Case 128
Joan Vollmer
*** Content Warning: Mental illness, ableism ***
When 49-year-old Joan Vollmer begins acting strangely, her husband Ralph blames spiritual problems and turns to religion for answers. Rather than seeking help for Joan’s obvious mental health issues, Ralph consults with other members of the couple’s church, who believe they know the truth – that Joan has fallen victim to demonic possession.
Members of the church gather at the couple’s farmhouse in the country Victoria town of Antwerp. What follows is a modern-day exorcism with disturbing and tragic consequences.
CREDITS
EPISODE:
Research & writing – Erin Munro
Creative direction – Milly Raso
Narration – Anonymous Host
MUSIC:
‘Flatline intro’ and ‘Come play with me’ intro and outro – www.dl-sounds.com
Audio production – Mike Migas
Scoring – Mike Migas and Andrew Joslyn
OTHER:
Logo and website design – Paulina Szymanska
PREMIUM
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RESOURCES
BOOKS
Writing on Gravestones. Chapter: Exorcism in Antwerp – Gary Tippet and Ian Munro.
COURT DOCUMENTS
R v Vollmer and Ors [1996] VicRp 9; [1996] 1 VR 95 (7 September 1995)
Notice of application for leave to appeal against sentence for David Klingner
Notice of application for leave to appeal against sentence for Matthew Nuske
Notice of application for leave to appeal against sentence for Leanne Reichenbach
Notice of application for leave to appeal against sentence for Ralph Vollmer
ACADEMIC PAPERS
Delivering demons, punishing wives: False imprisonment, exorcism and other matrimonial duties in a late 20th-century manslaughter case – Punishment & Society, April 2005
ARTICLES
Devil took my wife – Herald Sun, February 3, 1993
Woman: I suffered exorcism – Herald Sun, February 5, 1993
Friends lay a spirit to rest – Herald Sun, February 6, 1993
Some strange goings-on in Antwerp – The Sunday Age, February 7, 1993
How Joan died in torment – Herald Sun, February 7, 1993
Pressure on exorcism woman’s neck: doctor – The Age, September 14, 1993
God influencing my answers, woman tells court – The Age, September 15 1993
Court clears four after exorcism death – The Canberra Times, September 17, 1993
Husband concerned over exorcism pain – The Age, September 16 1993
Community’s trial by exorcism – The Age, September 18 1993
Exorcism husband: it was God’s will – The Sunday Age, September 19, 1993
The demons within – The Age, September 20, 1993
In the will of the Lord – Herald Sun, October 18, 1994
A typical country town hears of the evil spirits in our midst -The Age, October 18 1994
Exorcist had vision woman would rise, court told – The Age, October 18 1994
Plea to God to forgive death – Herald Sun, October 19, 1994
Possessed by 10 devils – Herald Sun, October 20, 1994
God’s power in court – Herald Sun, October 21, 1994
Media told couple of death – Herald Sun, October 22, 1994
Witness tells of exorcism strength – Herald Sun, October 26, 1994
The devil on trial in a country town – Herald Sun, October 27, 1994
Evil altar in greenhouse – Herald Sun, October 27, 1994
Dead woman seen in vision at Lazarus’s tomb, court told – The Age, November 4 1994
Satan was in control – accused – Herald Sun, November 3, 1994
Songs of victory over dead woman – Herald Sun, November 4, 1994
Man clear on exorcism count – Herald Sun, November 17, 1994
Vigil of exorcism man – Herald Sun, November 19, 1994
Exorcism man ought to have known wife was ill – Herald Sun, November 22, 1994
Straight six blast over link to God – Herald Sun, November 23, 1994
Exorcism labelled a frolic – Herald Sun, November 24, 1994
Lethal ritual: ‘exorcists’ found guilty – The Canberra Times, December 1, 1994
Quiet couple bound by love of god – Herald Sun, December 1, 1994
Exorcism 2 convicted of manslaughter – Herald Sun, December 1, 1994
Battle with demons that led to death on a lonely Victorian farm – The Canberra Times, December 3, 1994
Locals upset as ritual death puts town on the map – Herald Sun, December 3, 1994
When war with the Devil ended in death – The Sunday Age, December 4, 1994
ONLINE ARTICLES
Australian woman dies after 4-day exorcism – Associated Press, February 3, 1993
The creepy Australian country house abandoned after Joan Vollmer’s terrifying death when an exorcist tried to rid her of ‘demons’ – The Herald Sun, September 28, 2016