Unravel

ABC Australia

Land USA

Sjanger True Crime, Society & Culture, Documentary

Språk EN

Episoder 61

Siste 26.05.2026

What Became of Jack? — the latest season of Unravel, the ABC's award-winning investigative true crime podcast series.

27-year-old Queenslander Jack McLennan had been relaxing, drinking beers at a picnic spot, when his mate said he looked away, and when he looked back, Jack had vanished. Jack was fit and healthy, and even though he'd just been through a break-up, he seemed positive. But now, Jack was missing, and strange clues began to surface, hinting at his last movements. With online theories about the case spreading like wildfire, ABC journalist Rob Burgin sets out to investigate. Has there been a crime or not? He traces the fragments of that night through a web of small Queensland towns, where everyone knows everyone, everyone knows something, but no one can agree on what became of Jack.

Previous series of Unravel cover various investigations into crimes and crime-related topics, including solved and unsolved murder cases, missing persons, forensic analysis, gangland crimes, love scammers, con-artists, drugs, terrorism, Neo-Nazis, and miscarriages of justice — all investigated by some of Australia's best reporters and people who know the story best.

In Season 7, Blood on the Tracks, award-winning Muruwari and Gomeroi journalist Allan Clarke spends five years investigating the unusual circumstances surrounding the death of 17-year-old Gomeroi teenager, Mark Haines. In 1988, just outside of Tamworth in country New South Wales, a freight train hits Mark's body lying across the tracks. When the rail worker stops the train and gets out, the scene doesn't add up. The tracks divide Tamworth in two. An Aboriginal community on one side, a largely white population on the other. Some will say it was a suicide and others a murder. Despite the strange evidence found at the scene of his death, the family feel like they're being ignored by the police. An inquiry finds no answers, and the mystery is left to fester, causing division and suspicion in the town. Allan's reporting helps to spark a resurgence of interest in the case that sees the file reopened, a review launched, a reward announced. As Allan gets closer to the truth, the story ends with a revelation no one was expecting, and the thirty-year-old mystery finally begins to unravel. Blood on the Tracks won a Walkley award for Coverage of Indigenous Affairs. This series was re-published with a bonus episode due to updates and advances in relation to the case.

In Season 6, Mr Big, journalist Alicia Bridges investigates a disturbing recording of a man admitting to a murder. She finds herself in a world of lies, gangland and subterfuge, where very few things are as they seem. Her reporting leads her deep inside an international controversy, to a world of secrets that powerful institutions don’t want revealed.

In Season 5, Firebomb, Crispian Chan investigates what really happened after his family’s restaurant went up in flames in 1988. He was just a kid when Chinese restaurants were being firebombed in the dead of night and a campaign of terror was underway in Perth. Thirty-five years on, most of us have never heard about it, even though it’s one of the few sustained and coordinated terrorism campaigns in Australia’s history. Crispian teams up with ABC reporter Alex Mann, and together they traverse the country to find answers and explore the darker forces that still lurk in our suburbs today. Firebomb won the ‘Best True Crime Podcast Award’ at the Australian Podcast Awards in 2024.

In Season 4, Snowball, Ollie Wards investigates how his brother’s whirlwind romance with a charismatic Californian woman ultimately cost his family more than a million dollars. When Greg Wards met Lezlie Manukian, a beautiful woman whose world is full of glamour, he is immediately drawn to her. They fall in love, get married and start planning the rest of their lives together - the only catch is Lezlie is a con artist. To find out who his brother’s wife really is, Ollie must track down Lezlie herself, and it soon becomes clear that his family’s story is just one piece of a bigger jigsaw. Snowball won Best True Crime at the Australian Podcast Awards in 2020, was one of Apple Podcasts' Best Listens of 2019, and made the American Bello Collective’s top 100 list that year.

In Season 3, Last Seen Katoomba, reporter Gina McKeon digs deep into the suspicious unsolved disappearance of young mum, Belinda Peisley, who was last seen in the Blue Mountains town of Katoomba, west of Sydney, in September 1998. Belinda’s life descends into chaos after her 18th birthday when she receives a large inheritance and buys her own place in town. It’s a move her family thinks will set her up for life but, instead, the house becomes a magnet for a world of drugs and a crowd of hangers-on who visit day and night.

Gina pieces together the stories and evidence around the six main persons of interest named in the inquest into Belinda’s disappearance and suspected death, and what emerges is a picture of a town and a case shrouded in secrecy.

In Season 2, Barrenjoey Road, reporter Ruby Jones tries to solve the mystery of what happened to 18-year-old Trudie Adams after she disappeared while hitchhiking home on Sydney’s northern beaches in 1978. Ruby exposes the dark underbelly of the seemingly beautiful and serene “Insular Peninsula,” uncovering a world where surfers run drugs home from Bali, gangs of men prowl the beaches and predators have unchecked power. Ruby will question why the case was never solved and her investigation will lead her to a criminal monster with links to organised crime and police corruption at the highest level.

In Season 1, Blood on the Tracks, award-winning Muruwari and Gomeroi journalist Allan Clarke spends five years investigating the unusual circumstances surrounding the death of 17-year-old Gomeroi teenager, Mark Haines. In 1988, just outside of Tamworth in country New South Wales, a freight train hits Mark’s body lying across the tracks. When the rail worker stops the train and gets out, the scene doesn’t add up. The tracks divide Tamworth in two. An Aboriginal community on one side, a largely white population on the other. Some will say it was a suicide and others a murder. Despite the strange evidence found at the scene of his death, the family feel like they're being ignored by police. An inquiry finds no answers and the mystery is left to fester, causing division and suspicion in the town. Allan’s reporting helps to spark a resurgence of interest in the case that sees the file reopened, a review launched, a reward announced. As Allan gets closer to the truth, the story ends with a revelation no one was expecting, and the thirty-year-old mystery finally begins to unravel. Blood on the Tracks won a Walkley award for Coverage of Indigenous Affairs.

Episoder

03 What Became of Jack? | The dark side 02.06.2026 32min

Rob retraces Jack's final hours via CCTV footage and meeting people who saw him in his last days. He also learns about another item found in Jack's wallet that reveals a different side to what went on that night. And finally, ABC journalist Rob Burgin gets a call through to the last known person to see Jack alive, and he agrees to speak publicly for the first time.
02 What Became of Jack? | The breakup 26.05.2026 35min

The day he vanished, Jack moved his stuff out of Carlee's place. They'd just broken up. Carlee hasn't spoken publicly about what led up to that day or why she called police twice in the days before Jack disappeared — until now. She thinks Jack's disappearance is suspicious, but tells ABC journalist Rob Burgin how speculation, rumours and aggression have flooded the vacuum of information around what happened to Jack.
01 What Became of Jack? | Vanished 26.05.2026 35min

When Jack's mate turns around, he's just… gone. Vanished. His mate says that's how fit 27-year-old Jack McLennan disappeared from a bush picnic spot 3 hours from Brisbane. But when searchers discover a trail of baffling clues, suspicions begin to deepen among friends and family. They start questioning what this is — it doesn't seem like the average missing person's case to them. Could it be murder? Is it someone who's just gone missing? ABC journalist Rob Burgin picks up the case, determined to find out what became of Jack.
INTRODUCING — What Became of Jack? 12.05.2026 2min

When a fit young man disappears from a picnic spot, leaving a trail of strange clues behind him, a community begins to suspect the worst. The belongings he leaves behind are discarded in a way that seems nonsensical, and to some, even sinister. Is he missing, has he left town or has there been a crime? Concern turns to suspicion and online speculation as weeks turn into months, with no sign of Jack. Now, ABC journalist Rob Burgin investigates what became of Jack, tracing the fragments of that night through a web of small Queensland towns, where everyone knows everyone, everyone knows something, but no one can agree on what became of Jack. Coming soon, What Became of Jack?: the latest season of the ABC's award-winning true crime podcast, Unravel. Follow or favourite to be notified when the first episode releases. Credits Host and reporter: Rob Burgin Producer and fact checker: Jake Morcom Supervising producers: Alex Mann and Yasmin Parry Theme composition and additional music: Martin Peralta and Ashley Cadell Sound design and additional music: Emrys Cronin Executive producers: Tim Roxburgh and Eric George Head of Audio on Demand: Jessica Radburn
08 Blood On The Tracks | Finally, a new inquest 22.10.2025 57min

It's 2025, and the NSW Deputy Coroner is holding a fresh inquest into the death of Gomeroi teenager Mark Haines, who was found dead on the train tracks back in 1988. As the inquest hearings spiral over a year a half, new witnesses appear with explosive allegations and police make surprising admissions. Allan heads to Tamworth and dives back into a story that's gripped him for over a decade. Will he finally find the answers to this mystery he's been looking for? Blood on the Tracks is the first ever series we made for Unravel, back in 2018. It is intended to be listened to as a whole, so we encourage you to go back to episode 1 and listen to the entire series. To binge more great episodes of Unravel, the ABC's award winning investigative true crime podcast documentary series, search 'Unravel podcast' on the ABC Listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find previous series covering various crimes and crime-related topics including solved and unsolved murder cases, forensic analysis, gangland crimes, love scammers, con-artists, drugs, terrorism, neo-nazis, and miscarriages of justice — all investigated by some of Australia's best reporters and people who know the story best.
07 Blood On The Tracks | Face To Face 22.10.2025 32min

Years of investigation have led to this moment … a major breakthrough in the case, a potential answer to thirty years of mystery and pain for the Haines family. An alleged confession has revealed who might have placed Mark's body on the train tracks on that summer night in 1988. Now it's time to put the question to him — did he have anything to do with Mark's death? Will Allan Clarke finally have some answers for Uncle Duck? Blood on the Tracks is the first ever series we made for Unravel, back in 2018. But we're re-releasing it now with a new episode because the NSW Deputy State Coroner is currently holding a fresh inquest into this case. Keep listening to the end of this series to find out about the new information that's recently been revealed in the inquest hearings. This season of Unravel is intended to be listened to as a whole. If you haven't heard all the episodes, you shouldn't draw any conclusions, because you haven't heard all the sides of this story. To binge more great episodes of Unravel, the ABC's award winning investigative true crime podcast documentary series, search 'Unravel podcast' on the ABC Listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find previous series covering various crimes and crime-related topics including solved and unsolved murder cases, forensic analysis, gangland crimes, love scammers, con-artists, drugs, terrorism, neo-nazis, and miscarriages of justice — all investigated by some of Australia's best reporters and people who know the story best.
06 Blood On The Tracks | Revelation 22.10.2025 24min

Allan and the team shift their focus to Tamworth and the truth starts to emerge from a fog of rumours. As Allan builds on the case, he discovers the police aren't far behind. An eyewitness comes forward. Key witnesses are confronted for the first time. An alleged confession emerges which takes the investigation in a completely new direction. If it turns out to be true, this new lead could help finally solve the 30-year-old mystery. Blood on the Tracks is the first ever series we made for Unravel, back in 2018. But we're re-releasing it now with a new episode because the NSW Deputy State Coroner is currently holding a fresh inquest into this case. Keep listening to the end of this series to find out about the new information that's recently been revealed in the inquest hearings. This season of Unravel is intended to be listened to as a whole. If you haven't heard all the episodes, you shouldn't draw any conclusions, because you haven't heard all the sides of this story. To binge more great episodes of Unravel, the ABC's award winning investigative true crime podcast documentary series, search 'Unravel podcast' on the ABC Listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find previous series covering various crimes and crime-related topics including solved and unsolved murder cases, forensic analysis, gangland crimes, love scammers, con-artists, drugs, terrorism, neo-nazis, and miscarriages of justice — all investigated by some of Australia's best reporters and people who know the story best.
05 Blood On The Tracks | The Driver 22.10.2025 32min

More than two decades have passed since the coronial inquest into Mark Haines' death. The family have been forgotten about — until news reporter Allan Clarke arrives in Tamworth on a routine story and becomes convinced this is a major injustice. Allan's reporting unearths fresh information. A mother comes forward with a story about her son's involvement. Police aren't quick to follow up. But, after a flurry of protests and phone calls … the case finally starts to gain traction. Blood on the Tracks is the first ever series we made for Unravel, back in 2018. But we're re-releasing it now with a new episode because the NSW Deputy State Coroner is currently holding a fresh inquest into this case. Keep listening to the end of this series to find out about the new information that's recently been revealed in the inquest hearings. This season of Unravel is intended to be listened to as a whole. If you haven't heard all the episodes, you shouldn't draw any conclusions, because you haven't heard all the sides of this story. To binge more great episodes of Unravel, the ABC's award winning investigative true crime podcast documentary series, search 'Unravel podcast' on the ABC Listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find previous series covering various crimes and crime-related topics including solved and unsolved murder cases, forensic analysis, gangland crimes, love scammers, con-artists, drugs, terrorism, neo-nazis, and miscarriages of justice — all investigated by some of Australia's best reporters and people who know the story best.
04 Blood On The Tracks | Whitewash 22.10.2025 31min

Nine months after Mark's death, an inquest is held. The family are hopeful it will give them answers, but the police won't budge from their theory that he put himself on the tracks. As the hearing unfolds, the family find out just how mediocre the initial investigation was. One person is in the family's corner though. The railway worker who found Mark on the tracks is adamant the police and the forensic pathologist have it wrong. He's remained silent for the last thirty years but finally comes forward to set the record straight. Blood on the Tracks is the first ever series we made for Unravel, back in 2018. But we're re-releasing it now with a new episode because the NSW Deputy State Coroner is currently holding a fresh inquest into this case. Keep listening to the end of this series to find out about the new information that's recently been revealed in the inquest hearings. This season of Unravel is intended to be listened to as a whole. If you haven't heard all the episodes, you shouldn't draw any conclusions, because you haven't heard all the sides of this story. To binge more great episodes of Unravel, the ABC's award winning investigative true crime podcast documentary series, search 'Unravel podcast' on the ABC Listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find previous series covering various crimes and crime-related topics including solved and unsolved murder cases, forensic analysis, gangland crimes, love scammers, con-artists, drugs, terrorism, neo-nazis, and miscarriages of justice — all investigated by some of Australia's best reporters and people who know the story best.
03 Blood On The Tracks | The Boxer 22.10.2025 27min

On the surface, Tamworth in 1988 is a typical Aussie town with rodeos, farmers and an active Country Women's Association. But beneath the friendly veneer, there's a thriving criminal underbelly. Large marijuana crops grow on the outskirts of town and there are reports of bikie gangs with links to corrupt cops on the take. The police investigation into Mark's death has stalled, allowing gossip and innuendo to take hold. The family know Mark occasionally smoked marijuana, but now they're hearing whispers that he might've got on the wrong side of some serious criminals. The family decide to confront a man rumoured to have been involved… with ugly consequences. Blood on the Tracks is the first ever series we made for Unravel, back in 2018. But we're re-releasing it now with a new episode because the NSW Deputy State Coroner is currently holding a fresh inquest into this case. Keep listening to the end of this series to find out about the new information that's recently been revealed in the inquest hearings. This season of Unravel is intended to be listened to as a whole. If you haven't heard all the episodes, you shouldn't draw any conclusions, because you haven't heard all the sides of this story. To binge more great episodes of Unravel, the ABC's award winning investigative true crime podcast documentary series, search 'Unravel podcast' on the ABC Listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find previous series covering various crimes and crime-related topics including solved and unsolved murder cases, forensic analysis, gangland crimes, love scammers, con-artists, drugs, terrorism, neo-nazis, and miscarriages of justice — all investigated by some of Australia's best reporters and people who know the story best.
02 Blood On The Tracks | Foul Play 22.10.2025 30min

When Mark Haines dies, news of the teenager's death spreads quickly through Tamworth and beyond. His family are on summer holidays in different parts of the state and rush home to be together in grief. While the family mourns and Mark's body is in the morgue, their town is in full party mode. The Tamworth Country Music Festival is on and Australia is celebrating 200 years of colonisation. For Mark's uncles, it feels like the death of a young Aboriginal boy is the last thing on anyone's mind. The police come up with a theory that Mark might've killed himself … but the family aren't buying it. In the days and weeks ahead, his uncles return repeatedly to the train tracks looking for answers. They're worried the police have missed vital clues and they become convinced Mark met with foul play. In their quest to disprove the police theory, the family find an unlikely ally. The railway worker who first found Mark's body on tracks is just as convinced the evidence out there on the tracks just doesn't add up. Blood on the Tracks is the first ever series we made for Unravel, back in 2018. But we're re-releasing it now with a new episode because the NSW Deputy State Coroner is currently holding a fresh inquest into this case. Keep listening to the end of this series to find out about the new information that's recently been revealed in the inquest hearings. This season of Unravel is intended to be listened to as a whole. If you haven't heard all the episodes, you shouldn't draw any conclusions, because you haven't heard all the sides of this story. To binge more great episodes of Unravel, the ABC's award winning investigative true crime podcast documentary series, search 'Unravel podcast' on the ABC Listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find previous series covering various crimes and crime-related topics including solved and unsolved murder cases, forensic analysis, gangland crimes, love scammers, con-artists, drugs, terrorism, neo-nazis, and miscarriages of justice — all investigated by some of Australia's best reporters and people who know the story best.
01 Blood On The Tracks | Blood On The Tracks 22.10.2025 29min

Just outside Australia's country music capital, a young man's body is found on the train tracks, surrounded by shattered Christmas presents and discarded wrapping paper. For decades, the mystery has haunted Tamworth. After Unravel's first season Blood on the Tracks brought national attention to the case and won a Walkley award, a new inquest was launched. Now, Muruwari and Gomeroi journalist Allan Clarke returns to where it all began for Unravel, revisiting Tamworth and uncovering what's happened since, as the long-awaited final chapter of the story unfolds, and major new revelations are heard at the inquest. But before then, let's return to episode one. We trace Mark's movements on the night before his death, as he hit the town on a big night out with a bunch of friends, dancing, drinking and having fun. Mark's friends and girlfriend say they left him in the early hours. Just after, a nearby resident hears voices on the street, what sounds like an argument, and a car driving dangerously. But the next few hours remain a mystery. How did Mark end up on the tracks? This season of Unravel is intended to be listened to as a whole. If you haven't heard all the episodes, you shouldn't draw any conclusions, because you haven't heard all the sides of this story. To binge more great episodes of Unravel, the ABC's award winning investigative true crime podcast documentary series, search 'Unravel podcast' on the ABC Listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find previous series covering various crimes and crime-related topics including solved and unsolved murder cases, forensic analysis, gangland crimes, love scammers, con-artists, drugs, terrorism, neo-nazis, and miscarriages of justice — all investigated by some of Australia's best reporters and people who know the story best.
REINTRODUCING: Blood On The Tracks (reprise) 22.10.2025 4min

Back in 2018, our first season Blood on the Tracks investigated the suspicious death of 17-year-old Mark Haines, whose body was found on the railway line outside Tamworth in January 1988. Since Allan Clarke first reported this story, there's been a fresh inquest, with new witnesses and explosive allegations. Dive back into Blood on the Tracks. We're republishing the original series plus a brand new episode, where we delve into the latest from the new inquest.
BONUS | Behind the scenes on Mr Big 22.10.2024 21min

Go behind the scenes of the podcast with reporter Alicia Bridges, who answers questions about how she investigated Mr Big. Asking the hard questions is Rachael Brown, the host of the ABC's first true crime podcast, Trace. They discuss some of the challenges and dilemmas around reporting on the story, how Alicia came across the case, and some of the things that didn't make it in to the podcast.
07 Mr Big | Through the looking glass 08.10.2024 44min

As Alicia Bridges investigates the beginnings of an epic deception, she finds it spans across continents. At the heart of the deception is an upside-down world of gang crime, and a series of dilemmas. What secrets should stay secret? How far would you go to catch a killer? One man is in jail, convicted for murder. But are there other people behind bars who might be innocent, here or overseas? In Canada, a secret recording captures another man admitting to murder, and the same story begins again, but this time with a different ending. In this case, Andy Rose is under suspicion for the murder of two German travellers, Andrea Scherpf and Bernd Göricke. His lawyer Tania Chamberlain recounts her shock at the contents of a VHS tape that arrives at her office one day. Eventually, the issue ends up in the Canada's highest court, and one of the country's highest-profile litigators, Marie Heinen, gets involved. Back in Melbourne, Mary Cook's daughters speak about what happened to their mother, and give their thoughts on everything that followed. STATEMENT FROM VICTORIA POLICE: Victoria Police stands behind the rigorous investigation which led to the conviction of Glen Weaven in relation to the 2008 death of Mary Lou Cook in Narre Warren. We consider this matter finalised and will not be commenting further. Victoria Police does not comment on the specifics or application of covert methodology. Covert methodology is deployed in the investigation of the most serious and violent crimes, and it is incumbent on law enforcement to pursue strategies to seek justice for victims and their families. Community safety is at the forefront of all decision making. Investigative strategies involving serious and organised crime whether covert or overt, are subject to significant planning and risk assessment processes. Victoria Police applies internal operating procedures to covert investigations, which include strict parameters and risk assessment processes including consideration of human rights. The deployments are also subject to formal reporting and oversight regimes to ensure they are employed appropriately and do not adversely impact future court proceedings or investigations. Victoria Police monitors the use of covert strategies in other Australian jurisdictions and around the world, to ensure our methods remain contemporary and that they align with best practice. Victoria Police accepts that covert methods are and have been subject to public discussion and interest due to judicial proceedings and media reporting, however further publicity does not benefit current or future application of the strategies. It is important to note that while the concepts of covert methods may be in the public realm at various times, the details pertaining to the practical application are not. All investigations whether covert or overt vary and the mechanisms employed change depending on the circumstances at the time. Success or results in terms of covert strategies is difficult to quantify. The methodology is employed as an investigative strategy with the aim of seeking answers and to identify the person or persons responsible for serious criminal offending. The outcome may not result in a criminal conviction but that does not mean there is not a result. STATEMENT FROM QUEENSLAND POLICE: The Queensland Police Service is committed to high standards of behaviour, transparency and accountability. Our purpose is to keep people, places and communities of Queensland safe through excellence in policing and community safety. To achieve this, investigators employ numerous lawful strategies for investigating and solving all crimes. These strategies can at times include covert methodologies to progress investigations, which under all circumstances should remain covert to protect their effectiveness. As with every investigation, investigators continuously review current investigative strategies, techniques and emerging trends to ensure such methods do not impede
06 Mr Big | The knife 08.10.2024 32min

A knife is found near a drain, but is it the one police looking for? A man is put on trial, and the court hears the evidence against him. But as each side mounts their case, which piece of evidence will really matter when the time comes for the jury to decide?
05 Mr Big | A story about murder 08.10.2024 40min

A life filled with diamond deals, drug money, bribes and corruption is strange enough. But the truth is even stranger. Deeper forces are at work, with a bigger purpose. Mr Big's web of secrets is revealed. As Alicia digs further into what happened in this case, the ingenious techniques of the gang are laid bare, and a series of strange scenarios begins to make sense as part of a larger picture.
04 Mr Big | You're it 08.10.2024 25min

Mr Big, the mysterious head of a criminal gang, calls a meeting at Crown Towers Casino and demands to know everything about the murder of Mary Cook. For hours, two men talk. Lies are told, and a confession emerges. But how do you tell the truth from the lies? And who is Mr Big?
03 Mr Big | A bee in the ear 08.10.2024 31min

If you're under investigation, the last thing you should do is commit more crimes. But this suspect is on a slippery slope. Small jobs become bigger jobs. Fake diamonds, huge sums of cash, and guns pass hands. A network of corrupt cops, government and court officials and shady underworld figures seem to form a gang with far-reaching tentacles.
02 Mr Big | Two suspects, one killer 08.10.2024 41min

Everyone says one man in the neighbourhood, Terry Britton, is dangerous. But could there be someone else who wished Mary harm? Terry has a temper and a history of violence. He threatened Mary Cook and her kids. Then Mary was murdered, and her house was set alight. But police are also looking into someone else: a much quieter man with no serious criminal record. When detective Ron Iddles interviews the other suspect, Glenn Weaven, things get tense.