The nurses who never returned | Forensic Files

foreign [Music] s deal with serious and often distressing incidents if you feel at any
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and for a more detailed list of content warnings please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our
website it was a windy Sunday night on October 6 1974 as two Queensland police officers
drove along the forested roads to your Carnival Youth Camp they were graded by the Camp's
caretakers who appeared flustered for the past half hour their remote and peaceful surroundings had been
intermittently disturbed by a frightening noise the officers listened a few minutes
later they heard it for themselves blood curdling screams for the first time in officer Ian
Hamilton's career the hairs on the back of his neck stood up he had never heard such a horrendous and
terrifying sound it didn't seem like the screams were coming from just one person either
the difference in Pitch indicated there were at least two women screaming for help
like the caretakers the officers couldn't determine what direction the screams were coming from
the carnival Youth Camp was situated on the uphill section of the Toowoomba range about halfway between the Inland
city of Toowoomba and to the rural town of wiscard this mountainous location mixed with the
Blustery winds meant the origin of the screams kept changing one minute had sounded like they were
coming from the top of the range the next that sounded like they were coming from the East
after 40 frustrating minutes helplessly listening to the distorted screams Echo around them everything went quiet
the officers drove up and down the range on the lookout for anyone in trouble every now and then they stopped and got
out to see if the screams had started up again but they were met with silence [Music]
[Music] for twenty-year-old Lorraine Wilson nursing had been an obvious career choice
the youngest of four children in a close-knit family she followed in the footsteps of her mother who had served
as a nurse in Sydney during World War II the Wilson family lived on a farm 64 kilometers outside of dubbo a small City
in central New South Wales they predominantly lived off the land with the children helping their parents
take care of their daily chores it was a humble and enjoyable upbringing which taught Lorraine the value of hard
work an avid animal lover she especially loved taking care of the domestic pets which included dogs cats chickens lambs
and birds Lorraine's work ethic combined with her compassionate nature inspired her to
pursue nursing after finishing High School the last of her siblings to leave their
nest she moved to Sydney to begin her live-in training at Saint George Hospital it was there that she met fellow trainee
18 year old Wendy Evans like Lorraine Wendy shared the unique traits necessary to succeed as a nurse
strength empathy and understanding she too had grown up in a close-knit family and was one of four children
Wendy had a more urban upbringing in Sydney's inner West but that didn't prevent her and Lorraine from becoming
close friends they excelled at their training topping their classes in such subjects as
neurology by late August of 1974 Lorraine and Wendy had completed their first year of
studies to celebrate they embarked on an interstate bus tour together visiting popular tourist destinations like
Townsville Mount Isa Catherine Darwin and Alice Springs the trip ended in dubbo the two friends spent a few days on the
Wilson's family farm before heading off in Lorraine's Volkswagen Beetle for the final leg of their Journey an 800
kilometer road trip to Brisbane halfway there the car broke down and had to be towed to a mechanic who calculated
it would take at least a week to fix this threw a major spanner in the works the friends were on a tight budget and
didn't have extra money for alternative transport they were hesitant about hitchhiking but
after some deliberation they decided to take the risk it paid off the men who picked them up was so
friendly he even stopped to buy them burgers before dropping them at the home of Wendy's sister Susan who lived in the
suburb of Camp Hill Lorraine and Wendy spent six days exploring and shopping in Brisbane while
catching up with Susan and her family by Sunday October 6 the pair were ready to head home to be back at work on
Thursday they were running out of money but Lorraine's Volkswagen still wasn't ready
to be picked up they considered their options given the positive experience they'd had
hitchhiking to Brisbane they decided to hitch a ride back to the Wilson's Farm in dubbo
Susan urged them to reconsider they were welcome to stay until Lorraine's car was ready or she could
lend them money for a train or bus ticket Wendy considered her sister's offer but
Lorraine was confident that everything would be okay their friends were sure their good luck
would continue Wendy reassured her sister saying I've got Lorraine to protect me
when the young women failed to arrive in dubbo Lorraine's mother Betty told herself that they must have made last
minute plans but she could feel in Her Bones that something was wrong it was only after Lorraine and Wendy
failed to appear for work on Thursday that the pair were realized as missing a police investigation was launched
Lorraine and Wendy hadn't told anyone what route they intended to take from Brisbane or whether they intended to
stop anywhere along the way with no concrete information to use as a starting point it was like searching for
a needle in a near 900 kilometer long haystack [Music] Lorraine's parents hit the road
retracing every step the friends had taken on their Journey up to Brisbane they showed photos to everyone they
crossed paths with and spoke to the media along the way doing everything in their power to bring publicity to
Lorraine and Wendy's disappearance reported sightings of the young nurses came in from all over the country but
none could be verified neither Lorraine or Wendy had touched their bank accounts since the day before
they left Camp Hill As Time wore on the possibility grew that they had met with Foul Play
taking the mentality that no news is good news the Wilson family remained hopeful that the young women would be
found alive the Evans Family were less optimistic by the time Wendy had been missing for
four months her sister Susan had given birth meaning Wendy had become an aunt again
the fact she didn't reach out could only suggest that something terrible had happened
Wendy's mother Alice told reporters I now feel the situation is hopeless for my daughter and just want to know where
she lies dead there is no doubt in my mind that the worst has happened the investigation continued but no
promising leads emerged by Friday June 25 1975 the two friends had been missing for almost 21 months
that day an elderly couple went for a leisurely drive to Murphy's Creek a small historic settlement approximately
30 kilometers Northeast of Toowoomba the couple drove down Murphy's Creek Road a rural thoroughfare surrounded by
dense Bushland and dry paddocks about two and a half kilometers outside the township they turned down an
unsealed dirt road after 900 meters they parked their car near a split rail fence
it was an isolated area with residential homes few and far between the closest Farmhouse was about 800
meters away making it an ideal spot for a private picnic as they ate lunch in their car a wallaby
hopped past the couple's vehicle they decided to get out and follow it the pair scaled a barbed wire fence that
framed a private property before walking into a wooded Paddock after heading through a cluster of trees
they came across a small clearing it looked like some kind of rubbish dump on the ground all kinds of items were
strewn about clothing Cosmetics bags and other personal belongings the men bent down to get a better look
at a discarded camera when his companion noticed something on the ground nearby a human skull
this wasn't just a rubbish dump it was a burial side [Music] the couple rushed back to their car and
drove towards Toowoomba by chance they passed the police car and stopped to inform the officer what
they'd found the officer followed the couple back to the clearing where he identified two
human skulls and other human bones amongst the personal belongings dumped throughout the site was a transistor
radio a name was engraved on the back Lorraine Wilson within hours the remote site was teeming
with police they uncovered the mostly intact skeletons belonging to Lorraine Wilson
and Wendy Evans although Wildlife had dispersed some of the bones it was clear that the two
bodies had initially been dumped side by side their killer had made no attempt to hide
the bodies they likely deemed it unnecessary given the remote spot was obstructed by trees
and at the rear of a 2000 acre plot of farmland both women had sustained fatal head
injuries possibly inflicted by a large piece of Timber found nearby Lorraine had been struck on the back of
the head between one and three times whereas Wendy had endured multiple extensive injuries
a forensic examiner determined that Wendy's face had been quote bashed to a pulp
remnants of a thin looped synthetic cord indicated both women had been hold tied
but the state of the remains meant it couldn't be ascertained whether either of them had been sexually assaulted
their genes and underwear were still in place their bra straps were fastened and
the cord had been tied over their genes [Music] had they been raped it likely happened
some time before they were killed all up a total of 90 personal items belonging to Lorraine and Wendy were
found at the bush site everything they'd been carrying on their Journey from Brisbane
only a few items were missing both of their wallets and two bank books however it didn't necessarily seem that
the killer was motivated by robbery Lorraine and Wendy still had their jewelry including a pendant necklace a
gold bracelet and Lorraine's prize Dante green using a metal detector an army officer
scanned a dry mound of dirt nearby they located a men's silver Signet ring with a large green stone
this was the only item that couldn't be attributed to either Lorraine or Wendy while it was possible that the killer
had accidentally lost the ring another scenario had to be considered what if the killer or someone who knew
of the crime had intentionally left it behind as a clue the crime scene was around a two-hour
Drive West of Camp Hill where Lorraine and Wendy were last seen alive investigators deemed it unlikely that
the pair had been killed elsewhere before being dumped at Murphy's Creek it would have been too difficult to cut
their bodies over the barbed wire fence and a dense Bush to the burial site it made much more sense that Lorraine
and Wendy had met their fate in this isolated location where no one would hear them scream
except someone did when police officer Ian Hamilton heard about the discovery of the remains he
immediately thought back to the night of Sunday October 6 1974. he and his partner had been unable to
locate the source of two women screaming in the Toowoomba ranges region he checked his records and confirmed
that the incident had happened on the same day that Lorraine Wilson and Wendy Evans went missing
based on this information investigators concluded the screams had come from the two nurses and that they had likely been
killed the same day they left Brisbane Lorraine and Wendy had briefly mentioned wanting to go sunbathing on the Gold
Coast this became a significant detail in July 1972 eighteen-year-old Robin hoinville Bartram and her friend 19 year
old Anita Cunningham had hitchhiked to Queensland and were last seen in the Gold Coast suburb of coolangatta
four months later Robin's body was found under a bridge in the rural town of Charter's Towers
she had been shot twice with a rifle Anita's body was never found but police were certain she'd met the same fate
then on October 6 1973 one year to the day before Lorraine and Wendy went missing best friends Michelle Riley and
Gabrielle jenke got out of a taxi in brisbane's CBD the 16 and 19 year old planned to
hitchhike to the Gold Coast a week later Gabrielle's decomposing body was found at the bottom of an
embankment on the side of the Pacific Highway 11 days on and 25 kilometers away Michelle's body was found in bushes off
the mount tambourine Highway both teens had been sexually assaulted and bludgeoned to death in what police
described as a frenzied attack on May 5 a month and a half before Lorraine and Wendy's bodies were found
Gold Coast teenager Margaret rosebourne attempted to hitchhike from surface Paradise to a party in nearby Burly
heads sixteen days later her body was discovered amongst overgrown grass on a vacant Block in West Burley
she had been beaten so ferociously that dental records were needed to make a positive identification
it appeared as though a struggle had taken place on a nearby Road leading investigators to believe Margaret had
tried to flee from someone's car including Lorraine and Wendy all seven women were of a similar age group and
had gone missing while hitchhiking in the Brisbane Gold Coast areas five of them were bludgeoned to death
and likely sexually assaulted their bodies disposed of relatively out in the open
the similarities seemed too strong to be purely coincidental was it possible that all seven of the
young women had fallen victim to the same cold-blooded killer who the public had dubbed the Gold Coast hitchhiker
murderer a one hundred thousand dollar reward for information pertaining to the Wilson and
Evans case was offered the largest ever for a Queensland homicide a bus driver came forward to report that
on Sunday October 6 1974 he'd been completing his route on Ipswich Road in Western Brisbane
as he passed the Oxley Police Academy he saw two young women who matched the descriptions of Lorraine and Wendy
sitting on the side of the road a faded light green EK Holden pulled over and the women got in
two men aged in their early twenties were sitting inside the driver had shoulder length Fair hair
and his passenger had an afro this sighting coincided with the time that Lorraine and Wendy left Camp Hill
prompting detectives to conclude it was genuine they appealed for anyone who had seen a
similar vehicle in the area to come forward the appeal caught the attention of Brisbane resident Anthony Doherty
on Sunday October 6 1974 he'd been parked in front of the Oxley hotel when he overheard two young women disagreeing
about whether or not they should accept a ride the women matched the description of
Lorraine and Wendy the shorter of the pair presumably Wendy was reluctant her friend said
ongoing whether you come or not she walked over to the car parked next to Anthony's a green Holden with a white
top in the passenger seat was a young male around 20 years old with dark hair and a
round face he had a scruffy look and a quote silly grin on his face another male of similar age stood next
to the Holden as though waiting for the girls to make up their minds he was tanned with dark medium-length
hair and a tattoo on his upper arm eventually the shorter girl picked up her luggage and followed her friend into
the back seat of the Holden Anthony watched as the tanned male got into the driver's seat
the vehicle then sped off towards Ipswich Road kicking pebbles in its wake Anthony called the police to report
their sighting but the sergeant he spoke to thought he must have been mistaken convinced Lorraine and Wendy had fallen
victim to the Gold Coast hitchhiker murderer they believed the girls had actually been traveling in the opposite
direction down the Pacific Highway towards Sydney consequently the sergeant wasn't
interested in Anthony's siding and didn't take a statement this was despite the fact that the
Holden had also been cited in the vicinity of where Lorraine and Wendy's bodies were discovered
a local musician drove down Murphy's Creek Road every Saturday night for several weeks during September and
October 1974. each week he noticed a car parked in the same spot not far from where Lorraine
and Wendy's bodies were eventually found it was a light-colored 1964 e h Holden officer Ian Hamilton knew the vehicle
well over his years working as a traffic cop he'd pulled over a similar Holden several times
although it was a common model he remembered its distinct chrome wheels and the way it sat low at the front and
higher at the back he'd issued defective tickets upon realizing there were no interior door
handles or window winders in the back seat he told detectives working the Wilson
Evans case everything he knew about the vehicle and to those associated with it regardless these leads went nowhere and
the case eventually went cold nine years passed with no further developments until an inquest was
finally held in October 1985. no Witnesses were called and no suspects were named
based on the known facts the coroner could only conclude that Lorraine and Wendy had been killed in Murphy's Creek
by a person or Persons Unknown Lorraine's brother Eric Wilson had an overwhelming need to uncover the truth
of what happened explaining it's hard to accept that we might never ever find out
the thing is you compounded every day it makes it worse in your mind if that's possible all those unanswered questions
the not knowing you walk around every day with a mountain of fear sitting on your
shoulder three years after the inquest in October 1988 detective senior Constable Paul
Rouge of the Toowoomba criminal investigation Branch received a word that an inmate in New South Wales had
implicated two men in the Wilson Evans homicide according to this witness several years
after Lorraine and Wendy were killed he'd been drinking with two acquaintances when the subject of the
nurse's murders came up one of the men allegedly admitted that they'd picked the pair up to drink with
them to which the other allegedly responded yeah but more than that happened didn't
it we screwed them and killed them the witness named the man as Toowoomba locals Donald Laurie and Trevor Hilton
this confession turned out to be a bust Trevor Hilton had been incarcerated at the time Lorraine and Wendy were killed
still detective rouge's interest was peaked he requested the Wilson and Evans case
File to find all it contained was a few notes into newspaper clippings there were no witness statements no
running sheets nothing Rouge was left to piece together the case using the scant paperwork into
limited physical evidence the more he learned the more shocked he became the inmate's confession wasn't the first
time that the names Hilton and Laurie had been mentioned in relation to the murders
the extended Lorry and Hilton families were interrelated by Blood and marriage they had lived around Toowoomba for
decades where some members of their families had earned a fierce reputation for being violent and dangerous
local police were very familiar with several members of the two families due to their history of alcohol abuse
domestic violence and run-ins with the law following the discovery of Lorraine Wilson and Wendy Evans remains three
separate people had suggested police look into the Hilton and Lorry crew it was well known that some of the young
men associated with the group had a habit of picking up teenage girls for sex whether consensual or by force
they go as far as grabbing them off the street and throwing them into the boot or back seat of their cars
survivors described that handles and window winders had been removed from the back doors to prevent their escape
the group were also known for throwing alcohol-fueled parties out in the bush including at Murphy's Creek
despite this information none of these men had been questioned at any point for reasons detective Rouge couldn't
ascertain back when the bodies of Lorraine and Wendy were found a local couple had
reported a strange encounter they'd had on the Toowoomba range in early October of 1974.
Brian and Velma had been driving home from visiting their sick infant daughter in hospital when they noticed a vehicle
parked in a small turn off on the left-hand side of the road it was a pale green EJ or e h Holden
with a white top judging by its angle the Holden looked as though it had abruptly skidded to a
stop both passenger side doors were open towards the back of the car A man was throttling a young woman while trying to
force her inside about 20 meters away another man was marching a second young woman towards
the Holden pinning her arms behind her back the woman loaded directly at Brian and
Velma and screamed help me oh God help me Velma ordered her husband to stop and he
slowed down a little further ahead Brian and Velma looked back in the front seat of the Holden they
could see two other men and a third woman Velma and Brian wanted to offer assistance but they had their
three-year-old daughter in the back seat and was scared they might put her or themselves in danger
overcome with fear they decided to keep her driving they soon passed a pay phone but decided
not to call the police in case the men drove past and suspected what they were doing
instead they went home the next morning Velma reported the incident to a police officer whom they
knew the officer wasn't too worried there hadn't been any news of any assaults the night prior or missing
person reports filed when the bodies of Lorraine Wilson and Wendy Evans were discovered not far from
where they witnessed to the altercation Brian and Velma were convinced they had seen something significant
they reported their concerns to the same officer they'd initially spoken to who looked into their claims
apparently hospital admission records for Brian and velma's sick daughter didn't match up with the alleged timing
of Lorraine and Wendy's murder their accounts were therefore eliminated as a potential lead in the investigation
detective Rouge wasn't so sure he showed the couple of photo lineup of 16 men despite over a decade passing Brian
confidently pointed to one photo it was Wayne Hilton better known by his nickname Boogie
Wayne was a prominent member of the Hilton Lorry Clan 19 years old at the time Lorraine and
Wendy were killed he had a reputation for turning violent if he didn't get his way
he reportedly had a tire lever stored under the front seat of his car that he wielded as a weapon
some of Wayne Hilton's close cohorts included friends and relatives Alan shorty Laurie Alan ungi Laurie Donald
Laurie Desmond Hilton Larry Charles and Jimmy O'Neill due to their proclivity for heavy
drinking and fighting many of the men were banned from every Pub in Toowoomba another member of their crew named
Kingsley hunt didn't drink he took on the role of a designated driver and ferried the Gang to parties
and pubs out of town there were several vehicles that could be attributed to the crew
one was a pale green Holden with a white top [Music] detective Rouge turned his Focus to one
of the only pieces of physical evidence at the crime scene the cord used to bind
to Lorraine and Wendy it was fairly commonplace much like the kind used on Venetian blinds but Rouge
had his suspicions about where it might have originated he visited the darling Downs Baking
Company in Toowoomba the pig processing plant was one of the largest in the state and employed many
of the town's locals Bruges presented the court to an employee and asked if it looked familiar
the employee said yes a similar type of cord was used in the factory to hang bacon
this was a significant revelation Wayne Hilton had been employed at the darling Downs bacon company around the
time Lorraine and Wendy were killed detective Rouge spoke with another man named Neil who had worked with Wayne
Hilton on and off for several years according to Neil one day Wayne suddenly announced that he'd soon have to quit
his job when Neil asked why Wayne allegedly said did you see the picture of our cars in
the paper they're right onto US you would have heard about the nurses being murdered a bit over the range me
and the brother done that Neil assumed Wayne was talking about his brother Trevor but realized he'd been in
jail at the time instead he figured Wayne was talking about one of his uncles who were close
in age to Wayne and with whom he had a close relationship [Music] according to Neil Wayne went on to
explain that the nurses had gotten away from them and gave them quote a bit of trouble
he said he was afraid of getting caught and asked for advice Neil asked why he did it to which Wayne
responded full of peace and Bad Manners although Neil found it odd he didn't really believe what Wayne was saying
even when he went through with quitting his job Neil said Wayne mentioned his involvement in the murders on several
other occasions but it was only years later that Neil suspected he might actually be telling
the truth Wayne Hilton's cohort Alan Laurie who went by the nickname shorty had also
worked at the darling Downs bacon company shorty turned 22 the day Lorraine and Wendy were murdered
perhaps the most violent of the group he was feared by many and labeled by some as a psychopath
Shorty's violence knew no boundaries he once punched and stomped on his own mother and admit his father's ear off
over a fight about a sausage detective Rouge visited Alan shorty Laurie at home and asked if he could
come by the station to answer some questions he made no mention of Lorraine and Wendy
simply saying he wanted to discuss a car that shorty had previously owned shorty became highly anxious but
reluctantly agreed to come by later that day [Music] he arrived at the station hand in hand
with his wife shorty was clearly agitated almost to a point of panic everything about his demeanor was in
complete contrast to the menacing character that detective Rouge had been led to expect
when placed in an interview room away from his wife shorty entered a full-blown state of panic
he started Breathing heavily and frothing at the mouth when told we need to ask you some questions about
your involvement in the nurse's murders Alan shorty Laurie leapt to his feet and
started bellowing like a bull it was so loud that other officers rushed to the interview room to see what
was going on he repeatedly cried out I didn't do it I didn't do it his distress was so extreme that
detective Rouge couldn't continue with his questioning he requested that shorty returned to the
station later on for a formal interview instead shorty hired a lawyer who advised that his client wouldn't be
answering any further questions detective Rouge was eventually transferred to another District which
meant he could no longer have any involvement with the Wilson and Evans case he collated all the information and
witness statements he'd obtained and sent them to the homicide Squad hoping someone would pick up where he left off
although tips continued to come through over the years things soon came to a standstill
no arrests were made in fact none of the remaining Persons of Interest were even questioned
Lorraine's brother Eric spent his adult life tormented by the murders in 2003 he wrote a book about the case
titled the echo of Silent screams it sparked renewed interest in the case putting pressure on the Queensland
Police Commissioner to reopen the investigation the job went to detective inspector
Kerry Johnson a former member of the homicide Squad known for his success rate at solving cold cases
for the first time all the case material was reviewed in thorough detail it was abundantly clear that poor
policing lack of investigative resources and conflicting witness statements had contributed to Lorraine and Wendy's
Killers going unpunished motivated to finally find closure for the Wilson and Evans families detective
Johnson said about re-interviewing all of the key Witnesses and Persons of Interest piecing together the known
information and trying to fill in any gaps it appeared that the circumstances surrounding Lorraine and Wendy's murders
were an Open Secret amongst many people in Toowoomba over the years others had reported
worthwhile information that implicated the same group of men the morning after the murders Wayne
Hilton's neighbor claimed to have seen him ripping the carpet out of the back seat of a green Holden
when she asked what he was doing Wayne told her to mind her own business the neighbor left but couldn't ignore
what she saw on the carpet a large reddish brown stain that looked like blood [Music]
another associate of the group Desmond Hilton recalled that one morning in October 1974 Wayne Hilton and Donald
Laurie were drinking at his house when a light green e h Holden pulled up inside were Alan shorty Laurie Jimmy
O'Neal Larry Charles and Alan ungi Laurie they revealed that they'd quote given two girls a hiding down the bottom of
the range according to Desmond shorty bragged and demonstrated how they kicked and stomped
on the girls Desmond claimed that the men offered him beer in exchange for cleaning their car
[Music] he agreed too scared to say no across the back seat was a light smear of blood as though an injured person had
been dragged across it according to Desmond Wayne Hilton and Donald Laurie then went back to the
range to check on the girls when they returned they had blood on their hands it was only years later when Desmond
found out about the murders of Lorraine Wilson and Wendy Evans that he realized the group had been talking about the
nurses Donald Laurie had seemed to terrify it ever since and it now made sense why
he'd admitted to Desmond that he'd taken a ring from one of the girls that he delayed assault for beer money at the
local pub while sick in hospital years later Donald Laurie allegedly told a friend
we killed the nurses I was there I didn't do it according to this witness Donald
directly implicated Wayne Hilton Angie Laurie and shorty Laurie but also said that three or four carloads of people
were involved when asked why he hadn't gone to police Donald apparently replied that the
others would have killed him if he had spoken up another associate had once seen gang
member Larry Charles crying which was completely out of character when asked what was wrong Larry
allegedly responded it was two years today that them girls got killed at Murphy's Creek
Larry then apparently confessed to having picked up Lorraine Wilson and Wendy Evans with Wayne Hilton shorty
Laurie and Donald Laurie and Jimmy O'Neill they took the women into the bush at which point Angie Laurie Desmond Hilton
and a few of their friends arrived the whole group excluding Larry then took turns raping and bashing the women
the next morning Wayne Hilton and shorty Laurie had a whispered conversation then
quote they both walked towards the girls picked up a big stick age and just wailed and wailed into them
fear of retaliation had kept some silence but the poor policing couldn't be ignored
back in 1974 a 19 year old woman had accepted a lift home from shorty Laurie and one of his friends
instead of taking her home she claimed they pulled over until turns raping her in the back seat
she reported the incident and was examined by a medical officer but never heard another word about it and was too
scared to follow it up with the police this was just one in a long series of similar allegations
detective inspector Kerry Johnson was deeply troubled by this information and the fact that nothing had been done to
reprimand to those involved but perhaps most concerning was there were other innocent bystanders that had
witnessed the attack against Lorraine and Wendy as it unfolded on Sunday October 6 1974 married couple
Neil and Jocelyn had been driving down the Toowoomba range when one of their children fell car sick
they pulled into a turn off only to find two cars already parked there clothing was strewn on the side of the
road leading Neil and Jocelyn to believe the two cars had been involved in an accident
two men were escorting a young woman into a black Ford Falcon as though offering her assistance
one of the men was scrawny and ill-looking and dressed all in white this fit the description of the
designated driver of the Hilton and Lorry crew Kingsley hunt his job at a pest control company
required him to wear a white uniform the young woman turned to face Neil and Jocelyn
that's when they realized the men weren't helping her at all they were forcing her into the car
the young woman screamed please help me another young woman was in the back seat
of the other car a light-colored Holden she was wrestling with a dark-haired man
aged in his early to mid-20s he attempted to restrain her as she land forward and yelled for help
another man was pacing around a nervously outside the vehicle with his hands on his head
too scared to stop Neil under Jocelyn continued down the range they considered reporting the incident
to the police but instead they drove onwards convincing themselves that it was just a Lover's Tiff of some kind
they decided to let it go unless they heard anything in the news over the next few days which they never did
another married couple Vivian and Rose were driving down the range at dusk when they saw a car pulled over on the
left-hand side of the road a man and young woman were lying across the front Bonnet in what appeared to be
a Lover's embrace thinking it was a strange place to stop for a cuddle they soon realized it
wasn't a romantic moment at all the man was restraining the woman who was trying to break free
at that moment another young woman raced out onto the road screaming for help a dark-haired man of average heightened
build was chasing close behind her undeterred by the fact that Vivian and Rose had seen what was going on
Vivian applied the brakes but the couple had their three young children in the back seat so Rose urged him to keep
driving they drove to the nearest police station where the officer on duty said they'd
contact the Toowoomba police to send a patrol car down the range to check it out
Vivian and Rose never heard another word about it when the bodies of Lorraine Wilson and
Wendy Evans were found Rose contacted police again she did so again when the case was
featured on Australia's most wanted in 1989. no one ever so much as asked for her
contact details let alone took a statement Norma Was preparing dinner alone at her
home in the Toowoomba ranges in early October 1974 when she heard a panicked woman's voice
it was coming from her back door Norma found a young woman with light brown hair standing there
she begged for Norma's help saying she had just been at a party with a group of people whom she now wanted to get away
from she had escaped from their vehicle and needed somewhere safe to stay for a while
Norma didn't know what to do her husband was due to arrive home so she told the young woman she could wait inside until
he returned they'd figure things out from there but the woman became increasingly
frantic she said she couldn't wait around because the group had her friend and they were going to kill her if she
didn't go back Norma told the woman she could sneak out the back way who in turn responded
they would probably find me anyway Norma offered to call the police but the woman declined saying
I better go Norma returned to her kitchen only to hear a loud scream she rushed to a front window where she
saw a car riding outside the woman who had just been in her house was struggling with a young man who had
a long wavy dark hair he struck the woman across the face as he tried to force her into the back seat
of the car Norma could see a second young woman in the back of the vehicle she too was in the throes of a struggle
with another man it looked as though she was trying to get out but the man wouldn't let her
leave at that moment Norma's husband pulled into the driveway he had also witnessed the struggle and
headed inside to ask Norma what was going on she filled him in but he responded quote
it was probably just a domestic the couple returned to the front window by then the men the women and the car
were gone two weeks later Norma was reading the newspaper when she came across a photo
of Lorraine Wilson and Wendy Evans Norma immediately recognized to Lorraine as the young woman who had knocked on
her door and Wendy as the woman in the back seat of the car she wanted to contact the police but her
husband warned her not to get involved when Lorraine and Wendy's bodies were discovered Norma informed her parents
what she had witnessed two years earlier they agreed that she should obey her husband's wishes and to not get involved
memories of the women's cries for help haunted Norma for years by the time a segment about the case
appeared on Australia's most wanted in 1989. Norma and her family had relocated interstate
unable to keep it to herself any longer she finally contacted the police they had her identify Lorraine and Wendy
from a photo but whether anything else was done beyond that is unknown when Lorraine's brother Eric heard about
this he was crushed he remarked my sister was standing in front of a woman who was the same age as her mother
she was looking for a Mother's protection a mother's advice on what she should do
she got nothing she was on her own there is a famous saying evil exists when good men or women do
nothing how true a statement that is for almost 40 years Lorraine Wilson's family had tried to move on with their
lives but the lack of closure made it impossible by 2012 Lorraine's father was suffering
from dementia her brother Eric wanted answers not only for himself but for his elderly parents
with all the new information that had come to light since the initial inquest in 1985. the Wilson family felt that
Lorraine and Wendy at the very least deserved another inquest Lorraine's mother Betty wrote to the
coroner quote to this day no one has been held accountable for the murder of Lorraine
my daughter and her friend Wendy it is important to me my family and to the public at large to have these
suspects fully accountable and have them named in the public domain for the sake of justice and history I
feel it is important that with all the new evidence in this investigation to be laid out in Clear View for all to see
I wish to rest in peace and I urge for the sake of the girls who do not have a voice as well as my own for you to
convene a coronial inquest to wear these findings [Music] three days after writing the letter
Betty was working alone in the garden when she slept and severed an artery she tried to make it back to the house
but the blood loss was too severe Betty passed away without ever seeing Justice served for her daughter
[Music] and Betty's request for accountability was denied much to the outrage of the
public media rallied around Eric Wilson propelling the murders back in the headlines
the coroner succumbed to the public pressure and it was announced that a new inquest would be held with the aim of
determining whether there was enough evidence to Warrant a trial by this point there was no shortage of
witnesses some had seen Lorraine and Wendy accepting a ride others had seen them
trying to escape their attackers others had received confessions or incriminating statements from the
suspected perpetrators the problem was inconsistencies were Rife some had described the perpetrator's car
as an E.J Holden others said in a h Holden both remarkably similar models the physical description of the men
involved also varied making it difficult to pinpoint which individuals were responsible for which Acts
a full forensic review was ordered on all available evidence but there was even less to go by than originally
thought there were hopes that the court used to hogtail Lorraine and Wendy would reveal
traces of the perpetrator's DNA but the tests proved negative some of the evidence had been disposed
of in 2010 while other items had been lost altogether amongst the missing items was the Silver
men's Signet ring that was found at the crime scene Wayne Boogie Hilton was known to wear a
similar ring given the ring had been misplaced images of it couldn't be circulated to
facilitate the identification of its owner in the 1970s the Laurie family had owned
a pale green eh Holden with a white roof the shell of this vehicle was tracked down and examined
traces of blood were detected inside but too much time had passed for it to be of
any use there was one notable Discovery there were no interior handles or window
winders on the back doors the inquest commenced into woomba in April 2013. For the First Time The Seven primary
suspects were publicly named they included Wayne Boogie Hilton Donald Laurie Alan shorty Laurie Allen Unger
Laurie Desmond Hilton Jimmy O'Neal and Larry Charles Kingsley hunt the gang's designated
driver was noted as a person of interest but not nominated as a primary suspect over several days evidence was heard
from the various Witnesses who claimed to have seen Lorraine and Wendy with a group of men on the day they went
missing other individuals who provided testimony ranged from the reliable to the
questionable with one member of the Lorry family claiming to have witnessed the murders himself when he was 10 years
old many witnesses connected to the Persons of Interest gave vague non-committed
answers some backtracked from damning claims they'd made in the past while several
retracted their statements pertaining to alleged confessions those implicated flat out denied any
involvement in the crime yet there was an air of anticipation when one particular person finally took
the stand 1984 marked a decade after Lorraine Wilson and Wendy Evans were killed
towards the middle of that year Kim sandakock had been having a tough time at home
she headed to toowoomba's Crown hotel for a breather Kim sat nursing a drink when a woman
whom she'd never met approached her table the stranger took a seat and introduced
herself as Ellen the two women engaged in small talk for a while before Ellen who was clearly
intoxicated asked have you ever had to carry around a secret that you couldn't tell anybody
it was clear to Kim that Ellen had something she wanted to get off her chest so she let her talk
but Kim wasn't prepared for what came next Ellen revealed that she'd been present
when Lorraine Wilson and Wendy Evans were murdered and she was sick of covering up for those responsible
Ellen claimed that she had been driving around in a 1963 Holden with two men when they decided to pick up the two
nurses in the hopes of getting sex but the nurses refused the man's advances and were labeled as quote prick
teasers the men wanted to teach the nurses a lesson the plan was to take them to an isolated
area and rape them but during the drive things went haywire the nurses became terrified and tried to
escape one of them had been sitting in the front seat and the driver began hitting
her over the head and pulling her hair the other men who was sitting in the back seat grabbed a bar of some kind
he reached over and bashed the woman across the head she flung forward blood flying
everywhere and it was obvious that she was dead the other nurse was hysterical she began
screaming the men panicked and decided they'd have to kill her too they pulled up to a remote site in
Murphy's Creek and dumped the first body the remaining nurse saw this as her chance to escape
she got out and ran but the man chased her down they launched a frenzied attack bashing
her multiple times in the head until she was no longer moving they then dragged her body alongside her friend
when Ellen finally stopped talking about the murders Kim was shaking as she got up to leave
Ellen grabbed her firmly by the shoulder and warned if you ever tell anyone what I just told
you you'll end up the same way as the nurses Kim was terrified she kept this information to herself for
five years before finally going to the police by then she couldn't remember much about
Ellen herself but could remember every detail about the story Ellen had told her including the names of the men
involved shorty Lorry and one of the Hilton Boys [Music] by the time Kim sandakock appeared at
the inquest in 2013 she was in a wheelchair and hooked up to a morphine trip as the result of a spinal injury
she relied heavily on strong pain medication which severely hindered her memory consequently Kim claimed she had
absolutely no recollection of Ellen and the conversation they shared in 1984. the court wasn't buying it
they believed it was more likely that the encounter with Ellen was a fabrication to cover for the fact that
Kim knew more than she was willing to admit after all what were the chances that an
individual would approach a complete stranger in a pub to confess to witnessing a murder
furthermore the level of detail she'd managed to retain in her statement was outstanding
a more plausible explanation was that Kim herself had witnessed the crime and wanted to unburden herself without fear
of retaliation or punishment this fit with the witness statement from Brian and Velma who claimed to have seen
a third woman in the car with Lorraine and Wendy alternatively someone close to Kim might
have been involved and had told her the story enough times for her to retain such an accurate level of detail
these possibilities were put forward to Kim sandakock in court she flat out denied being present when
Lorraine and Wendy were attacked or having any first-hand knowledge of what happened
the coroner made it clear that Kim could be given immunity if she was willing to
share what she knew Kim replied I can't remember I just can't the coroner presented his findings in
June 2013. he concluded that the witness statement that held the most veracity was the one
given by Kim santacock the details she provided aligned with the crime scene Lorraine had been killed by a single
Blow To The Head before the perpetrators carried out a rage-fueled frenzy on Wendy as she tried to escape
the coroner concluded that Kim had likely either been present when the crimes were committed or had a close
connection to someone who was the coroner viewed the alleged confession that Wayne Hilton had made to
his former colleague as valid as for the number of witnesses who ignored Lorraine and Wendy's screams for
help he put this down to the bystanders effect this socio-psychological phenomenon
dictates that the more witnesses there are to an event the less likely any one of them will offer help
the coroner remarked with the failure of any of those people to even attempt to intervene went to the
girl's last chance of survival he went on the lives of these two fine young women
and the happiness of their families were Shattered by an unprovoked violent vicious attack mounted to satiate the
perverse sexual dysfunction of a Despicable gang of thugs their family suffering was made worse
still by a long period of not knowing speaking about the Seven Persons of Interest the coroner stated that they'd
gotten away with committing their habitual sexual assaults in the 70s because of the victim-blaming mentality
of the time and to the fact that survivors were too scared to come forward he concluded
it is more likely than not Lorraine Wilson and Wendy Evans tragically stumbled into this putrid pool of
miscreants and were killed by them undoubtedly they were abducted and killed by more than one person but the
identity of those responsible cannot now be established with sufficient certainty
with one exception namely Wayne Hilton I am satisfied the evidence implicating him in the death of the two women
reaches the required standard for a Coroner's finding to that effect by the time he was implicated in the
double homicide Wayne Hilton had been dead for 27 years he was killed in a car accident in 1986.
as such he would not face any justice for his involvement as for his associates the coroner
conceded that there was insufficient evidence to have any of them stand trial with that the inquest was closed
[Music] three other members of the Hilton Lorry gang were deceased by the time the 2013
inquest was underway a car accident had claimed Alan shorty Lori's life in 2001.
Larry Charles took his own life in 1993. Donald Laurie had died in 1994 from a long-standing illness
according to one friend Donald had made a deathbed confession saying we killed the nurses I was there
I didn't do it the friend claimed to have reported this to police who took no significant action
those who were still alive were Desmond Hilton Jimmy O'Neill and Alan ungi Laurie all of whom were aged in their
early 60s when appearing at the inquest all were notably cagey Desmond who had been warned he could be
charged with being an accessory after the fact for cleaning the car after the others allegedly spoke of giving two
girls a hiding claimed he had no memory of ever making such a statement to the police
on the stand each of the three men attempted to distance themselves from the others by denying they were ever
friends or spent time together back in the 70s back in 1976 officer Ian Hamilton of the
Toowoomba police had met with detectives working the Wilson Evans case to divulge
everything he knew about the green Holden in the Hilton and Lorry men who were associated with it
it was only through the inquest that he learned no record was ever made of this meeting
officer Hamilton told The Courier mail there is no doubt in my mind that if those leads were followed up the case
would have been solved and solved quickly because the suspects would have been themselves and someone would
have squealed whether they would have got them all I don't know but someone would have been
brought to Justice although Lorraine and Wendy's loved ones were disappointed that no tangible
Justice had been served they were grateful that someone had finally been held accountable and that those
suspected of being involved had been publicly named and shamed outside Court Lorraine's cousin told
reporters I don't think they'll be able to walk down the street now and feel comfortable
I think naming them has probably been the best outcome that we could have here Lorraine's brother Eric found peace with
the fact that the community was now aware of the criminals walking among them quote
the mountain of fear that sat on my shoulders can sit on theirs now Eric sought permission from the
Toowoomba Regional Council to install a Memorial Park in a park a garden in the name of his sister and Wendy Evans
after some back and forth Eric's request was denied Eric said of the decision it was an excellent opportunity to make
amends and acknowledge what happened not only to the girls but the community who
have been held hostage for 40 years had it been installed the plaque would have included the message
fear and intimidation must never again silence a community the so-called Gold Coast hitchhiker
murderer who is believed to be responsible for the deaths of Michelle Riley Gabrielle Janke Robin hoinville
Bartram Anita Cunningham and Margaret roseworn has never been brought to Justice
investigators don't believe that the Hilton and Lorry gang were involved with these crimes
hopes remain that advances in genealogical DNA testing could soon lead to the killer or Killers being
identified a plaque in memory of Lorraine Wilson and Wendy Evans was installed on the
grounds of Saint George Hospital in Sydney where the pair had worked as trainee nurses
for Lorraine's mother Betty it was ironic that her daughter had a particular interest in psychiatric
nursing prior to Betty's death she remarked it seems the kind of people Lorraine
wanted to help most ended up killing her [Music] [Music]

Case 249: Lorraine Wilson & Wendy Evans *** Content warning: Sexual assault ***

When trainee nurses Lorraine Wilson and Wendy Evans failed to return to work in Sydney after a holiday around Australia in 1974, fears arose that they could have fallen victim to the so-called Gold Coast Hitchhiker Murderer. But when a discovery is made in the rural town of Murphy’s Creek years later, an even more disturbing possibility emerges.

CREDITS

Narration – Anonymous Host Research & writing – Milly Raso Creative direction – Milly Raso Production and music – Mike Migas Music – Andrew D.B. Joslyn

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Brief Summary

The episode details the unsolved murders of nurses Lorraine Wilson and Wendy Evans, exploring the investigation and potential suspects.

Key points

The Missing Nurses. Lorraine Wilson and Wendy Evans go missing after hitchhiking back home, sparking a police search.
The Disturbing Discovery. An elderly couple finds human skulls in a remote area, leading to a police investigation.
A Chilling Pattern. The investigation reveals a series of similar disappearances of young women in the area.
The Hilton and Lorry Clan. The notorious families had a history of violence and crime in Toowoomba.
Witnesses to a Crime. Several couples witnessed a kidnapping but chose not to intervene.
Norma's Haunting Memory. Norma witnessed a woman begging for help but was too scared to act.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

I now feel the situation is hopeless for my daughter.

Wendy's mother Alice expressing despair over her daughter's disappearance.

8:49WatchJun 3, 2023

Tension

75/ 100High tension

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