Could a fight between best mates over an Esky lead to murder?
Welcome to Blood Territory, Audible.com.au’s free true crime Podcast, by Walkley Award winning Australian journalist and author, Mark Whittaker.
The 10-episode podcast delves into the murder of 22-year-old Jimmy O’Connell, whose mummified body was found, mutilated and missing clothes, on a sweltering Northern Territory property in 2006.
A dubious manslaughter plea deal puts O’Connell’s best mate and fishing companion, Philip Mather, behind bars for the crime, however, in a strange twist, O’Connell’s parents believe Mather is innocent, visiting him in jail and fighting to unravel the truth of their murdered son.
Now, Mather is out to clear his name after being released from jail on parole after nine years.
Blood Territory takes listeners on a journey into the murky heart of the NT, exploring murder, alleged police corruption, lies, betrayal, justice and a family’s desperate plea for answers. To help uncover the truth, Whittaker is joined by different characters including the victim’s parents, Mather himself and a mysterious figure known as ‘The Vigilante’.
Mark Whittaker says, “From the moment I first heard this story, I was captivated by a family fighting to prove the innocence of their son’s killer. The Top End of Australia is notorious for hiding people, and secrets that don’t want to be found – it’s the perfect backdrop for such a cryptic story. As the sequences of events and unusual characters are revealed, it becomes clear this is one of the strangest Aussie mysteries I’ve ever encountered.”
Whittaker has worked on similar stories of murder in the past including Sins of the Brother about serial killer, Ivan Milat, and Love and Death in Kathmandu, about the massacre of the Nepalese royal family.
Director of Original Content, Audible.com.au, Ben Naperstek, says, “The true crime podcast genre is a trend that is continuing to grow and capture the imagination of Australians. Audiences will be enthralled by the many twists and turns in this story of alleged corruption, blood and innocence. Mark’s shock conclusion as to who killed Jimmy O’Connell, will be sure to leave listeners rocked”.
