend camps during
bush schools courses he paraded dead lizards and possums he had killed he was of average intelligence and dropped out
of school in year 10 relying on his parents to support him he was a cigarette smoker and habitual drug user
who first tried marijuana at age 11 and regularly used amphetamines cocaine and LSD his first convicted child sex
offense occurred in 1997 when he was 18 years old Callan was already known to police at
that stage and was performing court-ordered community service as punishment for drug and theft offenses
wearing a pair of orange overalls he worked maintenance at a public park in Brisbane while children from a nearby
child kiss and I played around him Kalen grabbed the seven-year-old boy by the hand and pulled him into a toilet block
locking them both in a cubicle a childcare worker noticed the boy was missing and started calling out his name
Callan placed his hands around the boys throat squeezed and threatened to kill him before releasing him Carolyn's
demeanor after the attack was calm and carefree when the police came by Carolyn's family home that night he
barely reacted he was charged and pled not guilty he denied putting his hands around the boys throat and eventually
claimed the boy enjoyed what they did together after his arrest Callan was released on bail during which time he
disappeared he spent two years on the run interstate before he was finally found in a beachside suburb of Cronulla
in Sydney and brought back to Brisbane Patrol the survivor of this attacker bravely testified against the small and
Cowen in court Callen was convicted of indecent dealing and deprivation of Liberty and sentenced to two years
imprisonment Callens ii convicted attack occurred in 1993 when he was living in a caravan
park in Darwin with his girlfriend Cowen had not informed his girlfriend of his past and she did not suspect it was a
pedophile that evening a six-year-old boy who lived two caravans away from Callan was walking back from the toilets
Callen spoke to the boy and enticed him to join him in checking out some wrecked
cars nearby after leading the child through a gap in a fence away from the caravan park Callen grabbed him and
carried him to a rusty wrecked car he tied him up and stuffed paper in his mouth when the Rope loosened that during
the attack Carolin took a knife and cut the boys legs and chest leaving him to die covered in blood with extensive
injuries all over his body the boy twisted out of his restraints dazed and in shock he stumbled to a service
station for help his injuries were so severe it was initially thought a car hit him he wouldn't tell police who
attacked him Carolyn had traumatized the child sopra family he was too terrified
to name him once the rumors of a child molester living in their community spread through
the caravan park Cowan joined the search for the attacker nobody suspected Callen
and the survivor continued to stay quiet other residents of the caravan parks or
cow and his young popular outgoing happy and he had a girlfriend they didn't suspect him for a second Karen Haven
made a scene saying he hoped the police would catch the bastard it was all over for Callen when a DNA sample was found
on the child's underwear when the police asked residents of the caravan park for
samples to match Callen confessed the survivor believed caralyn attempted to kill him and expected him to die after
the attack however the charge of attempted murder was dropped prior to the trial carolyn used the years of
heavy drug taking as the reason fees three of assaults he was sentenced to seven years jail for unlawfully causing
grievous bodily harm deprivation of Liberty and gross indecency psychological assessments deemed cowl
and a pathological liar who lived a parasitic existence with a gross lack of awareness he believed his victims would
not report him as they probably enjoyed the experiences Callen was only required
to serve three and a half years of his sentence after acknowledging his sexual deviancy was a problem and agreeing to
attend a sex offenders treatment program after his release Callen moved to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland with his
pastor aunt and uncle Keith and Jenny Philbrook Callan claimed to be a reformed Christian who had given his
heart to God and was no longer taking drugs he attended the Suncoast Church which was located only 100 metres from
the kill Mountain overpass where Daniel disappeared Carolyn joined a Christian outreach program and regularly attended
meetings of the church church leaders were never aware Carolyn's criminal history involved acts against children
but boundaries were apparently put in place by Carolyn's uncle to limit his interactions with children as he did
have some knowledge during his time worshiping at Suncoast Church Carolyn allegedly tried to rape a fellow
parish member a 15 year old girl police were not contacted about this attack it was believed or being covered up by the
church at the time a claim denied by the church leader who was adamant if such an
allegation was confided to him he would have remembered it and taken swift action Callan soon met and married
another church goer in 1999 and they had children together his wife claimed to be aware of the
basics of Carolyn's criminal history but as a forgiving Christian she trusted he
had changed other churchgoers claimed Carolyn stopped attending the parish once he was married
Kalin and his wife divorced within five years of marriage and a custody battle for their children took place in the
Family Court Kalin was interviewed by psychologists and he admitted he always worried if things got bad he could
offend again but insisted he would never do it against his own flesh and blood custody of their children was awarded to
Carolyn's ex-wife at the time of Daniels disappearance Kalin still lived with his
wife on our spent road in bilwa a 30-minute drive from the kill Mountain overpass on December 21st 2003 a few
weeks after Daniels disappearance police interviewed Karen for the first time Karen owned a white 1990 four wheel
drive missin Pajero similar in description to one of the cars a witness had seen at the overpass right around
the time daniel disappeared Carolyn told police he left home around 1:30 that day
they had spent the morning working in his garden he drove to an acquaintance's housing near bought to collect the mulch
oh and he estimated he got home around 2:30 his rear took him past the bus stop where Daniel was waiting Callen claimed
he didn't observe any people or any vehicles at the bus stop when he drove past when he got home he mulched some
trees had a shower and stadium for the night after this first interview he voluntarily gave a DNA sample and
provided a photograph of himself he also consented to a forensic examination of his car this examination did not reveal
any evidence Daniel had been inside the vehicle the next day police questioned at Karen's wife she believed Cal and
didn't return home that afternoon until about 3 p.m. Callens acquaintances who he borrowed
the mulcher off told police that he had been at his house for only five minutes to collect the mulcher the police
raining acted that drive Callen talked that day and discovered there was 45 minutes in Carolyn's statement that was
unaccounted for police didn't interview Cowan again until July 6 2005 he was now
separated from his wife and lived in New South Wales during this second interview
Cowan agreed with police the composite sketch of the unknown man seen with Daniel at the bus stop shared a
resemblance to himself but he felt it looked more like his brother in this second interview Cowan admitted seeing
the broken down bus on the side of the road near the one bite turn off the interview concluded with a final
question if you had have abducted Daniel would you tell me so which Karyn replied
probably not after he's married gendered Kellan commenced the new relationship she was
18 he was 37 karen was rough with her and derived sexual pleasure from strangling her to the point of her
passing out Callens email address at this time was the number six you LDV and the number
eight sexual deviate on september 14th 2006 police interviewed Karen once more he was again questioned about the timing
of his movements on December 7th 2003 and police confronted him about the unaccounted 45 minutes in his story for
the first time since police approached him carolyn admitted he had a drug supplier Sandra Drummond in the
unaccounted time in Carolyn's statement he now claimed he was at Drummond's house with her partner Kevin Fitzgerald
for half an hour buying cannabis when asked why he hadn't mentioned this earlier Carolyn said he
didn't want to implicate Drummond police later took a statement from Drummond who
confirmed Cowen was a customer but couldn't recall if he'd come to her house on the day Daniel disappeared at
the cranial inquest Cowen was asked again about seeing the broken down bus he said after thinking about it some
more he was now unsure whether or not he did see the broken down bus work instead he
had just heard about it on the news or saw it in a reenactment he also told the inquest daniel was too old for his
liking as he preferred boys aged from 6 to 8 years old when asked directly if he had any
involvement in what happened to Daniel Karen said I had nothing to do with Daniel's disappearance nothing at all
Bruce and Denice Malcolm left the court visibly distressed they both felt Callen
was the unknown man seen at the bus stop with Daniel but there was no evidence of
that and Callen was free to leave after giving evidence at the inquest he had answered all questions asked of him a
few days later Cowan's drug-dealing alibi Sandra Drummond appeared before the inquest
previously she was unable to give police a definitive answer as to whether or not
Callan was at her home on the afternoon Daniel disappeared she couldn't remember
but now there was new evidence at the inquest she stated that on those Sundays she and her partner Kevin Fitzgerald
would visit the Barrois RSL and played the poker machines using their loyalty cards the loyalty cards actually keep a
record of the time you played the machines and their loyalty cards showed that Drummond and Fitzgerald were
playing the machines from 2:20 p.m. on the 7th of December 2003 which clashed with the time that Cowan said he was at
their house despite his alibi unraveling Callen was free to return home on April 1st 2011 he
boarded an 8 p.m. flight back to Western Australia his participation in the cranial inquest was complete and for him
the saga was over whilst waiting for takeoff the passenger seated beside Cowan started some idle chitchat the
passengers name was Joe Emery he was a friendly bloke around the same age as Kellan social cans and hit it off quite
well they had a lot in common Joe Emery was a career criminal and he and Cowan spent the five-hour flight to
Perth getting to know each other Callan was impressed by Murray and he gave him his phone number the two men remained in
contact and formed a close friendship it was awake after appearing at the cranial inquest that kaolin first heard
about Drummond's testimony on the news hearing the new evidence placing her and fitzgerald at the RSL playing poker
machines at the time he was supposed to be at their house Kalin was quick to protect himself in an attempt to
misdirect the police and hide the criminal history associated with his real name Kalin legally changed his name
to shadow nunya hunter shadow was his dog's name Kalin heard the name hunter on television and at Nanyang was short
for none of your business Kalin was living in a caravan park and Joe Emery visited regularly Carolyn had
been fired from his job and couldn't afford to live in the park for much longer he was desperate for money so Emery
introduced Carolyn to his friend Paul Fitzgerald fitzy as he was more commonly known Fitz
he was the boss of a crime gang that Emery was a member of after spending a few weeks getting to know Kalin better
Carolyn had earned his respect so Emery thought he would be a good fit for the gang Emery vouched for kelan and
Fitz he started him off with some small-time jobs to make sure he could be trusted as Caroline's involvement
increased he earned the trust and respect from the other gang members the structure of the gang was hierarchical
and each member worked under a strict code of trust loyalty and honesty this moral connection was paramount in Cowan
feeling he could confide in those around him and had actually discouraged the pathologically deceptive behavior
he had Beggs ìbut ADIZ whole life pimping drug dealing burglary bribing blackmailing loan sharking gun running
and smuggling were just some of the crimes Karen committed he collected money from sex workers blackmailed a
bank manager bribed custom Offices of Perth International Airport stole $50,000 worth of cigarettes purchased
firearms and fake passports stole cars transported blood diamonds and moved a large sums of money and drugs
Kalen proved himself to be loyal to fitzy in the game and he was rewarded with bigger jobs and as the crimes got
bigger so did the payouts greed became Cowan's primary motivation fancy food alcohol cars clothes women things he
could never afford in his life previously we're now readily available to him powerful men new Callen or shadow nunya
hunter as it was now known and do they respected him life was good for Callen the disappearance of Daniel Malcolm and
the cranial inquest was a distant memory as he lavished himself in luxuries on August 4th 2011 50 message kallen and
said he wanted a meeting Callen was later picked up in a car by fitzy and the two of them drove to meet with Craig
Craig was a corrupt cop who 50 paid well for confidential information and Fitz he
wanted Karen at the meeting Craig gave fitzy some information about different jobs they were planning and warned him
to dump a silver Hyundai they were using as the police had their eyes on it as the conversation was wrapping up Craig
mentioned one more thing it was the reason why Cowan was at the meeting there was the subpoena coming from
Brisbane for Callan to appear at the coroner's court again Carolyn was surprised that's been a gonee remarked
Craig said the subpoena was fresh Karen became nervously defensive and said he didn't know anything about it
Craig assured them his information was good and they had better prepare for him Craig left the meeting leaving an
anxious Cowan with fitzy what's that about mate fitzy asked Ellen Cowen quickly explained I was living in the
area that Daniel Morecambe went missing from and that's how I [ __ ] met Jo on the plane back from being subpoenaed
over there for coroner's caught in Queensland and I know I had nothing to do with it my alibi is 100%
there's nothing we can't get fixed Fitzie assured him but the thing they want I know the bosses made sure nothing
can come back on us because you know we work as a group there's nothing they can't fix so don't stress about [ __ ]
it's just you got to be honest you're going to be 100% honest to us you know you can't [ __ ] lie to us
Carolyn nodded and told fitzy there was nothing to worry about four days later Carolyn met with fitzy
again the revelation he was being subpoenaed to reappear at the inquest had been weighing when he's mourned and
he was worried it would jeopardize his place in the game I am loving this Cowan said I'm happy I haven't been like this
before it's not just the money it's what I'm getting from it the maid ship I'm not proud of my past in prison
I made the decision to never offend again I don't want to be behind bars for the rest of my life
calentard fitzy that he was sure his legal name changed to shadow nunya hunter would mean the subpoena wouldn't
reach him a plan to import ecstasy pills worth a million dollars was lined up as
the next big job for Carolyn Calvin's cut would be a hundred grand and he talked with other gang members about the
toyota FJ cruiser and boat he was going to buy it with the money on August the 9th 2011 Fitz he collected Karen for an
overnight trip they were going on a run to pick up cash cow and mindlessly chattered the fitzy about himself sex
murder his father and his brothers who hated him and his trades and skills an hour into the drive Fitz his phone rang
change of plans Arnold was in town and he wanted them to turn around fitzy ran the local gang but
Arnold was the big boss head of the national syndicate Carolyn and her two beard Arnold before but had never met
him that was about to change Arnold had just ordered to see Karen Arnold was waiting in the Swan River
room the presidential suite of the Hyatt Hotel when Cowan entered the room Arnold enthusiastically shook his hand
Arnold wore a tailored dark suit with a crisp white collared shirt Callen was wearing a baggy leather jacket and jeans
his oily brown hair tied loosely at the back of his neck Arnold led Cowan to a couch and
encouraged him to sit the men Saturday the corner of the couch faced the face a metre apart
Arnold leaned back resting an arm along the back of the couch and crossed the leg over the other he harbored no
tension in the room Cowen hunched forward his elbows on his knees Arnold began their conversation with
informal chucha he referred to Carol on his bug he listened attentively as Caroline discussed how he had been
painting the fence on his farm Karen also talked about an injured bird he had been nursing back to health
Arnold asked if Karen was happy and if he had any problems was anyone forcing Caroline to do anything he didn't want
to do Karen replied no he was enjoying himself and said everyone had been great to him after two minutes of casual
conversation the tone changed abruptly Arnold got to the point as to why he ordered to meet Karen this is the actual
conversation between Arnold and Karen which was recorded listen one of the reasons I brought to
here was aging now I said to you before we both walk before we run we gotta crawl before we walk and as you probably
also know I've got a lot of people in my confines all around the country that a good made to to get good information
from and as this thing's progressing this big job that we're looking at I've been checking out which is only expected
of me and there's a couple of things that have come up that we need to talk about
if unknown I thought it was all dealt with look I was up in here I'm here other business I'll be I'll be straight me I'm
here on other business but I got some information through early this morning which this kind of mainly post finally
stuff so that we can sort this out um what do you need to tell is there something you need to tell me or and
bearing in mind did this to hold what we do is based on respect and honestly there's something stopping here before
you go on I'll let you know that I care what you're done all right I've got no qualms at all and I thought with a lot
by the real bad cancer Isis and I've had a lot of real bad casts on my books what
they do what break it up to doesn't faze me at all all I'm looking for is loyalty
respect and honesty and I'll pay you back as you pay me back to hell um because I lived in the area just let me
figure I'd turn this bloody thing off to come on Tory Johnson I was living the area in oh three when Ben and Warren
went missing pencil being interviewed and I was handed phrase is there left I guarantee I had nothing to do with them
the waters just in one of my alibis or hopping out my alibi they reckon they saw the pieces because my drug dealer
now thanks - I was another half and I've lost my two oldest kids due to this as well I
was brought forward to the coroner's inquest in Marseille polishing and I thought that was the end of it I was
concentrate said to me that there's a not a warrant but a pain a subpoena yeah look I've got them in fact this morning
and basically saying those things but but what concerns me more than anything else is telling it's info telling me and
as I said I paid good money to a lot of people and I take a lot of risk in doing
that to get the information that I need to keep us safe and clean as a group but
ultimately you know if the Heat's on you then the Heat's on all the Heat's on deck and the hates on me and I can't
afford for that to happen huh so so what's happened is from the information I've got all right I'm told and done
you've done the Daniel welcome murder I've told that it's dead said that that year one has done it and at last it
doesn't bother me at all but what concerns me is that I need to I can sort this for you you know I can
sort things out I can buy Ella boys I can get rid of star all that kind of things that needs to be done I can do
that I need to know what I need to do in all of me so you saying they'll divide up a bit that's not why I'm going to and
that brings me in a real dilemma in a crossroad because I want to move forward with what we're doing but until I can
sort this out I can because you're too hot and I'm talking the other subpoena coming for you I say the Holocaust
ruckus me on a still huge another staff and when I thought you for mother Phyllis Phyllis Katya men or more 101 in
confidence you see if I know the sort it's and so this our throne as I've said the
month of you good good for us and I want to bring on board but I've got a way up
the risks the mains got any business you know ever like that huh that's what a couple
to me you got me in one second all righty boy high-mileage hey can i glasses yeah for
me oh I'm getting the same way yeah I bought it and bought it for it but he owned a them okay what what about Arnold
Shadowhunter alias Brett Peter town the main suspect in us disappearance of Daniel walk on the witnessed in
Queensland 7 December 2 here in a tree my sources told me that there's no that means the person responsible for this
event witnesses have placed him at the same with Malcolm just private disappearance as Easton there's about a
45-minute a window of opportunity where Karen is unaccounted for he provided a weak alibi two years later
in a family court matter but there's something about this alibi that's not right and I'll find out all more shortly
let you know the Morgan case is one of the highest profile missing person cases in Queensland history and there's a lot
of any interest in it here on gave evidence at the inquest under the code name of p7 and I suggest you google some
of the info that are provided to get more of a feeling for this matter which have done coroner's inquest the
recommencing shoreland town will again be in the spotlight if you can't sort this out them I
suggest you drop them like a hot potato alright so that's that's what I copped and that's who I had postponed English
um I haven't postponed what's happened but I've postponed the business apps through this morning
if you down when you're one-on-one and sort this share alright but like I said I can't sort out what I don't know so
look what happened and happen I've sorted out yeah I don't know lotta see all right honesty trust
respect huh if you know you know where you're going you know what your options are here all right and you know the
information I've got and I've said I paid good people good money you can ask fine
and if I've got to postpone what we're going to do for a few months to sort this out I'm happy to do that for your
sake all right because I'm told looking pretty long you build up a good relationship with some of the boys and
they'll speak very highly on fish yet so what I'll need the pits okay you know yeah I do
all right okay so here that's that what I'm finding you know I need to kind of date I need to fit me right back to the
whole thing so nice anything like I don't know forgotten DNA or a kind of [ __ ] now obviously they haven't found
the [ __ ] boys they are all friends exam the car they've got nothing animal track well look just waiting through the
whole [ __ ] thing I'll have somebody go and then I'll think about things that we need the sort will fix my coffee home
don't know hair I seen him and then Peter look around and I had magnet what taught what colleges come on Colin spell
last time the early morning you're gone where we go we belong with us as far as price to be yellow with water down your
boss's father spice it up a wooden table track get it done we can use a lot in the end yeah that's armless anything
again um picks it up on my hand there's a broken down bus we have the Samba broken down and then I think
denying at all I say single on the side all right what you're getting hearing a common-law husband after random parking
yeah so it's kind of part of my car was never on the road so nothing la but he put there's some on top of that a white
full draw that I think yeah well it was not sitting on the highway at all and back behind their homes near the church
for where I was okay walk down sat there and then you talking for long I've been
for him at all when I got there they just live ago I was waiting for the bus okay we'll turn up on the bus drove fast
and messing with it on going down to Chopra Center doing with head and you Sonya
thank mister bascomb and he'll know the bus drove past because if I save in the orders not pick up any more passengers
but it was the broken-down one and there being none of us really yes okay so you
ask when you wanna loop detective is something when's when you sydney car behind the battery passenger safe right
okay it here on the saintly something's in our to be to put it spot that annual or when was that to be wrong just off 15
feet tall so that's the spring form which both feel they were it'd be the way our waa fear what do i say no here
in do for all you taking the bit where half hours that from where you pick them up half an hour I don't know the area
I've never really been explained there must surely it's all right so you taking the Bella have you talked them along the
way all the knows no calm I like I said I'm not judging at all all right so being at my all right just tell
me what I know the fish keep taking the Bella then went through a been asking or
knew where you know exactly where that was into boundaries in a nice cool air oh boy
wrote ro is or something with Roy Road at the end but what we might need to do is hit Joe I'll get them out one wanting
to hit that sort we're going to need to get that sorted right um Oh in fact cuz I just put it under bushes and I went
back so if I liked oh boy so you're taken into the house yeah what happened in our on effect I'm not
judging like yes why member to my steal or anything like that the panic in my panic we dragged him around for immunity
I no longer packed unis trailing out and you know you probably don't think about
relying on him so what you were looking at he didn't seen one all right so he read in a stroke he's still [ __ ]
in the car no no it take them to the house with we're back now just into the there's no furniture nothing the first
friend or he [ __ ] spit blue five anything in that right what about is clothing everyone's fighting on school
yes yes bowling in them alright have you've choked me out God in that room what are you done in um taking them
outside you put it in the back of your car what when side it back and K talking about this where what was those a white
Ford rather some of this together okay so that is what but a big door on the back to have sense in the back of all
that I am all the multi easily alright so you've lured him in the back of the carcass would the mall today
spooked it as he passed the mulch all lovey if you reckon you're letting prints of the house or the hair sits
gold dawn if I say we'll get to that Amir so he's taken him in the back your car
how long does it just packed with some I finally had a lot you have 150 meters it's all portion you know I can probably
house it's not a morning so he picked up from that from the house bring me the backing carcass and you're
driven I don't if you made the phone I talked to we're not suppose the way of the plants in a fenced off area I was
actually going to lead the property to this am blasting on yep and there's an embankment where this might say money
got up to and then it's all been grown added with trees and bushes in and then but the old like my wife yep look I'm
not coming with you know maybe just cross a little [ __ ] lap so that I know we pick you up just like come with
a housewife really do anything like then you're always Road comes in you like that load macadamia avocado farm here
next we're spread there around ear like this and everything's a couple of sheds then there is the house here here
consider Roger copy kept everything where the house is there's a little track that goes off down there shrill
gate yep down so it's not a little the caravan and an old mobile song that I picked the Mosel a bit okay so once
you've done that what do you do anymore yep dragging bending in bed with you when your dragon can believe any point
or add to dragon it's on a fateful a angle you know I carried him over three billion bases money okay any tree moving
back with it now half hours over man half here hadn't left a mouthful Lord I pay you [ __ ]
Bush comes but the old cowboy so in front down the back down on bang with Batman huh what are you done then with
their men from dragon see better how far it was um so I found someone I thought I could
spot it so with that sandbox see some still have only fire on you leave anything idle up stripping off yep and
trees and branches and covered it but in fact is closed up for back with me and from in the decree determine an
appropriate which grateful not to store it with the cocaine right there you know
my money I've still weird amenity but like a low longing boots typing my cousin I have a
longing bridge can a creeper hum that is correct there is fast bone cut the morning did you have put him in a bag I
thought just put one by one on the whole model and what happened done I just [ __ ] off just thinking by the way
thank a photo I know that everybody been like yeah yeah alright so so after after
he's done all that yeah I've heard something about like a watch that he had a watch some [ __ ] thing some did you
have that feat always a whole lot when he ever since he didn't keep incomes there's no channel was going to finding
of his all right so he's letting me under the shrub yes what are you going to trying to you found a close on in the
thing if you've gone home yes I did I did stuff of my deal with spicy pick up you guys yes so they're
lying when there is nobody there okay so you go to I think the other my do you understand company is light of it
okay babe over there and I mean she probably had drugs but you wouldn't know what time of day it was alright so you
give he's got his deal effect on the asking is trying to close in there and the rivers gone to the dealer's
house right you open up there yeah 50 on 10th never bought big quantities Oh wonderful just great one I hate me
send that same concern which I always did put a lot spend half an hour or so so I'm not walking in there yeah um went
home went inside figured out any more photos back went out and started chipping okay that's the end of that
thing did you go that better wait well within that week I went back and I hit the press but I know I recently so yeah
well you've got back a bed and hit the press thing oh yeah like a missing person not so what you're thinking [ __ ]
I better get right there something with tradition a little bit about a way plan you've gone back and packing a shovel
bang I'm assigning your side car and what do you done it um went down so we're putting him finally found a
fragment from fine the rest of it was gone pack my weight in a week the rest is gone right there was a pet - you get
told to summer you can't tell what what those fat Andreea so what's happening like I said me well
they get easy animals in losing fat me other than our decides how what was left of them little piece of bone with that
balloon no scowl not at all $40 every part of the skull yeah you know what there is in me right rose out
of the shovel so Friday night still there so that's kind of causes a problem we get up to go and grab that you're on
broken like it don't know but now they can do wonders all this [ __ ] [ __ ] that DNA all that kind of crap so we'll
have to well I'll have to get you to fly over here with some of it with a white couple of boys and Saul actually out on
but before therefore the shovel you broke kids goggle up with this shovel where they someone here dunno
wasn't that I took home is in the army and it's [ __ ] outs prevail that's the house my this is a [ __ ]
long car my house doesn't it yeah and if someone from another half for you somebody's rear-ended bit here so the
shovel my stuff over here and I move on you because I left my war there seven months eight months up there and done
will living in removed from that asked to man ball to another here okay and then I let her went more mwah all right
siding as far he knows nothing easy kept looking [ __ ] my candle give you talents fastest and a bit of bone that
we left happy mother I said I'm only nice personally own story so you've got me if I can bury at all and that's all
that's left and you're very back in that spot all right is anything else you think that we
make a pact lay out your alibi the [ __ ] this destroyed me low yours you still talk now we've got a protein if I
can inspire some [ __ ] dollars or you think we should just I'll have a think about that
I'll let I think about it alright see the drugs as far as - so maybe approachable and that's what I think but
the boyfriend that saying that he would have remembered the motor and all that sort of stuff on the chipper
what if alot of them are but could I did showing the tuba are you shouting the chip at a state sign that they would
remember but if I'm governor okay oh look I need to make some [ __ ] balls I don't have a bit of a thing what I'll
do I'll get in or oh no okay Jeff come back up and they can take it down like a Paul you know you fix that boy something
different makes me fall when I swore a protocol and I'll get it pulled back [ __ ] fine why would you think about
putting up nights on weekends I can find my with one on boys a couple of boys and
sorting all this shitty I don't have a look making sure everything is [ __ ] good because if we can sort this out now
it's going to be bizarre what I said - our milk yep cut along cause I'll cut ties with anyway before
yeah but I've got no problem with cattle prod to everybody dealing to the state of best to dip dead okay look you know I
can you know 565 come on Joel we fix it with sent our way for a while enjoy a few dramas operation ah she's got a
heart of it so have faith in your heart and we'll sort this out for you and we'll move on I might have to put this
job back a little bit some sort out that's on top oh no Billy yeah now it's up to you what you told us all I know
nothing about no no that's fine you have to come up with a scenario oh let me have a think about of all sorts
something out on it's Jeffrey that needs know that you know someone else is going
to need to know on a live venue yeah because I'm gonna have to send someone will ya thus all all this [ __ ] [ __ ]
here alright so let me have a finger let me let me give or get em to come back up
with you and on my life ever calls or thought them couple more people that I find been giving each other the same
price just to see if NPL the quiz that it is on [ __ ] that's that half near L boy that the Redeemer son
will be buried at sports we can make the call but EVP Nathan last week and you said a have she gone yet
yeah oh my god the Morris family I don't know it by the word pudding okay and we're going back I'm like no blood no
spit button did you [ __ ] [ __ ] be blown to do you actually saying let those [ __ ] laughing it's not and it was
my DNA in the hair so I've been dead before with another guy yeah okay me out look what all the matter is it else
I'm a default boy like anything else that you're [ __ ] done there's going to get a sense back now and no more things
we're gonna [ __ ] find Michelin's I look at you I didn't go all right does happen so when you through this [ __ ]
because I'm just thinking why you talking I'm thinking you know for the relax you don't find a [ __ ] for Elliot
this up about this watch now that they're missing this back on watch did you say or what you had or are you so
might have been in the pocket or some [ __ ] thing wonderful setting up the sink like a look at gosh I'm also away
if I can you all then what's really hey time ago or it that's probably in your advantage but what concerns me is the
actual [ __ ] faces is that your person we were talking you that I will show they out really no one here will sort it
fart and like I said we just have to put things back a bit sort yeah Mike listen man you want to come
back up with Jeff and grab shadow and just taken down for a coffee or a drink or a bite or something I just got a few
calls I saw two things here all right now I see you soon after his confession to Arnold Karen had
lunch with fitzy he was cocky Neal he boasted again about abducting Daniel Walker he explained he took Daniel to
the isolated property in the Glass House Mountains and invited him inside for a glass of water they entered the
abandoned building and Caroline attempted to remove Daniels pants Daniel said no and fought him off Kalin
panicked wrapped his arm around Daniels throat and squeezed until he was dead Cowen said he thought he was going to be
arrested when police arrived at his front door for that first interview two weeks after Daniel went missing
the day after Cowen confessed arnold arranged for carolyn to return to queensland with 50 and another member of
the gang Ian Karen was given strict orders to take 50 and Ian everywhere he went on the day of the abduction fit
sienna and weather helped dispose of any remaining evidence that could implicate
him on August 13th Carolyn directed fit enam to Adam a noble building along Kings Road at the
Glass House Mountains located in B WA 30 minutes south of the kill Mountain overpass the area was far from
civilization there was a lonely isolated place Kalen fitzy indian walked one by one
into the dense bushland Kalen led the way and as he waved through trees ducked under low branches and climbed over
shrubbery Fenian secretly marked the path they took Callen retraced his steps with eerie familiarity he revealed the
exact path he carried Daniel's body before dumping him in a pond of water he also pointed out the location of couch
and Creek where he had disposed of Daniel's clothing when the three men returned to their car the police pounced
with their firearms drawn they ordered calendar raise his hands and get on the ground for a brief moment police claimed
to have seen an uncharacteristic look of shock flash across Karin's face but within seconds he composed himself and
smiled as he was handcuffed and arrested Cowan made no admissions and declined an
interview he was charged with murder kidnapping deprivation of Liberty indecent treatment of a child under 16
and interfering with the courts when Joe Emery sat next to Callan on the plane he
had been practicing the moment for months planning every move in advance for the great deception who was about to
perform he smiled at count as he sat beside him and settled into the fly a flight to Perth that moment was the
beginning of an incredible and intricate top-secret police operation a ploy to fool child murderer Bret Peter Carolyn
Carolyn was never part of a crime gang Joe Emery fitzy Craig Arnold Ian and everyone else he admit were all
undercover police officers Carolyn had never committed a crime either he was made to think he had but it was all part
of the elaborate undercover operation in late December 2010 Assistant Commissioner Condon first considered the
possibility of using a special technique against Carolyn to entice a voluntary confession for his involvement in Daniel
Morgan's murder although there were 35 other persons of interest in the Morcom investigation Cowan had made himself the
most likely suspect Kalen was a convicted opportunistic pedophile who targeted young boys a
diagnosed pathological lawyer familiar with the area where Daniel Morgan disappeared
he admitted to going to nyan boar on the day of Daniels disappearance he admitted
he drove along near bought connection rode past the bus stop around the time daniel was there he drove a car similar
to one seen at the bus stop he bore an uncanny resemblance to the composite sketch of the man seen near Daniel and
he had no satisfactory explanation or concrete alibi for a 45-minute period of time during that afternoon the seven
year investigation was a cold case no new evidence or witnesses had appeared and the body of Daniel remained
undiscovered there was insufficient evidence against Carroll under charging so the only thing that would lead to an
arrest after all these years was an authentic voluntary confession from Carolyn's mouth even then a confession
may not have been enough they also needed to find at Daniel's body a rarely used policing technique was the final
option a special operation used in criminal cases to obtain impossible confessions it was difficult to
orchestrate but had proven successful in previous unsolved crimes senior undercover police officers created a
fictitious crime gang for Karen to join with the aim to get him to confess to Daniel's murder with some cautious
reservations the technique was approved for use against Karen a total of 36 undercover police officers
from Queensland Western Australia and Victoria were involved in the operation which came to be called Operation Vista
five months of intense undercover work led to the moment in the Swan River Room at the Hyatt Hotel where Callan
confessed Arnold in the adjoining room the investigation team were monitoring the conversation via hidden cameras and
microphones everything Callan said and did was recorded after Carolyn's arrest an extensive
examination was conducted of the area he pointed out to Fitz he and Dean a police
command post was established and more than a thousand State Emergency Service volunteers joined the search
deputy commissioner Ross Barnett said the search would not finish until they had exhausted every possible Avenue and
no hope was left of them finding something they searched for four days and found nothing then finally a small
muddy gray globe brand right-footed shoe was discovered later a matching left-footed shoe was also discovered
both were sent for forensic testing the Morgans were visiting family interstate at the time the shoes were found they
cut their trip short and returned home while visiting the search area the Morgans considered the location a
spiritual place of healing Bruce Markham confirmed the shoes matched those Daniel owned and was
wearing the day he disappeared they were examined with another pair of shoes that
belonged to Daniel and if the analysis showed matching wear patterns three unidentifiable bones were also found in
the area Bruce Malcolm said the discovery wasn't good news or a celebration of any sort but it brought
with it a sheer relief maybe it was the final chapter he had been hoping for for
a long long time a dive team searched Kooten Creek where Cowan confessed to disposing of Daniels clothing remnants
of underwear a belt and a well preserved pair of shorts were discovered formal ways of sifting through sand and
undergrowth unearth a total of 17 bone fragments they included sections of a rib hip leg
arm and a vertebra forensic testing later proved the bone fragments came from one person a young male DNA
obtained from Daniels old toothbrush aided in the confirmation the bones belonged to the 13-year old Daniel owned
a distinctive fob style pocket watch with Dan engraved on it a gift from his brother Bradley who was the watch Arnold
was talking about during the confession another piece of evidence they were hoping to get to sink Karen but it was
never found Brett Peter Cowen was charged with murder child stealing deprivation of Liberty
indecent treatment of a child under 16 and interfering with the corpse he pleaded not guilty and was ordered to
stand trial the trial began on February 10th 2014 at the Supreme Court of Queensland Bruce
and Denice Malcolm told the court they wanted Karen's identity to be made public and the court order suppressing
his name was revoked they hoped it would lead to further witnesses to come forward
Callens dark history of child abuse convictions were inadmissible during the trial calendar client per testify his
defense team applied to have all evidence of anything said by him to police or agents of the police including
any alleged admissions either by word or conduct excluded they argued the statements and actions made by him in
August 2011 could not be proven to have been made voluntarily and it would be unfair to use them against him as
Carolyn's own criminal past was protected from the jury everyone else's was open
Callens defense argued Douglas Jack Wei had killed Daniel Malcolm chuckwei was one of the early suspects in the case
who owned a blue car similar to one seen at the bus stop unlike Cowan jack weighs
history of abuse against children was detailed to the jury the defense team referred to the blue sedan singing at
the bus stop similar in description to a carjacked white owned chuckwei's unsubstantiated claims of
where he was on the day the fact jack weighs appearance matched descriptions given by witnesses
chuckwei's history of abducting and abusing boys and the jack weighs aggression when police seized his car
for DNA testing the defense team appealed to the jurors that Jack Wade could be responsible and that it could
not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Cowan had committed the crime according to them Carolyn's confession
was not voluntary but coerced and Cowan had provided planted information given to him by undercover police officers
during operation Vista when Carolyn's position in the gang was at risk he admitted to Daniel's murder under the
impression he would obtain an alibi from Arnold but despite his confession his defense team argued he had no actual
involvement in the crime he was doing it to keep his position in the gang and because he wanted an alibi for Daniel's
disappearance so he would no longer be harassed about it by police 116 witnesses gave evidence and over 200
exhibits were tendered the jury of six men and six women deliberated for nearly eight hours before delivering their
verdict guilty Bruce Denis Dean and a Bradley Malcolm each read victim impact statements prior to the sentencing the
following is Bruce Malcolm's statement ten years ago you made a choice to ripped our family apart your decision to
pull over and abduct Daniel for your own evil pleasure ultimately caused the level of personal pain to each of us
that has made it hard to go on over the 10 years we made a face for media with determined self control on the outside
on many occasions particularly in the first few months I was physically ill each morning at the unbearable images of
what may have happened to my son Daniel even today I'm haunted by thoughts of how long he was actually held captive
and what other unspeakable things you did in those sheds at the end of Kings Road at the Wat
why would you really dump someone without clothes why was his belt loose and not still looped through his pants
it makes me nauseous just thinking about your total lack of respect for a child's
life listening to you describe and watching you with a smirk on your face how you threw Daniels lifeless body down
an embankment and a week later you returned and crushed his skull with a shovel chop chop chop
you coldly explained in an emotionless matter-of-fact way we now have to live out our days with the unimaginable
images of wild dogs devouring how much love son's remains Daniel did not deserve that he was a great kid
and would not hurt a fly you have robbed him of seventy years of life our family's first sleepless night without
Dan on December 7 2003 haunts me even today that feeling of helplessness and unimaginable pain never leaves you the
next day I recall picking up Dean after work in the afternoon on Monday December
8 he asked me had they found Daniel these are four small words that torture me even today because I had to answer no
I listened to Denise's broken sleep punctuated by frequent nightmares and looking into the face of my young twin
boy who was lost his soul mate a raw image that is often relived which had a profound effect on how I functioned
nothing about my life today resembles how we enjoyed life as a family before that day our friends from 2003 are
different because we are no longer the same people we can be short-tempered and have a streak of bitterness and carry on
caused by you're delirious selfish actions we were forced to move away from our unique garden paradise and
much-loved family home we were running a successful small business that we were forced to sell we
could not return to regular employment because we were constantly distracted with disturbing thoughts
we were forced to sell all our other investments to be able to survive the survive we did because you made one
monumental mistake that day you picked on the wrong family our collective determination to find Daniel and expose
a trial killer was always going to win perhaps the greatest impact your heinous crimes had on me is being witness to the
impact it has on the people that I love you have caused immeasurable mental stress and anxiety to not only me but
the Daniels mother Denise Daniel's brother Dean and Daniel's twin Bradley I have also witnessed the impact your
cold calculating actions caused through extended family members Daniels grandparents have had years of healthy
living trimmed off their life Daniels uncles and aunts and cousins plus mates at school have all been seriously
impacted by what you did I often wonder about the other victims who you have left in your wake that too causes me
moments of great sadness your own children are of course victims of your crimes and I'll wonder about them in a
strange twist of fate the Daniel Malcolm foundation was established to educate children about personal safety and also
assist young victims of crime I've sat watching you in the same court for close to 40 days covering the cranial inquest
the committal hearing the pre-trial hearing and your trial here throughout that time you have been completely
devoid of any remorse of what you did to Daniel your deliberate actions and now recorded for all to see it is the most
brazen crime that has shocked the nation sitting in the same room as you revolts
me how you sit there day after day almost frozen in the one position is chilling you have been convicted as a
repeat sex offender leaving a trail of destruction distress and damage to souls for three decades predators like you
cannot be rehabilitated a cunning plan by police has brought you unbalanced you've been exposed there's an
opportunistic perverted cold-blooded child killing pedophile central to the facts and not who done it
but you done it made Daniel's soul rest in peace Kalen was sentenced to life imprisonment
and showed absolutely no remorse the presiding judge said quote Kalin was a convincing plausible and adaptable
lawyer you had no intention of taking Daniel to the shopping center you were just thinking about what you could do
with him everything about what you did to that child was horrific and disgraceful this is not just a murder
but a terrible murder that has had widespread and shocking impacts after the discovery of his body and actually
prior to Karen's trial Daniel Morgan was finally laid to rest that a funeral held at his old school it
was December 7th 2012 the nine year anniversary of the day he disappeared and 475 days after he had been found
more than two thousand people attended the service the church was packed and overflowing an unopened Christmas gift
from 2003 Daniels school report card that had arrived the day after he disappeared and a school photo of Daniel
were placed on his casket Bruce Malcolm told the thousands of supporters quote please do not be sad
appreciate that the evil act that took Daniel happened a long time ago today is about embracing his return to his family
and being reflective of what might have been the color red featured prominently throughout Daniels casket was carried
out of the church by his brothers and schoolmates while friends family and at the state
emergency service members who searched for him formed a guard of honor the song Daniel by Elton John played Daniel was
buried a short distance from the Morgan family home not far from the bus stop he
was abducted from every year on the anniversary of his disappearance a day for Daniel is held to promote awareness
of the vulnerability of children Carolyn has never shown a shred of remorse to the Morgan family the Daniel Malcolm
foundation is maintained to this day by Bruce and Denise it educates schoolchildren all over Australia giving
them skills to recognize danger and to raise awareness of the dangers of predatory criminals the Malcolm's have
visited thousands of school children personally spreading the message of protection safety and opportunity for
all children the foundation also offers a huge support to victims of crime providing everything from money to
medical treatment in one of his first interviews with the media shortly after Daniel disappeared Bruce
Malcolm sat nervously in front of the camera despite the shock and anxiety have suddenly been thrust into the media
spotlight for one of the worst reasons he could ever imagine Bruce's words were bold they have picked
the wrong family he said looking into the camera we will never give up Bruce and Denise made a promise on the day
Daniel went missing that they would find him they kept their word [Music] [Music]
you

Case 54: Daniel Morcombe

On December 7th, 2003, thirteen-year-old Daniel Morcombe told his brothers he was going to Sunshine Plaza to get a haircut and look for Christmas presents. Shortly after lunch he left his home on Woombye-Palmwoods Road and walked just over one kilometre to an unofficial bus stop located under the Kiel Mountain overpass…

CREDITS

Narration – Anonymous Host Research and writing – Milly Raso Production, scoring – Mike Migas Additional scoring – Andrew Joslyn

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RESOURCES

For all credits and sources please visit https://www.casefilepodcast.com/case-54-daniel-morcombe

Brief Summary

The episode covers the disappearance of Daniel Morcombe, his family's search, and Brett Cowan's eventual arrest and conviction for murder.

Key points

Daniel's Disappearance. On December 7, 2003, 13-year-old Daniel Malcolm vanished while waiting for a bus.
Community Vigil. A vigil was held at Daniel's school, attended by 400 friends and supporters.
Police Investigation. The police investigation faced challenges, with many leads but no concrete evidence.
The Abduction Incident. Kellan's violent attack on a young boy raises alarms about his dangerous behavior.
The Inquest Revelation. Kellan learns about new evidence that could implicate him in a child's disappearance.
The Weight of Information. Arnold discusses the risks he takes to gather information, highlighting his commitment.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

He had vanished without a trace.

The moment Daniel goes missing.

3:26WatchNov 20, 2018

Tension

85/ 100High tension

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