Killer Stories with Harvey Guillén - "The Granny Killer" John Wayne Glover Pt. 1

Episode Date: August 11, 2022

He started by stealing and shoplifting as a teenager in the UK. When he was 24, John Wayne Glover moved to Australia, where he became a peeping tom and eventually escalated into physically assaulting older women. It was an obvious red flag, and yet nobody realized he would become Australia's worst serial killer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Due to the graphic nature of this episode, listener discretion is advised. This episode contains discussion of murder, sexual assault, and assault. Extreme caution is advised for listeners under 13. John Glover was handsome. No one could argue with that. At least, not to his face. Glover had developed a fondness for brawling in his teenage years. An army training had only made his thick chest more intimidating. It also helped fill out the stylish outfits he wore to the local dance halls.

As the 20-something made his way through the crowded room, he imagined that all the women were turning to look at him. No doubt they'd heard the stories about him, the ones about how good he was in bed. Glover stepped away from the dance floor and into the bathroom to freshen up. After he washed his hands, he checked his tie in the mirror, made sure his shirt was still tucked neatly into his trousers. He didn't blame everyone for looking at him.

He had to be one of the best-looking guys in the place. For him, he had one of the most beautiful women in town on his arm that night. Frida Naler was an award-winning beauty who always stood out in a crowd. And here she was, dancing the night away with him. They certainly did look good together. No one was denying that. But people weren't eyeing Glover and Frida because they were an attractive couple. No, what had people whispering was the fact that they were mother and son.

Hi, I'm Greg Poulson. This is Serial Killers, a Spotify original from Parcast. Every episode, we dive into the minds and madness of serial killers. Today, we're delving into the life and crimes of John Wayne Glover, Australia's so-called Granny Killer. I'm here with my co-host, Vanessa Richardson. Hi, everyone. You can find episodes of Serial Killers and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on Spotify.

Today, we'll cover Glover's early life in England. and his mercurial relationship with his mother. Then we'll follow him as he puts down roots in Australia and watch his petty crimes turn violent. Next time we'll chronicle the shocking murder spree that sent Sydney into a frenzy and left detectives desperate for answers. We've got all that and more coming up.

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After all, they're supposed to be our golden years. But as much as we want to stick around longer, experience long, full lives, there's also a paradoxical disdain for the way our bodies deteriorate around us. We want the privilege of growing old, but not the wear and tear that comes with it. Everyone addresses the side effects of aging in their own ways. Some focus on the physical, determined to stay fit through clean eating and vigorous exercise. Others have an eye on more cosmetic issues, wrinkles, blemishes, hair color. And then there are those who have a more extreme reaction to aging, a violent one.

And of course, no one thinks it'll ever happen to them. They'll never get old. How could they? So in our youth, the world feels shiny, everything within reach. That's probably how John Walter Glover felt as a young boy watching his mother, Frida, at the hairdresser, as she had her blonde dye job touched up and her hair set in waves. Frida tended her good looks like a garden, carefully turning back the clock with regular maintenance. In comparison to his wife, Walter Glover was a modest man with little use for vanity.

And despite his family's comfortable wealth, he seemed disdeme. inclined to spend it. This didn't sit well with Frida. The pair had married young and perhaps she thought she'd build a grand future with her in-law's wealth. But Walter lacked ambition and seemed content with a small life, which caused friction. Young Glover frequently heard his parents arguing after he went to bed, and eventually Frida started looking elsewhere for affection.

Frida went out to local dance halls and pubs with friends, which is how she met Clifford Naler. He was about 15 years her senior, but unlike Walter and his family, Clifford didn't mind spending his money, something Frida probably found refreshing. It was a tantalizing glimpse that her dreams realized. By 1941, the temptation of what-if was too great, and Frida left Walter. In her divorce filing, she accused him of infidelity and cited his lack of ambition as reasons for her walking out. Then she moved right in with Clifford, leaving Gliford. behind with his father.

Years later, Glover spoke with authors Lindsay Simpson and Sandra Harvey for their book, The Killer Next Door, Death in an Australian suburb. He told them that after his mother basically abandoned him for her boyfriend, he taught himself to shut off any unwanted feelings, to lock them in a small room in his mind so they couldn't hurt him. Vanessa is going to take over in the psychology here and throughout the episode. As a reminder, she's not a licensed psychologist or psychologist. but we have done a lot of research for this show.

Thanks, Greg. Hearing that description, it sounds like a textbook case of suppression. And it might be why Glover didn't seem to express much emotion as he grew up. It also might be why we'll see Glover's disturbing behavior and crimes gradually increase and get worse throughout his life. See, ignoring emotions that make you feel badly might seem like a good way to regulate your well-being, but research has shown that it's usually not the case. Suppression typically results in unwanted thoughts occurring more frequently.

So by pushing them aside, it's possible Glover's worst emotions stuck around longer than they would have if he'd confronted them head on. Of course, no one could have known what was going on in Glover's head from the outside. But despite his stoic exterior, he missed Frida and relished any chance he got to see her. Conversely, he started resenting his father, who he blamed for Frida leaving. In his mind, Walter was a love. loser, but Frida was a winner. She knew how to survive. Idolizing his mother in that way might have been what pushed Glover to start laying the foundation for a successful life of his own.

After he left school, Glover got an apprenticeship with a local electrician who thought he was polite, eager, and enthusiastic. But though Glover might have been all of those things on the surface, he was also a thief. While on the job in other people's homes, Glover took every chance he could to snatch cash from dressers and even chotchkes off shelves. He also liked to lift tools from his boss's workshop. At the end of the day, the teen brought his loot home to Frida, showing her the lovely things he didn't earn. She never asked where he got it all from, and apparently even suggested they display some of the nicer items in her home. Despite Frida's tacit endorsement of his petty theft, Glover didn't get away with it for long. Police connected him to the string of crimes

in early 1947. When they searched his room, they found a collection of pilford treasures and cash, as well as the stolen tools. When he appeared in court that March, Walter was tasked with keeping his 14-year-old son out of trouble, as well as paying 35 shillings in compensation to victims.

Glover himself was put on a good behavior bond, and as far as we can tell, he stuck to it. The next few years passed with little incident as he grew into a young man. But Glover didn't have many friends of his own, which was something of a hallmark of his whole life. Still, he often frequented dance halls or went to the movies. He also passed time by lifting weights to sculpt his body into the shape in vogue for young men. His newly hewn muscle gave him a sense of confidence, and he liked to get

into fights every now and again. He enjoyed seeing his strength in action. He was also keen to flex his independence, so at 17 he moved out of Frida's house and into a boarding home owned by one of her friends. According to Glover, his landlady let him pay rent with sex. Though how much truth there is to that is anyone's guess, Glover liked to boast. Knowing that he likely embroidered his story in places, it's easy to imagine that Glover talked a big game about sleeping with his mother's friend in exchange for room and board, even if it wasn't true. Whatever the situation at the boarding house, it didn't last long. After about nine months, he couldn't pay the rent anymore. Apparently, if sex wasn't an option by then, and he had to go home to Frida.

Still only 17, it was probably humbling for Glover to feel like he'd stumbled at the first hurdle of his adult life. But once he turned 18, he got a chance for a fresh start when he was called up for two years of national service in the armed forces. When the call came through, Glover was ready and excited. He couldn't wait to get out of Willenhall for his real life to begin. Coming up, John Glover makes a habit out of new beginnings. Hi listeners, it's Vanessa from the podcast series mythology. Every Tuesday, join me on a wondrous journey back in time. Exploring the most epic battles, sweeping love stories, and harrowing adventures ever told.

Heroes, gods, monsters, mayhem. This podcast has it all. From the Knights of the Roundtable and Hori the Hunter to Paradise Lost and the Lost City of Atlantis. Each episode of mythology dramatizes history's greatest stories, bringing their origins to life and giving insight into how our ancestors saw the universe. Ancient myths, modern twists, catch new episodes of mythology every Tuesday and binge the classics any time. Listen free only on Spotify. Snoring? gasping during sleep, feeling fatigued, ask your doctor about Zepbound, terseptite.

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Talk to your doctor. Call 1-800-545-99 or visit Zepbound.lily.com. Now back to the story. In early 1951, John Glover arrived in Lincoln in England's east. He was ready to get to work with the 62 heavy anti-aircraft Royal Artillery Battery. After spending most of his adolescents shuddling around between family members, the Army was a refreshing change for the 18-year-old. Glover enjoyed the camaraderie, routine, and discipline that came with his new life.

He also relished the fact that no one cared about his past, his broken family or his gold-dicking mother. Though he'd once idolized Frida, Glover had gone cold on her in recent years. Perhaps he didn't like that she was cheating on her second husband, or maybe he resented her for favoring her younger children. Whatever it was, Glover didn't waste much ink writing to her. That said, he didn't leave everything about his past behind. During his time in Lincoln, Glover's light fingers got him into trouble.

In May of 52, he was fined four pounds for stealing a coat from a servicemen's club. That December, he and a couple of buddies were caught taking a car on a joyride. With those two blemishes on his otherwise spotless record, Glover completed his service and returned home to Willenhall, ready to make a new start again. By that time, Frida's second husband had died, as she was supporting herself by running a wine shop. That made it easy for her to get Glover a job as a wine salesman. Glover was strong from his time in the Army and cut a reasonably handsome, somewhat intimidating figure.

But his mood swings were the most notable part of his personality. He could be dour one moment, then bright and laughing the next. He'd also developed a sense of vanity, probably influenced by years spent with Frida. On its 21st birthday in November of 53, Frida gave Glover 21 pounds. Today, that would be the equivalent of a little, little over a week's wages for the average Brit. So it was a generous gift that he could have used

to start a healthy nest egg for himself. However, Glover took the money to London the very next day. There, he spent most of his birthday present on clothes. He splashed out on a wool overcoat that would stand out amongst the less stylish wardrobes back home in Willen Hall. Dressed to impress, Glover liked to step out at local dance halls, but he wasn't usually there to meet women in his own age. Why would he be when he had his mother on his arm? There was no one in town who dressed as well as them, and they turned heads wherever they cut a rug together. Whether that was for their matching good looks

or because the mother's son jitterbug was kind of weird, is up for debate. But even with a decent job and a willing dance partner, Glover was restless. He got his jolly stealing and choplifting whenever he felt like it, but it wasn't enough to satisfy his urge for something more. So when he saw an ad in a newspaper for bus conductors in Australia, Glover was intrigued. He bought his boat ticket for 10 pounds and set sail on Christmas Day, 1956, excited for yet another fresh start. When Glover arrived in Melbourne, he was assigned to work on tram number 69, which tickled him. Perhaps inspired by the route, he started boasting to his new colleagues about his prowess in the bedroom.

Even if he was an extraordinary lover, Glover wasn't impressing anyone in his professional life. He took a lot of sick days, was regularly short on the takings, and often showed up for the job drunk. As a result, the Melbourne Metropolitan Tramways board sacked Glover after three and a half months. It was supposed to be a two-year contract, so the fact that he got fired so quickly was not great. But Glover, so obsessed with his image, didn't let harsh reality get in the way of his story. and he kept up the charade of his wonderful fresh start. Later that year, he sent a pair of photos home to his family in England, posing in one like he was a Western movie star.

Doubling down and his celebrity inspiration, he dropped his middle name Walter and swapped it out for Wayne. It might seem like a trivial decision, but it's possible that changing his name signified some deep-seated beliefs in Glover. So by unpacking it, we get a better idea of what kind of person he was and who he wanted to be. Sociologist D. Drury and John D. McCarthy pointed out in a 1980 social psychology quarterly paper

that our names announced to others and resonate to ourselves who we are. With that idea in mind, we can guess that Glover wanted to rid himself of the name he shared with his father, Walter, who he saw as weak. In its place, he assigned himself a name associated with the strength and masculinity of John Wayne,

star of countless movie westerns. Though it wasn't as pronounced as some of the others, the name change was definitely a kind of reset for Glover, a sort of rebirth to go with his new home. With his shiny new name and his self-made reputation as a tiger in the bedroom, Glover convinced a young woman to be his girlfriend, but his roommates at the time noticed that he was very possessive of her and suspected that he might have been a violent partner,

though as far as we can tell, there was never any evidence to confirm those suspicions. Of course, even a girlfriend couldn't curb Glover's love of a good boast. He told people that he had another two women on the side. Whether or not they trusted what he said is another matter. But at least in his mind, he was a lethario worthy of his Hollywood-inspired name. In addition to his roommate's suspicions about him being violent, they knew he was a creep. One night his fellow borders watched him prowling through the neighborhood, climbing over fences and peering in windows.

When they confronted him, he outright did. denied he'd done any such thing, despite the fact that they'd literally watched him do it. His chilling stare stopped any more questions in their tracks. Although those closest to him noticed some red flags, Glover managed to stay in his feet and under the radar for his first few years in Melbourne. He eventually got his truck driving license and took a job hauling and setting up equipment for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Public service work is usually well paid in Australia,

so his paycheck would have been healthy. But that didn't stop him stealing television equipment whenever he could. It seems like he just couldn't help himself. That impulse control turned violent in 1962. In September, 29-year-old Glover had a massive fight with his girlfriend. Frustrated, he went out for a walk. Since childhood, he'd been bottling up his emotions so he couldn't feel them. But that night, things came tumbling out in a terrifying new way.

At some stage on his prowl, Glover noticed 73-year-old, Myrtle Ince walking from her car to her home. Something stirred inside him, and he decided that he didn't want her to make it to her front door. He tackled her to the ground, then strangled her until she passed out. Once she was unconscious, he hiked up her skirt, pulled off her underwear, and tossed it off into the darkness. What he had planned next, we can only guess, because when Glover heard voices, he bolted, leaving Myrtle lying face down on the pavement. According to what he told authors Lindsay Simpson and Sandra Harvey, Glover realized that he felt strangely better after that.

Attacking Myrtle had calmed him down. However, it was a fleeting calm. He'd gotten away before anyone saw him, but Myrtle was still alive. If she was able to identify him, he knew he'd face severe charges. Myrtle spent a month recovering from her attack, which had left her with injuries to her throat, neck, and ribs. However, she couldn't describe her attacker, which meant that investigators couldn't make any arrests. It also meant Glover went unpunished and with a dangerous new outlet for his bottled up feelings. Less than a month later, he let his anger spill over once again.

On October 4th, another fight with his girlfriend sent Glover out on a nighttime drive around the city. It's unclear if he went out looking for someone to attack that night, but when he saw a young woman walking alone, his plans salute. Glouver pulled over and started following Val Bird on foot. She was much younger than Myrtle, so her hearing was probably better. When she noticed the strange creep behind her, she started to run. Not wanting his prey to escape, Glover pounced, but he didn't expect her to put up a fight. He was undeniably stronger, but Val turned and screamed. He had a few seconds to wrestle her to the ground and pull her clothes aside, but she'd been so loud he knew it was no good hanging

around. He scrambled up and ran for cover, hoping he could make it back to his car before help arrived. Glover hadn't counted on Val's youth, and he clearly underestimated the protective nature of her neighbors. Residents in the street rallied around and called the police. They searched through backyards until they found Glover and carted him off to the station. The detective assigned to the case was unsettled by how calm Glover seemed. The 29-year-old admitted to the assault and explained that he attacked Val because he was in a bad temper. It was a chilling rationale, and the detective later said he was sure Glover would have killed Val if she hadn't screamed. Given the nature of the attack and Glover's peculiar emotional state, investigators were confident that Val wasn't

his first victim. Once that suspicion arose, it didn't take long to connect him to the assault on Myrtle Ince a few weeks earlier. When cops searched his room at the boarding house, they found a nest of scavenged items, mostly stolen during work events. As a result, he was charged with four counts of assault and four counts of larceny. He spent the next two months in jail, turning 30 while he waited for his day in court. That December, he pleaded guilty to all charges, and the judge gave him a lenient sentence, a five-year good behavior bond in order to seek psychiatric help, and strict monthly probationary meetings. After that, Glover had to find a new place to live as well as a a new job. Luckily for him, he was no stranger to starting over. He quickly found a room in a boarding

house in the suburb of Turok and got work installing TVs around the city. However, settling into a new routine might not have been the only thing on Glover's mind at the time. Questions about Glover's activities during his early years in Melbourne persist to this day. There are several murders that some believe were his handiwork, even though he was never officially connected to them. We'll point out those crimes when they happen, but leave it up to you to decide what the truth is. The first one we want to mention happened in March of 1963. 63-year-old Irene Kittle was a champion bridge player who friends described as a gentlewoman. So when she was found stabbed to death in an alley near her home in Windsor, people were shocked. As news of Irene's murder spread throughout Melbourne,

an anonymous call came into the police. The tipster named John Wayne Glover as the killer. then abruptly hung up. Detectives were intrigued when they saw Glover's recent convictions for assault, including his attack against a woman in her 70s. What's more, he lived in Tourak, which was right next to Windsor, where Irene's body was found. And to top it all off, Glover matched the description of a man locals had reported prowling around the area in recent weeks.

It seemed like they had their guy. It was time to pick up John Glover. Coming up, Glover swaps handcuffs for wedding bands and heads to Sydney for one final fresh start. This episode is brought to you by Prime. Obsession is in session. And this summer, Prime Originals have everything you want. Steamy romances, irresistible love stories, and the book to screen favorites you've already read twice. Off campus, L, every year after, the love hypothesis, Sterling Point, and more.

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only at Yalava Resort and Casino, celebrating its 40th anniversary. You in? Must be 21 to enter. Now back to the story. With their sights said I'm bringing a killer to justice, investigators in Melbourne, Australia, headed for John Wayne Glover's address. They wanted to ask him a few questions. However, when they arrived at the 30-year-old's place around the end of March, 1963, he wasn't home.

Instead, the cop spoke to Glover's landlady, who said she remembered him being around on the night, Irene Kittle was murdered. Glover's current live-in girlfriends said much the same thing, which solidified the alibi. Satisfied that he wasn't their man, after all, the detectives crossed Glover off their suspect list and continued their search elsewhere. Authors Lindsay Simpson and Sandra Harvey wrote that Glover was never questioned over the crime, and as of this recording, Irene's killer has never been found. It's unclear how much Glover knew about the Irene Kittle investigation, or how high he'd been on the suspect list. But even if he was aware,

it didn't convince him to adhere to his good behavior bond too closely. By the end of 1964, he'd made a habit of sitting in the bushes outside homes where he'd installed televisions. A pair of binoculars clutched in his sweaty hands, peering through the windows in hopes he'd catch a woman changing. In April of 1965, someone called the cops when they saw him in their neighbor's yard, which was disturbingly close to the alley where Irene Kittle had been murdered. In court on trespassing charges, Glover was sentenced to three months behind bars. However, the 33-year-old was back home again just after six weeks, looking for yet another new beginning, and this one completely changed his life. Glover landed a job as a driver for a wine and

spirits distributor, but perhaps thanks to his previous experience as a wine salesman, he was quickly promoted to a role in the company's retail store. From there, he set his sights on being a salesman. rep. To help him get there, he went to wine tastings, learned the lingo, and got to know the business. It was a window into a middle-class life that had always seemed just beyond his reach. His dad never had the ambition to be truly successful. And although his mother married into money, she'd never really been accepted by her new environments. She had stayed what she'd always been, a pretty face with an eye for finer things. Glover was going to be different. He was going to make something of himself. The first step was the sales rep job, which he landed, along with the suit and tie uniform and brand new company car.

Glover was moving up in the world, and that included trading up his girlfriend. He met 28-year-old gay roles toward the end of 1967, and she seemed to be everything he was looking for. For starters, she was stylish and smart, and somewhat classier than the girls he was used to meeting. The pair started dating, and right off the bat, they seemed good for each other. He was fun and outgoing, and she was encouraging in the same way Frida had been of his father. She also didn't mess around. After they'd been dating for a few months, she cornered him into a proposal, then went right out and bought herself an antique diamond ring.

That was the other thing that Glover liked about gay. She had money. Not only did she have a steady job, her parents lived comfortably in Mossman, a suburb on Sydney's lower north shore, in a house with views of the city's glistening harbor. For those not familiar with the area, the North Shore of Sydney is known for conservative middle-class wealth. In other words, Gay's family were exactly the people Glover aspired to be. So, with his eyes set firmly on a shiny future, he and Gay set a date for June of 1968.

Before he could trip down the aisle, though, Glover had some personal drama to deal with. In the early part of that year, he was having some trouble at work. His boss suspected him of stealing. How Glover must have felt about being called out for his thieving ways, again, isn't totally clear. But it's possible that he unleashed any frustration on a local woman. Five years after Irene Kittles' murder, a similar crime rocked Melbourne. Christina Yankas was 62 years old when she was murdered in her Albert Park home. The killer beat her, then strangled her to death with a cord from her dressing gown.

Again, the crime bears striking similarities to Glover's later attacks, but it remains unsuble. to this day. So it's possible that Glover had nothing to do with the brutal murder. After all, he did have other things on his mind just then. Shortly after the wedding, Gay's parents suggested that they moved to Sydney and live with them. As Glover had just lost his job for stealing, he was all for hitting the reset button. So in early 69, he and his new bride headed north. Unfortunately, life under the same roof as his in-laws wasn't quite as peaceful as Glover probably hoped. According to authors Lindsay Simpson and Sandra Harvey, Gay's mother, Essie, was a nosy sort of woman,

with a vindictive streak to boot. She left fish in neighbor's mailboxes or cut flower heads off their plants. She was racist, bigoted, and loudmouthed, all traits that only seemed to worsen with age. In other words, Essie wasn't the kind of person you wanted to annoy. Not Glover, though. He seemed to take vindictive delight in pushing his mother-in-law's buttons, and he started almost as soon as he moved in. Gay's father Jack had always been the gardener in the family, but it got harder as he got older.

So when Glover arrived, he took over, and his first act was to cut down several trees from the front yard. Trees Jack had planted when they bought the place in the 40s. Suddenly an expert in horticulture, Glover said that they were causing issues with the rest of the garden. But Essie loved those trees. Not that Glover cared what Ussey thought. He hated her. and liked to complain to the neighbors whenever he was annoyed with her nagging. The only time he confronted her directly was when he threw a garden hose at her. It was a surprisingly violent move, given that he usually waged a war of passive aggression.

However, in 1973, Essie wasn't the only mother 40-year-old Glover had to contend with. That September, Frida stepped off the boat in Sydney, ready to join her adventurous son in Australia. But despite his obsession with her as a boy, he'd moved on with his love. life and seemed to think she should do the same. He didn't invite her to stay with him when she arrived, and when she moved to the suburb of Gosford, about three hours drive away at the time, he didn't make a habit of visiting her. Whatever energy he had for family, Glover devoted it to his own. He and Gay had two daughters by that stage and were very proud parents, but providing for them proved difficult for Glover. He had pretty steady work as a salesman, but never seemed to progress beyond the role. By 1981,

working for four-and-twenty pies, which required him to visit retirement villages, hospitals, and nursing homes in his territory. In 1984, his region grew to include the Central Coast, where Frida lived, and where some unsolved murders occurred. Like with Irene Kittle and Christina Yankos, there's no definitive evidence tying him to either of the following cases. However, there are some intriguing similarities between these and his later confirmed crimes. In August of 1984, or 72-year-old Josephine MacDonald was found beaten and strangled to death in her et-a-long home. Her killer left Josie face down with her legs spayed, and her panty hose tied around her neck.

She'd been hit in the head with what investigators believe was a hammer. Two years later, in November of 1986, Wanda Amundsen was bludgeon to death with some kind of blunt instrument, less than two miles away from where Josie was killed. Like Josie, detectives believed the weapon was a hammer, but had little else to go on. Neither woman's home showed signs of forced entry, which suggested that they'd either known their attacker or had invited him in willingly.

Both cases baffled local detectives, and they eventually went cold. Coincidentally, Glover's marriage had also cooled off over the years. He apparently thought about divorcing gay, but decided that he should stay until his daughters had left school. The couple barely kept up appearances, though. In the mid-80s, he moved into the smallest, bedroom in the house, while Gay kept the primary suite for herself.

It wasn't all bad news for Glover, though. Around the same time that his marriage fell apart, Essie moved into a nursing home. His father-in-law, Jack, had died years earlier. So with Essie gone, Glover had no one looking over his shoulder. It was his house now. Of course, they say God doesn't give with both hands. In 1986, 54-year-old Glover noticed a lump on his chest. diagnosed him with breast cancer, which Frida had contended with in recent years, and the solution

was a mastectomy. This experience probably had a profound impact on Glover's sense of self. As we've discussed, he seemed preternaturally concerned with projecting an image of rugged masculinity, in the classic, toxic sense of the word. And according to a 2006 article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, a breast cancer diagnosis can trigger insecurities about a man's masculinity, fear of stigma over having a disease primarily associated with women and a sense of isolation associated with the general lack of awareness and information about the condition. If breast cancer weren't enough of a blow to Glover's sense of virility, he developed prostate issues the following year, as well as urinary tract infections. He told Gaye that the problems

had made him impotent, not that they were having sex anyway. However, an inability to perform sexually didn't stop Glover from stepping out on his wife. For years, for years, years, he'd ended his workday with a visit to the Mossman R.S.L. For those unfamiliar, an R.S.L offers cheap drinks, gambling facilities, and are popular with older locals. Glover liked to play the slots before he went home to his cold marriage, but he also liked to flirt with the older women. He even carried on affairs with at least two ladies he met at the R.S.L. The second, and perhaps longest of these, was with Joan Sinclair. Glover and Joan met in 1988, and they clicked early on. She was widowed, lived alone, and had plenty of money. It's unclear exactly what the

pair got up to, but he visited her home every two or so weeks, a brief escape from what had become his rather monotonous, lonely life. But there was a disturbance to that steady sameness in October of 1988. That's when the world tilted sideways, when Frida died. It's unclear whether losing his mother was the catalyst for what came next. Maybe it was just a coincidence. but around that time Glover picked up a disturbing new habit. He started wandering the hallways of the nursing homes he visited for work. He looked in on the women in their beds, feeling simultaneously disgusted and engrossed by their age,

their deteriorating bodies, and how close they were to death. Eventually, Glover wanted to do more than just look. He'd step quietly into a room, checking to make sure no one was around. Then he'd approach the bed and grope the women, touching their breasts, their thighs, their buttocks. Given that the women were in a nursing home, not all of them reacted right away. But when they were visibly distressed, that was what he liked the most. That excitement came with some risk, though.

In December of 1988, Glover and his family were visiting his mother-in-law, when he broke off to indulge in his twisted new impulses. But the woman he victimized that day called out for help. A nurse noticed him fleeing the room and went to investigate. Several residents had complained about a strange man assaulting them in recent months, so the staff were on high alert. When the nurse confronted him, Glover denied doing anything wrong, but he wasn't very convincing.

The nurse told him he wasn't allowed to wander the halls anymore. Anytime he visited his mother-in-law, he was to park right by the front door and go straight to her room. In so many words, she told Glover that she and her colleagues had their eye on him. He didn't argue with the restrictions, but he stopped visiting Essie quite so often after that. Instead, he found a different outlet for his complicated feelings about older women. In January of 1989, 84-year-old Margaret Todd Hunter was in Glover's suburb of Mossman visiting friends. And when he saw her walking on the street, something about her made Glover angry.

He felt dark inspiration strike. He got out of his car, approached her. her and punched her hard in the head, knocking her to the ground. Then he grabbed her handbag and took off. Despite her age, Margaret was built of stern stuff. She got herself to a nearby hospital and told them what happened. When the police arrived, she gave them a good clear description of Glover. He stood around 5'7, with graying hair that stuck up as if he used hairspray. He was clean-shaven and his shoulders were broad. If she had to guess, she'd put him in his late 40s to early As far as evidence went, it wasn't much to go on, and though they likely kept an eye out for Margaret's stolen purse in the following weeks, it never turned up. Glover had taken around

$200 from it, then thrown it in a dumpster. Even if there had been more to work with, local authorities soon had more pressing cases on their docket, because something about attacking Margaret seemed to unlock Glover, unhinge him. Less than two months later, on March 1st, Glover spotted another 82-year-old woman walking on the street. And this time, he was prepared. He followed Gwendolyn Mitchell Hill home to her Mosman apartment, a hammer tucked inside his shirt. It was just before 4 p.m. when he made his move. Gwendolyn was entering her building when Glover darted up behind her.

He pulled out his hammer and struck her in the head. He purposefully used the flat side of the hammerhead to lessen the chest. chance of blood splattering everywhere. When Gwendolyn lay crumpled on the ground in front of the door, he pulled off her shoes and placed them neatly next to her. Then Glover rifled through her handbag, grabbed her wallet, and took off running. If anyone was paying close enough attention to notice a pattern, it was the second brutal attack on a woman in her 80s in just a few months. Unfortunately, no one was connecting the dots just yet. So as Gwendolyn Mitchell Hill lay bleeding on her doorstep, no one realized that one of Australia's worst serial killers was just getting started.

Thanks again for tuning in to serial killers. We'll be back soon with a conclusion to John Glover's story. We'll watch as Glover's first confirmed murder rocks Sydney's North Shore and signals the start of a bloody killing spree. But as his crimes make headlines and the city's older residents start to fear for their lives, police misread the signs and look for the killer in all the wrong places. For more information on John Wayne Glover, amongst the many sources we used, we found The Killer Next Door, Death in an Australian suburb by Sandra Harvey and Lindsay Simpson, extremely helpful to our research. You can find all episodes of serial killers and all other Spotify originals from Parkast for free on Spotify.

We'll see you next time. Stay safe out there. Killers is a Spotify original from Parcast. Executive producers include Max and Ron Cutler, sound designed by Juan Borda, with production assistance by Ron Shapiro, Nick Johnson, Trent Williamson, and Carly Madden. This episode of Serial Killers was written by Joel Callan, edited by Abigail Cannon, fact-checked by Kevin Johnson, researched by Brian Petrus and Chelsea Wood, and produced by Joshua Kern. Serial Killer stars Greg Poulson and Vanessa Richardson. Want to hear something? Spooky.

It reminded me of Bigfoot. Monsters Among Us is a weekly podcast featuring true stories of the paranormal. One of the boys started to exhibit demonic possession. Stories straight from the witnesses' mouths themselves. Something very snake-like lifted its head out of the water. Hosted by me, your guide, Derek Hayes. Somehow I lost eight whole hours. Listen now on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

A beloved 75-year-old man, washing up getting ready for bed is brutally beaten and killed. Despite an exhaustive investigation, the killer avoids arrest and then strikes again. I'm Global News crime reporter Nancy Hicks. You might listen to a lot of true crime podcasts this year, but they're not crime beat. Search for and follow the award-winning podcast Crime Beat on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and wherever you find your favorite podcasts.