Murder of Betty Shanks explained

Betty Shanks
Birth Date:	10 October 1929, Wilston, Queensland
Death Place:	Grange, Queensland, Australia
Alma Mater:	The University of Queensland

The Murder of Betty Shanks is one of the oldest and most notorious unsolved murder cases in Queensland, Australia.^[1] On the night of 19 September 1952, Betty Shanks was brutally murdered while walking home in Grange, Brisbane, after getting off a tram. Her body was discovered the next morning, leading to Queensland's largest criminal investigation at the time. Various theories and false confessions have surfaced over the years, but the case remains Queensland's oldest unsolved murder.^[2]

Overview

Betty Shanks was a University of Queensland graduate and worked as a public servant for the Commonwealth's Department of Interior. She had grown up in the neighbourhood of Grange and continued to live with her parents.^[3]

On the night of 19 September 1952, Shanks attended a night lecture at the State Commercial High School in Brisbane, finishing around 9:00 PM. Her lecturer drove her to a tram stop in Windsor, where she boarded a tram to Grange. She was last seen alive disembarking at Days Road Terminus in Grange shortly after 9:30 PM. From there, she began her 400-meter walk along Thomas Street towards her home on Montpelier Street.

Shanks' father stayed up waiting for her, and when she did not return home, her parents reported her missing to the local police at 1:30 AM.

Her violently beaten body was found in the garden of a house on the corner of Carberry and Thomas Streets the next morning at 5:35 AM,^[4] by a nearby resident who was a policeman.^[5]

Investigation

Police believe Shanks was murdered within a narrow 12-minute window between 9:38 PM and 9:53 PM. Witnesses reported hearing screams between 9:38 PM and 9:45 PM, and Shanks' wristwatch stopped at 9:53 PM.

Early in the investigation, police considered the possibility that Shanks was attacked by a sex offender.^[6] Another theory suggests that the murderer may have targeted the wrong woman, intending to attack a doctor's receptionist who walked the same route at the same time and had keys to a surgery containing drugs.^[7] Over the years, several individuals have confessed to the crime, but all confessions have been proven false.^[8]

At the time it was Queensland's biggest criminal investigation. As of 2024, a reward of A$50,000 remains current for information leading to the apprehension and conviction of those responsible for the murder.

Related works

Books

Several books have been written about the murder and the authors have outlined who they believe the murderer to be. These works include:

• Who Killed Betty Shanks? (2006 (revised in 2012), author: Ken Blanch) Blanch suggested that Shanks was killed by a soldier.^{[9] [10] [11]}
• I Know Who Killed Betty Shanks (First edition 2014; Second edition 2019; Third edition 2022; author: Ted Duhs) Duhs theorized that Eric Sterry killed Shanks.^{[11] [12]}
• The Thomas St Affair (2016, author: Lyle Reed) Reed proposed that Shanks was killed by a police officer riding a motorbike. The author did not reveal the killer's name in interviews prior to the book being published but did indicate he was a member of his family.^{[13] [14]}

Film

• The Wilston Murder: The story of Betty Shanks (2012) This documentary was produced and directed by student filmmakers Maya Weidner and Becky Newman, respectively, as a university project. The women believed the story was one that could resonate with a modern-day audience. Newman recalled learning about the murder at a young age, as her family was interested in history and had read Ken Blanch's book, Who Killed Betty Shanks? but believed the story was largely forgotten among her generation.^[15]

See also

• List of unsolved murders

Notes and References

1. Web site: History Mystery: Betty Shanks . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090107045619/http://www.australianhistorymysteries.info/yc_2007/entries/mcooper/bettyshanks.pdf . 7 January 2009 . 9 February 2010.
2. News: Jones . Ciara . 2024-09-18 . The murder of Betty Shanks has haunted Brisbane for decades. After 72 years, it still remains unsolved . 2024-09-19 . ABC News . en-AU.
3. Web site: 2012-09-15 . Unsolved murder of Betty Shanks - 60th anniversary . 2024-09-19 . State Library of Queensland . en.
4. Web site: Murder of Betty Thomson Shanks $50,000 Reward . 9 February 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090915193110/http://www.police.qld.gov.au/News+and+Alerts/rewards/s/shanks.htm . 15 September 2009 .
5. News: Shanks Murder suspect traced. 9 February 2010. 3 April 2007 . The Courier-Mail.
6. News: Police search extends in Brisbane Crime. The Canberra Times. 22 September 1952. 9 February 2010.
7. Web site: 3 April 2007 . New light on Brisbane's most infamous murder case - 730 Report . 9 February 2010 . Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
8. News: Shanks Murder suspect traced. 20 February 2010. 3 April 2007 . The Courier-Mail.
9. News: Betty Shanks: An enduring mystery . 21 September 2012 . Moore . Tony . Brisbane Times . 7 December 2016.
10. News: Doctor cleared of Shanks murder . 29 September 2012 . Foley . Peter . The Queensland Times . 7 December 2016.
11. News: The 1952 unsolved murder of Betty Shanks in Brisbane sparks battle between publishers of rival books . 16 October 2014 . Pierce . Jeremy . The Courier-Mail . 7 December 2016.
12. Web site: FROM the VAULT - The unsolved murder of Betty Shanks . 25 November 2014 . Queensland Police Service Media . 7 December 2016.
13. News: Betty Shanks murder cracked by Ipswich author . 6 December 2015 . Gould . Joel . The Queensland Times . 7 December 2016.
14. News: Author to name former copy as Betty Shanks' killer . 12 June 2016 . Gould . Joel . The Queensland Times . 7 December 2016.
15. Web site: Students Recreate Crime: Betty Shanks - The Wilston Murder; Brisbane Crime Inspires Local Filmakers... . 14 September 2012 . Sim . Jack . 22 April 2018.