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
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
Community Portrait: Bourke LGA. Retrieved 5 July 2020