On a winter evening in July, 2018, West Pennant Hills sounded different. Usually quiet, the Thursday evening was polluted by blasting police sirens, all headed towards Hull Rd. When emergency personnel arrived, they came across a scene they wouldn’t ever forget. 

An hour later, 36-year-old Olga Edwards arrived home from work to find her house surrounded by police and paramedics. When she was told what had happened inside, she collapsed from “severe shock”.

Her children, 15-year-old Jack Edwards, and 13-year-old Jennifer Edwards, had been murdered. 

The family murder which took place in West Pennant Hills shook Australia. And six months later, the story became ever more tragic. 

We speak to Crime Reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald, Sally Rawsthorne, who covered the case as it unfolded. 

Please contact Lifeline is the contents of this episode bring up any issues for you on 13 11 14 https://www.lifeline.org.au/

GUEST: Sally Rawsthorne https://twitter.com/sallyrawsthorne 
HOST: Jessie Stephens
PRODUCER: Elise Cooper

RESEARCH

• “Killer John Edwards’ Secret Family”, Sally Rawsthorne and Angus Thompson for Sydney Morning Herald https://bit.ly/35SdrIK 
• “How A Father Planned The Execution Of His Two Children” Lucy Cormack and Sally Rawsthorne for Sydney Morning Herald https://bit.ly/2YcQ5Lj 
• 7 News Sydney “West Pennant Hills father John Edwards shot dead his children Jack and Jennifer in July before taking his own life” 7 Network https://bit.ly/2OLX3DJ
• “When John Edwards murdered his children, schoolmates couldn’t believe it — but his sister could” Jane Fife-Yeomans & Danielle Gusmaroli for The Daily Telegraph https://bit.ly/34PpBSG 
• 9 News Sydney “The shooting murder of two West Pennant Hills teenagers by their father has brought the issue of gun control firmly to the table.” Channel 9 https://bit.ly/2DOsruZ 

INTERNATIONAL COUNSELLING AND SUPPORT SERVICES

USA - https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ 
UK - https://www.supportline.org.uk/ 
NZ - https://www.lifeline.org.nz/