In this special end-of-year episode,  Xanthe and Tim look back on Australia’s biggest and most unsettling cases of 2025. From the trial that gripped the nation, to some of the lesser publicised but equally disturbing cases, they unpack the investigations that shaped public conversation and debate. Plus, the cases we should keep watching as we head into 2026.

In this special end-of-year episode,&nbsp; Xanthe and Tim look back on Australia&rsquo;s biggest and most unsettling cases of 2025. From the trial that gripped the nation, to some of the lesser publicised but equally disturbing cases, they unpack the investigations that shaped public conversation and debate. Plus, the cases we should keep watching as we head into 2026.

Motive & Method is an expert-led Australian true crime podcast. Join Dr Xanthe Mallett and criminal psychologist Tim Watson-Munro as they unpack what really makes the offenders behind some of history’s most notorious cases tick, and also react and unpack crimes as they hit the headlines. You will also hear from victim survivors, investigators and advocates for change analysing motive, and method.

Motive &amp; Method is an expert-led Australian true crime podcast. Join Dr Xanthe Mallett and criminal psychologist Tim Watson-Munro as they unpack what really makes the offenders behind some of history’s most notorious cases tick, and also react and unpack crimes as they hit the headlines. You will also hear from victim survivors, investigators and advocates for change analysing motive, and method.

Motive & Method

Motive & Method is an expert-led Australian true crime podcast. Join Dr Xanthe Weston and criminal psychologist Tim Watson-Munro as they unpack what really makes the offenders behind some of history’s most notorious cases tick, and also react and unpack crimes as they hit the headlines. You will also hear from victim survivors, investigators and advocates for change analysing motive, and method.

Motive &amp; Method is an expert-led Australian true crime podcast. Join Dr Xanthe Weston and criminal psychologist Tim Watson-Munro as they unpack what really makes the offenders behind some of history&rsquo;s most notorious cases tick, and also react and unpack crimes as they hit the headlines. You will also hear from victim survivors, investigators and advocates for change analysing motive, and method.

Year in Crime: Cases That Defined 2025

Two unidentified bodies were found years apart and thousands of kilometres away from eachother- Then came the chilling discovery that they were a mother and her young daughter.
When the remains of a young woman were discovered in the notorious Belanglo State Forest, no one knew who she was. Her identity remained a mystery for five years, until the horrific discovery of a toddler's body on the side of a highway, and the heartbreaking truth they were mother and daughter. 
This episode, Xanthe takes us through why Karlie Pearce-Stevenson and her daughter Khandalyce were never reported missing - and how they were finally identified. 
Plus the depraved actions of the man who killed them - and his calculated deception designed to convince family and police they were still alive. 

Watch the full video episode on Youtube atCrime Central Australia HERE.

Two unidentified bodies were found years apart and thousands of kilometres away from eachother- Then came the chilling discovery that they were a mother and her young daughter. When the remains of a young woman were discovered in the notorious Belanglo State Forest, no one knew who she was. Her identity remained a mystery for five years, until the horrific discovery of a toddler's body on the side of a highway, and the heartbreaking truth they were mother and daughter.&nbsp; This episode, Xanthe takes us through why&nbsp;Karlie Pearce-Stevenson and her daughter Khandalyce were never reported missing - and how they were finally identified. Plus the depraved actions of the man who killed them - and his calculated deception designed to convince family and police they were still alive.&nbsp;
Watch the full video episode on Youtube at<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@CrimeCentralAustralia"> Crime Central Australia HERE.</a>

The Murders Of Karlie & Khandalyce

Leslie Ball didn't just disappear, someone went to extraordinary lengths to erase him.
But a trail of forged signatures, fraud and burnt evidence couldn't keep this 33-year-old cold case buried forever.
In this episode Xanthe and Tim are joined by News.com.au investigative reporter Jo Townsend to untangle the mysterious 1993 disappearance of 71-year-old Leslie Ball. Townsend details her deep dive into her podcast Witness: Perfect Alibi, exposing how an ex-cop's web of fake documents and fabricated timelines obscured the reality of Ball's murder. 
Together, they explore the dark financial motives, the devastating emotional impact on Ball's daughter Le-Chelle and the haunting theory of where his remains may be hidden.  

Learn more about the investigation here at news.com.au
Or Listen to 'Witness: Perfect Alibi' on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

Watch our full video episodes on YouTube

Leslie Ball didn't just disappear, someone went to extraordinary lengths to erase him. But a trail of forged signatures, fraud and burnt evidence couldn't keep this 33-year-old cold case buried forever. In this episode Xanthe and Tim are joined by <a href="https://www.news.com.au/topics/perfect-alibi">News.com.au</a>&nbsp;investigative reporter Jo Townsend to untangle the mysterious 1993 disappearance of 71-year-old Leslie Ball. Townsend details her deep dive into her podcast Witness: Perfect Alibi, exposing how an ex-cop's web of fake documents and fabricated timelines obscured the reality of Ball's murder. Together, they explore the dark financial motives, the devastating emotional impact on Ball's daughter Le-Chelle and the haunting theory of where his remains may be hidden.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Learn more about the investigation here at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.news.com.au/topics/perfect-alibi">news.com.au</a> Or Listen to 'Witness: Perfect Alibi' on <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3CrSoHQi9Qel9rFlmkNzdc">Spotify</a> or <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/witness-perfect-alibi/id1754487264">Apple Podcasts</a>
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Watch our full video episodes on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@CrimeCentralAustralia">YouTube</a>

Forgery & Foul Play: Who Killed Les Ball?

For years, Christopher Flannery AKA 'Mr Rent-a-Kill' was the man Australian mobsters hired to make people disappear - until he became a target and vanished into thin air himself.
In 1985, after becoming a volatile liability who simply knew too much about corrupt police and syndicate bosses, the feared assassin vanished without a trace. 
In this episode, Tim and Xanthe sit down with former detective and author Duncan McNab to unravel Flannery's violent trajectory from a troubled youth in Melbourne to the high-stakes underworld of Sydney. Together, they examine the infamous hit on police officer Mick Drury, his shady links to notorious corrupt cop Roger Rogerson and the lingering theories behind Australia's most enduring underworld disappearance.

For years, Christopher Flannery AKA 'Mr Rent-a-Kill' was the man Australian mobsters hired to make people disappear - until he became a target and vanished into thin air himself. In 1985, after becoming a volatile liability who simply knew too much about corrupt police and syndicate bosses, the feared assassin vanished without a trace.&nbsp; In this episode, Tim and Xanthe sit down with former detective and author Duncan McNab to unravel Flannery's violent trajectory from a troubled youth in Melbourne to the high-stakes underworld of Sydney. Together, they examine the infamous hit on police officer Mick Drury, his shady links to notorious corrupt cop Roger Rogerson and the lingering theories behind Australia's most enduring underworld disappearance.

Year in Crime: Cases That Defined 2025

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