Casefile True Crime - Case 122: Leeann Lapham

Episode Date: August 24, 2019

In Australia, one woman is killed by her current or former domestic partner every week. So when 29-year-old Leeann Lapham went missing from her short term accommodation in Innisfail in 2010, suspicion was immediately cast on her boyfriend, Graeme Evans. Although the two were known to have a volatile and often violent relationship, Graeme maintained that Leeann had left on her own accord. --- Episode researched by Anonymous Host and Elsha McGill with assistance from the Queensland Police Homicide Investigation Unit  Episode written by Elsha McGill Creative Director: Milly Raso For all credits and sources please visit casefilepodcast.com/case-122-leeann-lapham

Hey friends, it's Jillian from the Teach Me How to Adult podcast. If, like me, you're looking to travel more this year and make some extra income on the side, this one is for you. We've teamed up with Airbnb to share more about how to be an Airbnb host because you could be sitting in the perfect Airbnb spot right now. If you have a spare bedroom, which also, side note, is such a fun way to meet new people from around the world, if you're hosting them, why not make some extra money off of it? Or if you're always traveling like I am, it's so easy to just Airbnb your whole place. I was out of town for four months out of the year last year with a vacant condo just sitting there not being used.

And I've realized how easy it would be to make extra money in the side to cover all of my travel costs when I'm away just by becoming an Airbnb host. When I'm traveling the world, I almost exclusively stay in Airbnbs because I like having access to a kitchen, feeling like I'm at home when I'm traveling, having all the stuff that you would normally have when you're at home. And I love the local recommendation guides that a lot of hosts provide. So you can just get to know the area that you're visiting from someone who's actually lived in it. I just used Airbnb actually in Tulum to stay at truly the most luxurious penthouse loft I have I've ever seen. It was such a vibe. The aesthetic was incredible. The service was fantastic. And

I loved the privacy of it. Airbnb is such a smart way to use what you already have to generate more income, whether you're saving for a wedding or a big trip somewhere, or just trying to cover bills and possibly bump up your income. Your home might be worth more than you think. So find out how much at Airbnb.ca slash host our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at any time you need support, please contact your local crisis center. For suggested phone numbers for confidential support, please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website. Case file would like to thank the Queensland Police Homicide Investigation Unit,

the White Ribbon Foundation, and the family of Leanne Lapham for their assistance and support in creating this episode and highlighting the issues raised. The names of several witnesses have been changed. In 1979, American psychologist Dr. Lenore Walker developed The Cycle of Violence, a theory that explains the patterns of behavior within an abusive relationship. The cycle consists of three phases. The first is tension building, as daily issues like employment, finances, children, illness, and misunderstandings cause pressures within a couple to increase. During this time, verbal, emotional, or financial abuse intensifies to a boiling point where release is inevitable. The cycle then enters the second phase,

acute explosion. Abuse peaks as the abuser establishes their dominance through action. Following this, they may express feelings of remorse or shame, perhaps bearing their partner may leave or report them to authorities. They try to justify their actions by blaming external factors before seeking forgiveness, sometimes threatening self-harm to gain sympathy. It's during this final stage, known as the honeymoon, where the abuser promises to change and displays an unusual amount of love and affection. The survivor is distressed, hurt, confused, and humiliated, yet hopeful the relationship will improve if they give their partner another chance.

The pair then enter a stage of denial, downplaying the severity or refusing to acknowledge the abuse, answering a period of harmony and intimacy. This stage can be short-lived or long-lasting before the cycle repeats itself. The situated on North Queensland's Cassowary Coast is Innisvale, a township of approximately 10,000 residents surrounded by farmland and old-growth rainforests. Heavy rainfall coupled with an average daytime temperature of around 30 degrees Celsius keeps the area lush and green all year, supporting an agricultural industry of sugarcane, bananas, and other tropical fruits.

By 2009, 29-year-old Leanne Maxine Lapham had relocated to Innisvale to be closer to her family. She shared an unbreakable bond with her mother, Kerry, although their personalities often clashed. Kerry believed this had less to do with animosity and more to do with astrology. Leanne's star sign was Pisces, sensitive, intuitive, creative, and emotionally driven. Kerry was a Capricorn, confident, practical, hard-working, and determined. Leanne also had bipolar disorder. Although her mood was unpredictable at times, Kerry remained a pillar of support, and the pair shared more good times than bad. Leanne was good fun. Whenever she saw an opportunity to get a rise out of her mother,

her mischievous side would come out. During a shopping centre visit, Leanne started tap dancing, much to Kerry's embarrassment. Her mother's mortification only encouraged Leanne, as a passerby asked, isn't it lovely to see somebody so happy? To which Leanne replied, I just love my mummy. Joking they were running away from home, the two set out on a road trip, heading south with the windows down and a music blaring. Leanne was at the wheel when slippery conditions caused the vehicle to spin and hit a dirt mound on the roadside. Leanne was hesitant to get back behind the wheel, so they checked into a caravan park for the night. Their assigned caravan was perched on a hilltop above a busy highway,

prompting Leanne to taunt her mother with comments like, wouldn't it be horrible if we started rolling down the hill? Although it could drive her mad, Kerry embraced Leanne's playful personality. In Innisfail, Leanne was staying between Kerry and her partner Frank's house and a detached room at the home of a family friend, 57-year-old Augie. Augie lived on a wrecking yard that serviced his business, Mundu Towing. Leanne was searching for somewhere more permanent while doing occasional bar work and tattooing. She had several of her own, a jester on her right shoulder, a woodpecker on her stomach,

several flowers and stars on her legs, and the name of her daughter, who was currently living with her father, on her left wrist. Hoping to make a career of it, Leanne would practice her art on friends and family, including inking a flower on Kerry's right calf. In early 2009, Leanne was at Kerry and Frank's house when Frank invited over one of his workmates, 36-year-old Graham Evans. The former butcher turned to laborer had recently moved to Queensland from New South Wales, settling in Innisfail, where he worked as a self-employed painter. When he laid eyes on Leanne, Evans felt an immediate attraction and wasn't shy

telling Kerry his feelings. Protective of Leanne, she warned him that it was her daughter he was talking about. Evans excused himself to use the bathroom, but went to speak with Leanne instead, inviting her on a date that evening. Evans maintained a level of stability and charm that separated him from other men around town, until Leanne returned from their date, smitten. Kerry cautioned her to take things slow, but the two quickly became a couple. There's was a rocky relationship from the outset, with the erratic Evans often lashing out at Leanne. Kerry felt it wasn't going to work, but Leanne excused his behaviour by saying, Mum, he's really nice, he just gets angry. The pair fluctuated between contentment and

disharmony, with Leanne's threats to leave causing Evans to beg for forgiveness, declare his love, and promise to treat her better. In September 2009, Leanne fell pregnant, determined to raise her child in a stable, two-parent household. She believed Evans when he expressed to joy and eagerness at starting a family. Yet, his behaviour remained violent and unpredictable, causing Leanne to break things off, only to resume their relationship when Evans expressed remorse. In early 2010, when Leanne was heavily pregnant, she and Evans travelled 16 kilometres north to camp at Ella Bay. An argument broke out, and Evans slapped Leanne, snatched her handbag, and pushed her out of the car. He slammed her legs in the door before driving

away. Severely bruised on both legs, face and arms, Leanne walked to her payphone and called her mother in tears. Her taxi was ordered to pick her up. Kerry knew Evans was verbally abusive and called her daughter names, but Leanne assured everything was fine. When she saw the injuries Evans caused, Kerry encouraged Leanne to file a police report, and she obtained a medical certificate to corroborate it. On March 15, Leanne was scheduled to appear at the Innisfail Magistrates Court to apply for a domestic violence order against Evans, who had no prior criminal record, citing intimidation, harassment, and verbal and physical threats. However, she had to leave before the application

was filed to attend an anti-natal class. The order was adjourned until April 13. On March 21, Leanne sent a text message to a longtime friend, Matt, who lived in Brisbane. She was fed up with Innisfail and had plans to leave town if the judge didn't issue the domestic violence order against Evans. He had recently threatened to steal the baby from her, or failing that, take it by force. She detailed how Evans showed up unannounced at her mother's house and refused to leave. He verbally abused Leanne, causing her to lose her temper. She wrote to Matt, I got so angry that I put Bub in danger. That's real bad. I'm angry at myself. The Innisfail Department of Community's Child Safety and Disability Services contacted Leanne

on March 22, amid concerns for her unborn child's welfare. Leanne reported that her relationship with Evans had ended. She also intended to obtain the domestic violence order, referencing the threats he'd made. The department then contacted Graham Evans, who said that he had no intention of resuming the relationship, citing Leanne's bipolar disorder and their constant arguing. Kerry didn't see Evans for a few weeks and assumed the domestic violence order had been filed and the relationship was over. On March 24, 2010, Leanne gave birth to a boy named Bradley James Lapham. Evans visited them in hospital, promising to change and provide for his family. Leanne was reluctant, but agreed to get back together if he delivered on his promises.

When her mother questioned Leanne's decision, she responded that she loved Evans and wanted to make things work for Bradley. The couple found an ideal family home, a spacious three-bedroom house surrounded by greenery 22 kilometers south of Innisfail, but it wasn't available until later in the month. Evans sent Leanne a text promising to fund a motel room for them in the meantime, writing, I swear that, Leanne, I will do anything to make that happen. I'm not losing you. If I can not, then I'm no man. I will get us out of this shit. I need your love, Leanne, and I will get it. The next morning, he secured a one-week stay at the Riverside Motel in the town center, where he and Leanne had stayed on prior occasions, and on April 13, the trio settled in.

Leanne failed to appear in court to complete her domestic violence order against Evans, seemingly eager to start afresh. But this honeymoon period was only temporary. By the evening of April 15, the pair were fighting again. Evans was failing to live up to his promises, arriving home late, drinking too much, and rumors had spread of his alleged infidelity. He urged Leanne to be strong and persevere for Bradley's sake. At 10 a.m. on Monday, April 19, Evans dropped Leanne and Bradley at Kerry's house, a three-minute drive from the Riverside Motel. Leanne and Kerry ran some errands in town, including a visit to Bendigo Bank, where Leanne withdrew $100. They entered the Cole

supermarket, where Leanne purchased food for dinner. She sent Evans a text suggesting she cooked a seafood basket or creamy sauce, and reminded him to pick her up for a three-o-clock post-pernatal appointment. He responded, Sounds good, hun. See you then. Evans arrived after 3 p.m., and Leanne, irritated by his tardiness, silently climbed in to his white 1994 Holden rodeo ute, and the pair took off. At 2.30 p.m. the next day, Evans' friend, Sam, arrived home to find Evans and baby Bradley at his house. Evans' ute was packed full of gear, and he asked to stay the night, saying, She's left me with the baby and gone off. He explained that the night before, Leanne was angry at him for being late and slapped a beer

out of his hand then stormed out of their motel room. Evans assumed she was blowing off steam and would return later, but she never did. Two days later, on April 22, Leanne's sister received a phone call from Evans. He said Leanne had gone to Cairns, a coastal city 80km north of Innisvale, to visit a friend who had just given birth, and texted him saying she would be home later that evening. Meanwhile, Kerry had noticed that Leanne wasn't responding to texts or answering calls. She phoned Evans, who claimed Leanne had her mobile phone with her in Cairns, but he hadn't heard from her at all. While it wasn't unusual for her daughter to travel to

visit friends, Kerry knew Leanne would not elect to leave her newborn in the care of Graham Evans. Over the following days, Evans spoke to friends about Leanne's departure, telling some she would return within the week and others that she wasn't coming back at all. On April 28, Kerry arrived to Innisvale police station to file a missing person's report. To the best of her knowledge, Leanne didn't owe anyone money and was well-liked within her social circle. She detailed Graham Evans' abusive behaviour, including an incident on Leanne's birthday when he threw a hot drink at her, burning her skin. Bank records revealed Leanne hadn't accessed her account since the day she allegedly left the motel

alone. Graham Evans provided a statement to police in which he attested that he had not heard from Leanne since April 19 and had no knowledge of her current whereabouts. He claimed she had gone to the supermarket that night to get more dinner ingredients and returned a short time later with a white plastic bag tucked in her brown handbag. Between 7.30 and 8.00 pm, Leanne grabbed her handbag and walked out the door without saying a word. She hadn't reappeared by the next day and wasn't responding to messages. Despite having extended their stay for one more night, Evans checked out of the motel with Bradley and went to stay at his friend Sam's house, convinced Leanne had left him for good.

Evans admitted he and Leanne had a volatile relationship but denied the Ella Bay car door incident, explaining, he described Leanne as headstrong and that her bipolar disorder caused her to become easily upset and moody. In the week leading up to her disappearance, Leanne threatened to end their relationship and to leave town but the pair managed to patch things up. Evans claimed that she, quote, would always go and come back. Evans handed his mobile phone to police with text messages between him and Leanne displaying a clear cycle. Conversations switched between affectionate banter and chit chat before an argument would take place. Leanne would express her disappointment with Evans and give him the

opportunity to end the relationship but he begged her to stay. On April 10th, Evans texted Leanne how much you loved her and was thankful for the chance to make things right. The next night, he wrote, Love you with all my heart. I am so mad with myself for letting it end up like this. I can make it right and that's what this man will do hun. I swear. By April 17th, tensions escalated once more. Leanne told Evans she had booked a flight and was leaving for good as he pleaded with her to reconsider. Leanne insisted they were better off apart and Evans responded by swearing on their son's life that he would never snap at her again, asking her to let him love her. By April 19th, things seemed to have improved as they texted

dinner plans throughout the afternoon until they were back together at the motel room. There was silence until 10.35pm when Leanne's mobile received a text from Evans letting her know that he had fed the baby and gone to sleep. She did not reply. Over the following days of Leanne's disappearance, Evans texted her to get in touch, offering to pick her up wherever she had gone and sending her his love. She did not respond. Detectives were unconvinced Leanne would willingly leave her four-week-old son and were immediately suspicious about Evans. A search of the couple's three-bedroom house that they planned to move into and their former room at the Riverside Motel uncovered no signs of foul play.

The Motel manager revealed that during a previous stay in 2009, Leanne and Evans were heard arguing, followed by smashing glass. Leanne called out for help, but the fight dissipated soon after. During their recent Motel booking in mid-April, Evans approached the manager at around lunchtime on the 19th, requesting to stay an extra week. Citing their disruptive behaviour, the manager only agreed to an additional day and at around 4.30pm, cited Leanne smoking outside. That was the last he saw of her and there had been no reports of disputes or suspicious activity immediately prior or after her disappearance. At 8am the next morning, the manager noticed Evans' ute wasn't in the parking lot. It reappeared at around 1pm, parked near the

administration office with Evans loading items into the back tray. The manager recalled seeing a second person helping, but couldn't be sure. Evans then told reception the family would be moving elsewhere. Her cleaner attended to the vacant room the following day, where she noticed two bed pillows were missing, along with their slips and protectors. Two fresh pillows were found in a cupboard, but were of a completely different brand. CCTV footage from April 19 showed Leanne visit the supermarket at 6.40pm, with transaction records listing her cash purchase of cream, mushrooms and onions. Three minutes later, she was filmed heading back to the Riverside Motel, with the Imperial Tavern camera across the street recording her return at 6.51pm.

This camera pointed towards the road and captured a portion of the motel yard. Silhouettes of several figures were recorded coming and going, but Leanne was not sighted leaving the Riverside Motel. This didn't necessarily prove anything, as the footage only captured the left side of the motel, whereas the couple were staying in a unit on the right. Furthermore, the cameras were shut down at 11pm while the system was backed up overnight, resuming at approximately 9pm the next morning. Leanne's friends and acquaintances provided further insight into her abusive relationship with Evans, with witnesses reporting that in the past he dragged her screaming by her hair

and threatened to slit her throat. Leanne had also been seen with red marks around her neck, telling others Evans had choked her unconscious. This was of particular interest to detectives, as statistics showed women who are non-fatally strangled by their domestic partners are seven times more likely to be murdered. Investigators spoke with a former girlfriend of Evans, who explained their relationship started positively, with friends predicting it was built to last. She described Evans at the outset as a normal country guy and a dependable provider, who offered financial assistance to friends strapped for cash. Then one afternoon, as she drove an intoxicated Evans home, he punched her for the first time. She broke up with him,

only to relent to his begs for forgiveness and reunite three weeks later. The abuse escalated and peaked when she lost their child from a neck-topic pregnancy. Evans spiralled afterwards, wrapping his hands around her neck and threatening to kill her. She took his threat seriously, as Evans was a gun enthusiast and owned several firearms. In 2001, she left all her belongings and fled to a friend's house, marking the end of her five-year ordeal. Evans continued to harass and stalk her until he moved to Queensland in 2007. A former cleaner who serviced Evans home told investigators of three threatening incidents in August and September of 2002. She reported him to the

police after she found him waiting in his car outside her home, despite having never told him where she lived. As she never made a formal statement, she was unaware if any action was taken. Domestic violence orders do not appear on the respondent's criminal record unless they are disobeyed, meaning this information was absent from Evans' own record. When questioned about Evans' demeanour the day after Leanne disappeared, his friend Sam failed to notice anything unusual, although Evans was in possession of a brown handbag adorned with diamond-shaped patterns. Sam was able to describe the bag in intricate detail that far exceeded the rudimentary description circulating in the media, proving he had seen it

in person. Electronic surveillance was later placed on Evans' mobile phone. It recorded a conversation between him and Sam, with Evans conceding he may have had Leanne's handbag with him when he visited Sam's home on April 20. As the investigation progressed, Kerry was unable to shake the feeling that Evans knew more about her daughter's disappearance than he was letting on. He looked her in her eyes and swore he had no idea where Leanne had gone. Kerry, quote, quote, I just had that feeling, that gut feeling. I thought he knows something, I know he knows something, but nobody could prove anything. After having been made aware that CCTV footage was available from the Imperial Tavern, Graham Evans agreed to participate in a formal police

interview. His story remained the same, except for one detail. He stated he arose before dawn and drove to Kerry's house to see if Leanne was there, but the lights were off so he left without knocking on the door. As he drove away, the sun was rising, indicating it must have been around 6.30 to 7.00 a.m. In a subsequent interview two weeks later, Evans explained this return trip took him roughly 15 to 20 minutes and that he never exited his vehicle. Police had driven all possible routes Evans could have taken to Kerry's and back again, determining the longest took just 10 minutes. This revelation appeared to rattle Evans a little, but he stuck to his questionable timeline. Prior to her final departure, Evans claimed that Leanne returned from the

supermarket with a plastic bag, but she never removed it from her handbag so he didn't see its contents. But during his second interview, Evans stated Leanne had purchased mushrooms. This raised the question, how he could have known if she never disclosed to him what she had purchased. Evans deflected, calling it an educated guess, as both he and Leanne loved mushrooms and often added them to meals. While their official stance was that foul play was involved, investigators had yet to uncover any evidence to support this belief. In April 2011, just short of a year since her disappearance, a fresh appeal was launched by Leanne's friends and family. A Facebook campaign titled Come Home Leigh was used to generate attention,

with a post by Leanne's cousin Cassandra stating, It's unbelievable but true, as we all go on about our normal lives, a family still wonders every moment where Leanne may be. Leigh's son Bradley spent his first birthday two weeks ago without his mother. Although it may have been a precious moment, it could have been better. For others, this may just be another story, but the truth is, Leanne is someone's daughter, mother and sister. No one believes that someone can just disappear without a trace. We know somewhere there is someone with something. By 2012, having exhausted all lines of inquiry, the investigation into Leanne's disappearance

officially went cold. In July 2016, the Cassowary Coast Police District underwent a change in senior management, with the newly appointed Chief Steve Kersley declaring Leanne Lappem's disappearance would be treated as a priority. Queensland's Homicide Investigation Unit was brought in to assist Innis Vale's criminal investigation branch as they reinvestigated the case. Graham Evans remained their main suspect, but it quickly became evident they weren't going to extract any new information from him. Instead, they focused on eliminating every other person of interest so a jury could see that all signs pointed to Evans as the perpetrator. The CCTV footage taken from the Imperial Tavern on the night of April 19, 2010 was reexamined,

showing several silhouetted figures crossing the road from the pub towards the Riverside Motel. The Tavern had since gone into liquidation, but detectives managed to obtain staff logs and purchase records from its bottle shop and bar. They tracked down former employees and customers that night in an effort to identify those captured on CCTV. This was a large undertaking, as several people had since moved overseas, but eventually the detectives were able to account for every silhouette in the darkened CCTV footage, determining Leanne was not one of them. A task force was established to review over 100 crime stopper files and other reports to establish what information could be confidently eliminated from the investigation. Key witnesses

were re-interviewed, many of whom expressed their opinion that Leanne's former housemate Orgy was involved. It was well known he had unreciprocated romantic feelings for Leanne and did not like Evans. Orgy was known to the Innisfail police, as he had worked with them for over 25 years towing vehicles from accident sites. During initial questioning, he was honest about his affection for Leanne and disdain for her boyfriend, having come to her aid after several altercations. Orgy claimed he last saw Leanne on April 16, 2010. She appeared happy, although commented she didn't like leaving Evans alone with the baby. During this meeting, Orgy declared his love for Leanne and expressed his interest in pursuing a relationship. He received a text

from her later that night, but didn't hear from her again, which was unusual given she usually made contact at least every two days. When he heard she was missing, he contacted Evans to voice his concerns and asked to be informed of any progress in the investigation. Orgy's wrecking yard, Mundu Towing, was in the business of providing old cars to scrap metal companies. After collecting a certain number of vehicles, a car crusher would be transported from Brisbane to a paddock 500 meters from his property. Rumours circulated as to whether the car crusher had been used to destroy evidence and if Leanne was buried on Orgy's property. Although detectives were not convinced of his guilt, they understood the importance of officially

writing Orgy out of the investigation. By 2016, Orgy was in prison for drug-related convictions. A search and excavation of his former wrecking yard was carried out, but nothing was uncovered to link him to Leanne's disappearance. Statements provided by a third party placed the spotlight back on Graham Evans, when police were informed that he spoke of having choked Leanne until her eyes rolled back in her head. On February 8th, 2017, investigators located Evans on his boat on the Johnson River. He agreed to accompany them back to the Innisfail police station to participate in another recorded interview, during which he adhered to his original statements from years prior.

When questioned about minor inconsistencies in his versions of events, he stated he was unable to recall. Although the evidence against him was mostly circumstantial, Evans was the only suspect remaining after the extensive police inquiries, and he was charged with the murder of Leanne Lapham. Evans' former cleaner, who had spoken to police following Leanne's disappearance, was interviewed for a second time. She admitted to not being completely forthright in her initial interview in 2010. Fearful, Evans would hurt her for speaking with police. She now admitted to having been intimate with Evans on one or two occasions in 2002,

but they were never a couple. In late August, Evans tracked her down to her sister's house and asked her to come to his property to do some cleaning. Unnerved by his unexpected presence and tense demeanor, she refused and asked him to leave. But Evans grabbed her by the arm and said, you're coming with me. She broke free, and Evans then said, I've only come here to do one thing. He grabbed her by the throat and applied pressure. He spat in her face and threatened to kill her, only relenting when her sister emerged from the house and threatened to call the police. Evans left the property, hurling verbal abuse as he went. She initially hesitated to report the incident to the police as she knew Evans owned a gun and

was proficient with a knife, having once seen him carve up a sheep. Despite her fears, she proceeded with the report and a domestic violence order was issued. She never saw Evans again. Soon after, she moved into state and changed her phone number, partly motivated by a desire to distance herself from Evans. Although she hadn't heard from him since, she remained fearful that he would find her again. In August 2017, new legislation was passed in Queensland Parliament titled, No Body, No Parole. This law required prisoners convicted of murder or manslaughter to reveal the whereabouts of their victims' remains in order to be eligible for parole. Adained to provide closure for families, applying to anyone currently incarcerated,

withinmates told providing the information now will be taken into consideration when their parole applications were made. On September 19, 2017, Graham Evans appeared in the Brisbane Supreme Court to apply for bail. The statements provided by his former partners were presented along with a transcript of the text messages sent between him and Leanne, which displayed the volatility of their relationship. The court also heard that since his timing custody, Evans had been contacting witnesses and questioning them about the statements they made to police. Bail was therefore denied. On February 7, 2018, one year after his arrest, Evans' lawyer contacted detectives to discuss the possibility of a plea bargain under the

No Body, No Parole legislation. Evans would plead guilty to the lesser charges of manslaughter and interference with a corpse and to lead detectives to Leanne's remains in exchange for the shorter sentences imposed by these less serious charges. Leanne's family were consulted and although they had mixed feelings about Evans receiving less jail time, they sought to be reunited with Leanne after all these years. On February 27, Evans stood before the Cairns Supreme Court to formally enter his guilty plea. He then led police to a hillside covered in dense bushland on a private property in Cowley Beach, approximately 20km south of Innisfale, where he confessed to dumping Leanne's body eight years prior. Within just 20 minutes of the search commencing,

the first of Leanne's remains were uncovered. Evans proceeded to provide police with his version of the events that transpired on the night of April 19, 2009, beginning with Leanne's supermarket trip to buy the remaining ingredients for dinner. While she was gone, Evans opened the fridge and found an open packet of bacon with a knife inside. He placed the bacon into a container and left the empty packet and knife in the sink. When Leanne returned and saw the items in the sink, Evans alleged an argument broke out and a struggle ensued. Evans overpowered Leanne and wrestled her onto the bed where he repeatedly punched and elbowed her in the head until she slid onto the floor. He left the room to smoke a

cigarette and when he returned 20 minutes later, she was no longer breathing. Panicked, he waited until it was dark before wrapping her body in a sleeping bag and placing it in his car. He intended to throw her into the river, but it had recently flooded and he realized that unless she was taken by a crocodile, she would likely float through Innesvale the following day. Instead, he hid her body in an area of dense bushland and a couple of days later discarded her clothing and phone in a river south of Innesvale. When Kerry heard that Leanne had been found, she almost fainted. Quote, I knew that she was gone, but I still had that little bit of hope that she might have just run away. It was closure. That's what I needed more than anything.

Even though it's hurting, it will always hurt. It's just that little bit of closure that I know where she is now. On March 21, 2018, the now 43-year-old Graham Evans was sentenced in the Townsville Supreme Court. His defense lawyer argued his client had showed significant remorse and reflected on the events of Leanne's death every day, stating, The difficulty of course is the initial panic and the lie. It's like getting on a roller coaster that you can't get off. The prosecution urged the judge to hand down the maximum sentence of nine years with no parole, arguing that Evans showed a complete lack of dignity and respect for Leanne, which shouldn't be discounted simply because he directed police to her body.

A victim impact statement highlighted the devastating impact Leanne's death had on her family, with Kerry telling the court her daughter's death left a hole in her heart. Quote, We were mother and daughter, but also best friends who could speak about anything and everything. I wanted to believe she had just taken off and could walk back through the door. I've lost a part of my soul that can never be replaced, and a part of my heart that will never recover. In sentencing, Townsville Supreme Court judge Justice David North described Leanne's death as senseless and brutal. Quote, It arose out of a trivial domestic argument that got out of hand and can only have done so because of an inability to step back and take account of or

control your anger. He acknowledged that while Evans had started with brutality, deception and lies, he had cooperated with the authorities. Had he failed to do so, Justice North stated his sentencing would be considerably higher. He cited Evans' lack of prior criminal history, reported good character and the shame he felt. He also accepted that Leanne's death had been unintentional and that Evans had taken full responsibility. Graham Evans was therefore sentenced to serve nine years in prison, with the possibility for parole after just four years, pending his performance during incarceration. Evans' plea bargain was the first case in Australia solved under the no body, no parole legislation. In a subsequent press conference,

detectives encouraged anybody else in a similar situation to come forward to discuss their options with police, declaring the importance of returning homicide victims to their families cannot be understated. Evans lawyer Phil Renwick stated that Evans looked forward to doing his time and upon his release would go on to look after his and Leanne's son Bradley. Quote, I don't know what the child understands, he's fairly young, but it's going to come a time when Mr. Evans or some other family will have to explain it to Bradley. The circumstances of his mother's death reached Bradley's classmates at his primary school, where he was teased for having a murderer as a father. Kerry, quote,

Imagine how a little six-year-old, seven-year-old boy feels with all that happening. Leaving abusive relationships can often be a slow process, with many survivors returning multiple times before separating for good. Some stay to avoid homelessness, poverty, custody issues, the shame of a failed relationship, or because they have been exposed to such prolonged abuse that their self-esteem has been severely impacted. Others have been cut off from their families, friends, or communities, leaving them with no support network to turn to, whilst others fearing no one will believe their partner could be capable of abuse. In many cases, survivors stay because leaving in itself can be dangerous.

Violence often escalates when a partner attempts to leave, and it is during this time that most domestic violence-related murders occur. According to statistics compiled by not-for-profit organisation White Ribbon Australia, one Australian woman is killed by her current or former domestic partner every week, with indigenous women 32 times more likely to be hospitalised from family violence than non-indigenous women. Domestic violence is also cited as a major contributing factor to illness, disability, and premature death for Australian women aged between 18 and 44 years old, and is the leading cause of homelessness for women and their children. Australian police deal with thousands of domestic violence matters each week,

approximately one incident every two minutes. Not all forms of domestic abuse are physical, that can include stalking, emotional, financial, social, spiritual, and image-based abuse. Signs of an abusive relationship include perpetrators who humiliate their partner in front of others, monitor what they are doing, read their private communications, unfairly accuse them of being unfaithful, control what they wear or read, prevent them from practising their religion, or constantly criticise their appearance, intelligence or mental health. Silence and inaction are cited as reasons cycles of violence continue to perpetuate. It is encouraged to speak to people privately who appear

to be trapped in an abusive relationship. If someone discloses their experience with domestic violence to you, White Ribbon Australia recommends you listen with our judgement, offer encouragement and support, help the survivor discuss options, ask if they need assistance, contact a support service, and keep in touch to see how they are going. Respect their concerns and reassure them they have done the right thing by confiding in you and don't force them into making any decisions. Check with them first before you say anything to their partner as violence may escalate if they discover you have been informed about the abuse. Keep the information confidential unless children are involved and the laws of your state or territory require you to inform police.

In support of this episode, White Ribbon Australia provided case file a statement that read, Raising awareness is a critical part of preventing violence. Communities standing together and saying no to violence against women and children can encourage people to speak out when they see behaviour that isn't okay or to question their mate's behaviour towards their partner or even their own attitudes. Bringing violence against women and children into the spotlight is a key step in ending disrespect and violence. Carrie is waiting for the right time and place to scatter Leanne's ashes, explaining, I've got to let her be free because she was a free girl. She hopes Leanne's murder will act as a

warning to others to free themselves from abusive relationships, urging people to end things after the very first sign of violence. As Leanne would have never believed Evans was capable of escalating as far as he did. Well, if there is anybody out there that is going through with it, going through it, get out of it, go report it. There is always somebody around there to help them. There is somebody out there that can help them. Don't be scared. It's, yeah, you've got to get out there, mate. Don't be afraid. But it depends on how they've been threatened for, you know, like, you know, but still get out there and let somebody know about it. Yeah. You've got to open your mind, open your eyes and open your mouth more than anything, I think.

Yeah. Don't let it go on any longer than once. Only that once, it's all you need. And there's a lot of people out there that would be thinking, oh, well, it was just a one-off, but it's never a one-off. Once they start, that's it. It'll just keep going and getting worse than worse. Well, I reckon if she had a, if she had a go on and had him charged the first time, I don't think this would have happened. But see, he was probably thinking, well, I've got away with it. I've got away with it this far and go even further if I want. But that's what I said. It's hard to know what anybody's thinking when this is all happening, you know, like, yeah, it's pretty hard. But I don't reckon she would

have been dead now if she had a go on and seen somebody about it. She wouldn't even talk to me really properly about it, you know, because I used to say to her, you are right, like, yeah, everything's fine. Well, why'd you leave him? Oh, because he started maffin' off and rada, rada, rada. I said, well, that's fair enough. What do you want to go back for? Oh, I love him. And I said, hey, you can love somebody, but you don't have to put up with shit. It's not worth it, mate. Oh, yeah, you're over. Do you want to do something about it? Huh? Too late, mate. What does it take to get it through their heads? Don't put up with it. It's not worth it. You can only give advice by saying, don't be there, because it'll only get worse.

It will get worse. It'll never get better. Imagine what their families would think, you know? They get bashed and killed and all that. They're not just losing themselves. What about their families? How their families are feeling about it or would feel about it? It's not a good thing to leave behind. But you know what? If it's not working, mate, whether you've got kids or not, don't be there. Don't put the kids through that, because they're the ones who's going to be suffering too. My daughter's dead now, and she was only 30 years old. Yeah. And there is younger than that out there that's copping her.

You know, there's help out there, but people don't, how can I say it? They don't seem to want to look to find it, you know? Go to their parents, go to a friend, go to somebody, you know? There is help out there. There is, you know? I just wish Lee Ann had it taken, you know, when I told her, you want to do something about it now, you know? Because otherwise it would just get worse. And look where it got up. You