Case 152

Cindy & Mona Lisa Smith

*** Content Warning: child sexual assault, racial violence ***

Note: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware that this episode contains the names of people who have passed away. The families of Cindy and Mona Lisa Smith have given Casefile permission to air this content.

When police arrived at a crash site on Enngonia Road on the morning of Sunday, December 6 1987, it was immediately clear that this was no ordinary car accident. Two teenage girls, Cindy and Mona Lisa Smith, had lost their lives, but something about their injuries and the scene didn’t quite add up. Police began to suspect that the driver, 40-year-old Alexander Grant, isn’t telling the whole truth.

CREDITS

 

Casefile Presents

 

EPISODE:

Research – Jessica Forsayeth

Writing – Erin Munro

Creative direction – Milly Raso

Narration – Anonymous Host

 

SPECIAL THANKS:

Information featured in this episode was compiled with the assistance of the families and associates of Cindy and Mona Lisa Smith. The Casefile team thank them for their contributions and support their ongoing efforts to have a formal inquest held into the case.

 

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

 

ARTICLES

The long shadow of a twin tragedy – The Weekend Australian, March 3 2018

A-G mulls ‘cold case’ inquest into girls’ deaths – The Weekend Australian, September 22 2018

Families seek closure in case of man who molested dying girl – The Weekend Australian, June 15 2019

Magistrate slams twin death probe – The Weekend Australian, March 17 2018

Man acquitted of Bourke girls’ deaths may have been a sexual predator – The Weekend Australian, December 29 2018

Calls for inquests into girls’ deaths – The Weekend Australian, October 9 2018

Mothers’ undying fight for justice – The Australian, June 20 2020

Two Deaths and an Outback Silence – Sydney Morning Herald, December 21 1987

Crying out for a new beginning – Sydney Morning Herald, February 2 2013

 

BOOKS

Enngonia Road: Death and Deprivation in the Australian Outback – by Stanton, R. (2017)

 

OTHER

Submission by Bourke Shire Council to the House of Representatives Standing Committee for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Inquiry into the needs of urban dwelling Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Retrieved 23 June 2020

Community Portrait: Bourke LGA. Retrieved 5 July 2020

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