On March 26th, 2018, a family SUV was found at the base of a cliff on California’s Highway 1.

At first it looked like a tragic accident , a road trip gone wrong. But investigators quickly realized there were no skid marks, no signs of braking, and all six Hart children were missing.

What followed was the unraveling of a carefully crafted public image, revealing years of overlooked warning signs, systemic failures, and a deliberate act that shocked the nation.

Content Warning:

This episode includes descriptions of child abuse, neglect, and the deaths of minors.

In the early 1960s, Sydney was a vibrant city, unaware that a predator was moving quietly through its streets. Between 1961 and 1962, five men would fall victim to a killer whose brutality shocked Australia and left investigators scrambling for answers. His name was William Macdonald, an English migrant who blended into the city by day and hunted its most vulnerable by night.

Known later as “The Mutilator", Macdonald became one of Australia’s earliest recognised serial killers, targeting men he lured with alcohol before attacking them with sudden, frenzied violence. His crimes unfolded across familiar Sydney locations, Darlinghurst, Moore Park, the Domain, turning ordinary public spaces into scenes of horror.

In today’s episode, we explore the life and crimes of William Macdonald, a killer whose brutality left a lasting mark on Australia.

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  Australia’s Most Feared Serial Killer William MacDonald
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• CORONERS COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES - William MacDonald
• Murders Most Foul - William MacDonald “The Mutilator,” Sydney’s Most Disturbed Serial Killer.
• The Daily Telegraph - The Mutilator dead at 90: William MacDonald, who cut off victims’ genitalia, was NSW’s longest-serving prisoner
• The Serial Killer Podcast - William MacDonald | William The Mutilator MacDonald - Part 1 & 2

On 11 May 2012, a house fire on Victory Road in Derby, England, resulted in the deaths of six children from the same family: Duwayne, Jade, John, Jack, Jesse, and Jayden Philpott. The incident initially appeared to be a tragic accident, but within days, the investigation shifted focus to the children’s parents, Mick and Mairead Philpott.

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• R v Philpott, Philpott and Mosley Sentencing Remarks
• The Guardian - Mick and Mairead Philpott convicted of manslaughter over Derby house fire
• Yahoo News - Killer dad Mick Philpott 'in a bad way' after being 'attacked in prison'
• BBC.news - https://www.bbc.com/news/special/panels/13/apr/philpott/inc/half_wide/panel.inc?utm_source=copilot.com