A new podcast uncovering the disturbing case of a Queensland grandmother who orchestrated the murder of her ex-partner was a passion project for the journalist and host Tara Cassidy.
In 2017, Sharon Graham was accused of devising a plan to murder her husband, Bruce Saunders, whose body was found mangled in a woodchipper.
Tara Cassidy is an investigative journalist who has been following the case since the very first hearing. Her new podcast, Killer Charm, explores Saunders’s death and the woman accused of masterminding the crime.
In the six-part series, listeners get access to forensic evidence, witness statements, never-before-heard covert surveillance recordings and police interviews.
The investigation exposes patterns of control, greed and coercion, and sheds light on the dangers of how these behaviours emerged in a seemingly harmless woman.
Cassidy told The Briefing podcast the case was “one of the most horrific, callous stories that I’ve ever heard.”
After five years of following the story, Cassidy uncovered new information about Sharon Graham and the case and secured interviews with Graham’s former best friend, her daughter, and several ex-lovers who are speaking out for the very first time.
“She (Graham) was this unsuspecting grandmother, well-pruned, looks well-to-do, and she has the nickname Muffin, just looks like any lady that would walk past you in the shopping centre. And then you learn about the horrific parts of this case and what she’s been allegedly involved in.”
While the trial has captured media attention since 2017, Graham’s past and the lead-up to the murder have been largely absent from the story.
Cassidy’s investigation explores that past and goes beyond the murder itself into the lives of Graham’s inner circle, who had been “profoundly impacted” by the accused’s actions.
“There were many people that spoke who were witnesses in the case, who were never actually able to tell their full story because of really strict rules about what is allowed as evidence in court. So this series was about giving people the opportunity to tell their story, have their own voice.”
Episodes one and two of Crime in Focus: Killer Charm are available exclusively on LiSTNR.
New episodes of the six-part series drop on Wednesdays. To listen to Crime In Focus: Killer Charm, download the LiSTNR app and sign up to listen for free.
Sharon Graham and Gregory Roser have lodged appeals against their murder convictions.