BLACK HANDS - A family mass murder
This is the story of a mass-murder that divided a nation - a story that began in a rickety old home on a cold June morning in 1994, where five members of a seemingly ordinary New Zealand family were gunned down. There were two suspects. One lay dead from a single bullet to the head. The other was the only survivor: David Bain. Since then the country has asked: who killed the Bain family? David or his father Robin? In this podcast, Martin van Beynen explores the case from start to finish, picking through evidence, the mysteries and motives, and interviewing...
The Journalist And The Judge
In 2012 Canadian judge Justice Binnie said David Bain was innocent on the balance of probabilities. Why? Hear what Binnie says and what Martin van Beynen makes of his arguments. And why does Binnie compare van Beynen to Inspector Javert, a fictitious fanatical police inspector?
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Who Did It?
The equation is simple: It had to be either Robin or David.
Now it's time to make a decision.
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Recovered Memories
Despite giving evidence in court only once, David Bain has said a lot about the shootings in various contexts.
He has steadfastly maintained his innocence but the details of his story have changed. How plausible is it?
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The Suicide Puzzle
If Robin murdered his wife and children, his final task would be to shoot himself. But how likely is it that a right-handed man would shoot himself in the left temple? Is it even possible?
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The Case Against Robin
Could Robin have murdered his children and then taken his own life? Robin had blood and bruising on his hands. His foot size was more likely to fit bloody footprints in the house. Was a mysterious note left on the family computer Robin's final words?
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Bloodied Fingerprints, Broken Glasses
Although police initially regarded the shootings as a murder/suicide, evidence began to mount against David Bain.
His fingerprints were on the rifle, he had blood on his T-shirt, a lens from glasses in his bedroom were found in his dead brother's room and he had injuries that were consistent with a fight.
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Incest, Blackmail, Murder
Motive has always been the most puzzling aspect of the Bain shootings.
Neither Robin nor David seemed like mass killers. But both had reasons to kill.
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"The Bastard Killed His Family"
The shootings appalled the country and deeply shocked the community and wider Bain family.
Yet sole survivor David Bain's unusual reaction surprised many. Loyalties were tested. Suspicions were raised. And then an arrest is made.
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A Family's Final Days
From the outside, the Bain family seemed to have settled into a new life in Dunedin.
Eldest son David was on a new path, while sister Laniet appeared to have given up prostitution and Arawa was thriving as a budding teacher.
But in the six months before the shootings, cracks began to emerge.
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Mrs Bain, The Diary And The Devil
By any standard, this family was unusual, even bizarre.
Mother Margaret Bain's complicated spiritual life and beliefs meant the family was constantly encouraged to put Satan behind them.
She practised self hypnosis, meditation and channelling. Their life in Papua New Guinea helped to concentrate the family's oddness. How did it influence the slaughter?
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House Of Horrors
It's June 20, 1994. Police are called to a rundown home in Dunedin, New Zealand. They're not sure what to expect after a panicked phone call.
But inside were five dead bodies, a chaotic scene and and several clues pointing to the killer.
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Black Hands - Trailer
A groundbreaking new podcast series on the most controversial murders in New Zealand history - the killing of five members of the Bain family in 1994.
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