Felon: Debrief - Episode 9 - 16th November 2025

1. Toyah Cordingley Murder Trial – Cairns, QLD

Rajwinder Singh, 41, is on trial for the murder of 24-year-old animal shelter volunteer Toyah Cordingley, whose body was found buried at Wangetti Beach with stab wounds and a slashed throat on October 22, 2018. Singh’s sudden flight to India, combined with mobile tower data, traffic camera footage, DNA evidence, and his vehicle, forms the basis of the Crown case, while the trial also examined the movements and alibi of Cordingley’s boyfriend, Marco Heidenreich. The case continues, with covert recordings yet to be heard.

2. Ray McCormack Murder – Wollongong, NSW

Aaron Michael Lord, 38, was found not criminally responsible for the murder of 68-year-old homeless man Ray McCormack, whose body was discovered in a train station stairwell on May 12, 2024. Evidence, including security footage and psychological reports, confirmed Lord, diagnosed with schizophrenia, attacked McCormack under the influence of persistent hallucinations. The court acknowledged the tragic circumstances, and Lord remains in custody under the Mental Health Review Tribunal.

3. Ms Skeen Murder – Jilkminggan, NT

Steven John, 48, was found guilty of murdering his wife, Ms Skeen, during a drunken domestic dispute in July 2023, despite his claim of provocation. The court highlighted the disproportionate nature of the attack, shaped by alcohol abuse and intergenerational domestic violence, and John received a life sentence with a 20-year non-parole period.

4. Gordon Kessey Stabbing – Bega, NSW

Gordon Kessey was fatally stabbed on October 6, 2025, during an altercation between known parties in Bega. Police have conducted searches, recovered a secondary weapon and devices, and investigated a possible link to a house fire, but no arrests have been made and the investigation remains ongoing.

5. Brenton Young / Shantelle Nielsen – Port Pirie, SA

Brenton Young was initially reported as murdered on October 3, 2025, leading to charges against his partner Shantelle Nielsen, which were later dropped after a post-mortem confirmed a heart attack. The case’s mishandling caused public criticism, and Nielsen left Port Pirie due to the psychological impact of false accusations.

6. Michael Simon Wilson – Hoppers Crossing, VIC

Michael Simon Wilson pleaded not guilty to over 60 charges, including rape and child abuse material, on November 14, 2025. The case will return to court in December, with a trial expected in 2026, and has led to broader investigations revealing offences by former childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown.

7. Bradley Wilkinson – Blackett, NSW

Bradley Wilkinson was sentenced to 16 years in prison, with a 12-year non-parole period, for the June 2024 manslaughter of tradesman Rhyce Harding during a road rage incident in Sydney’s west. CCTV footage confirmed Harding was pinned and dragged under Wilkinson’s ute, and the sentence considered Wilkinson’s remorse and prior violent record.

8. Simone Strobel Cold Case – Lismore, NSW

Twenty years after Simone Strobel, a 25-year-old German backpacker, was murdered in Lismore, a coronial inquest confirmed homicide but could not identify the perpetrator. DNA recovered from her clothing is now being re-examined by the NSW Unsolved Homicide Team for renewed investigation.

9. Stanley Obi Inquest – Logan, QLD

Stanley Obi died in March 2022 after being doused in fuel and set alight by his former partner, Sarah Mudge. The coronial inquest examined coercive control, systems failures, and gender-based assumptions that left Obi at risk, with findings expected in early 2026.

10. Victoria Youth Crime Law Update – VIC

Victoria will treat children aged 14 and over who commit serious violent crimes as adults, with sentences ranging from youth detention to life imprisonment, prioritising community safety while raising concerns about disproportionate impacts on Indigenous youth and adolescent development.

11. Casula Machine Gun Attack – Sydney, NSW

A home in Casula was sprayed with over 40 rounds from a high-powered machine gun on November 15, 2025, in a suspected targeted hit. No one was injured, and police are pursuing leads linked to a fleeing black Audi while urging public assistance.