Crime Investigation Australia
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television production |
| Founded | August 2005 |
| Headquarters | Moore Park, New South Wales , Australia |
Key people | Graham McNeice (producer) |
| Products | True-crime television series |
Crime Investigation Australia is a true-crime television series from Australia that first aired on Foxtel's Crime & Investigation Network in August 2005. Subsequently, it was broadcast on the free-to-air Nine Network, with its premiere on that channel occurring on 14 August 2007. The show was originally presented by Steve Liebmann, and it is currently shown on Channel 7 with Matt Doran as the host.
Production
The series was created under the production leadership of Graham McNeice, who directs Shadow Productions located in Moore Park, New South Wales. It was conceived to deliver Australian-focused crime stories for Foxtel, which until then mainly showcased cases from America and Europe. Although Foxtel announced a hiatus for the program in 2010, the series did not resume at that time.
This program includes interviews with victims, their relatives, law enforcement officials, attorneys, and journalists. It utilizes original news reports, police audio and visual materials, dramatizations, and on-site interviews to provide an in-depth examination of various crimes.
Series 1
- No More Grannies – The Granny Killer
- Kid for Ransom/Tears for Daniel
- Death in a Heartbeat/The Body in the Bag
- Ivan Milat: The Backpacker Murders
- Contract to Kill/The Mornington Monster
- The Moorhouse Horrors/The Call Girl Killing
- The Killer Punch/The Will of Death
- The Anita Cobby Murder
- Snowtown: Bodies in the Barrels
- The Kimberley Killer
- The Wanda Beach Murders/The Beaumont Children Mystery
- The Greenough Family Massacre
- The Disappearance of Donald Mackay
- The Body in the Sports Bag
- The Assassination of John Newman
- The Butchered Boys
Series 2
- The Killing Fields of Truro
- No Mercy: The Killing of Virginia Morse
- The Night Caller: Eric Edgar Cooke
- Headless Body: The Kim Barry Murder
- The Gonzales Family Murders
- Thrill Kill: The Janine Balding Murder
- Hunt for a Killer: The Claremont Murders
- The Devil Inside – John Ernest Cribb
- The Predator: Leonard John Fraser
- Evil Heart: The Murder of Donna Wheeler/The Disappearance of Trudie Adams
Series 3
- The Girls Who Knew Too Much (Juanita Nielsen and Sallie-Anne Huckstepp)
- Bloodsport – The Bondi Gay Murders
- A Killer Amongst Us – The Norfolk Island Murder
- Night of Terror: The Bega Schoolgirls
- Murder of Innocence – Sian Kingi
- Date with a Serial Killer: Rodney Cameron
- Cop Killer – The Winchester Assassination
- Michael Kanaan: Shoot to Kill
- Buried Alive: Luckman and Reid
- Mystery of the Homestead Murders
Series 4
- Cangai siege
- Kerry Whelan – Ransom for spouse
- Body in the suitcase – Karlie Pearce-Stevenson and Khandalyce Pearce
- Catching A Killer - The Claremont Murders
- Nearly flawless homicide – Bill & Pamela Weightman
- Murder & Mayhem – George Brown and Fine Cotton
- On Borrowed Time – The Michael McGurk assassination
- Hero To Hitman – Lindsey Rose
Reception
The series was met with generally positive feedback. Michelle Nagy remarked that it "delivers a compelling package by combining re-enactments, authentic evidence montages, location footage, maps, photographs, and video—anchored by respected Australian presenter Steve Liebmann who adds credibility and gravitas." Likewise, reviewers commended McNeice’s straightforward presentation of crime, violence, and harsh realities without embellishment, resulting in engaging television content. David Knox pointed out the show’s avoidance of sensationalism or emotional manipulation, noting it has even encouraged viewers to come forward with new leads—a significant achievement for true crime programming. Another critique recognized its documentary style typical of pay-TV—incorporating archival footage, dramatizations, and atmospheric music—while confirming that it effectively narrates a captivating story.
Certain dramatizations are graphic, notably the repeated reenactment of the Anita Cobby murder. Some minor inaccuracies have been observed; for instance, the Beaumont Children Mystery episode featured child actors whose hairstyles and costumes were not period-accurate, indicating slight production oversights.
Revival
In 2018, Channel 7 commenced re-airing select original episodes hosted by Steve Liebmann on Foxtel and Channel 9 under the new title Crime Investigation Australia: Most Infamous. This iteration, presented by Matt Doran, incorporates updated case details along with fresh narration replacing Liebmann’s original voiceover. Treated as a distinct series, it continues to be accessible on 7 Plus within Australia.
Season 4 of Crime Investigation Australia debuted on Channel 7 in 2022, featuring newly examined cases and again hosted by Doran.
Episode 4 was broadcast on 19 April 2023 after a scheduling delay to coincide with the launch of the two-part drama The Claremont Murders on Channel 7/7 Plus that same month. This installment offers refreshed insights beyond those presented in Season 2, Episode 7 (2008), adding further commercial value through updated content aligned with current programming.