Episode 137 - The Man Who Wasn't There.

What does a major murder investigation really look like from the inside?

This week, Damo takes us back to Operation Nina, the investigation into the 2011 murder of Ray Niceforo in Katherine — the Northern Territory’s first known contract killing.

Damo was one of the investigators at the front end of the case and personally arrested Zach Greve, one of three young men initially convicted of the murder. Greve would later be released after the court found there was no evidence establishing that he was present at the scene — ultimately becoming the subject of Dan Box’s book, The Man Who Wasn’t There.

But Damo was there.

He takes us behind the headlines and into the investigation as it unfolded: the discovery of the body, the first crime scene, the breakthrough admission that suddenly changed everything, simultaneous arrests and the enormous investigative effort that followed.

We also break down what television rarely shows — 12 to 18-hour days, search warrants, endless CCTV, exhibits, running sheets, intelligence coming in from dozens of directions, daily briefings and investigators following separate lines of inquiry before bringing everything back together.

And Damo gives his own perspective on Greve and the investigation, while making clear where his personal opinion differs from the findings ultimately made by the court.

It's an inside look at major crime from two former cops who have actually worked these investigations — where the breakthrough might happen in seconds, but getting there can take thousands of hours.