Robert Chappell was murdered on his yacht 10 years ago, but who killed him? Was the conviction of his partner, Sue Neill-Fraser, the greatest miscarriage of justice since the Chamberlain case? As the decade-long crusade to free her reaches its dramatic conclusion, Genevieve Gannon follows the evidence trail.
On the moonless night of January 26, 2009 a body was dropped into the cold water of Tasmania’s Derwent River, never to be recovered. The deceased was Robert Chappell – Bob to his friends – a 65-year-old physicist who worked in the Royal Hobart Hospital’s oncology unit where he was completing one final project before retirement. When his partner Sue Neill-Fraser arrived at the marina the following morning after police called to say her yacht was sinking, the full extent of the tragedy was not yet apparent. The first thing she asked was, “Where’s Bob?”
Neill-Fraser stood at the water’s edge, telling Constable Shane Etherington her partner Bob had been working on the yacht, which had been giving the couple trouble since they purchased it in Queensland in December. He’d had to repair some panels that had been mysteriously loosened, she said. She told the officer she believed somebody had boarded the boat and prised them free in order to smuggle drugs into Australia, and she asked if the police had sniffer dogs that could investigate this theory. When police searched the empty yacht they noticed blood on the steps to the saloon. Winch ropes were not as they should be and there was blood spatter on the stairwell walls. Bob was missing.
Nine months later, Neill-Fraser was charged with his murder. She pleaded not guilty but was convicted and is presently serving a 23-year jail term for murder. The mother of two has staunchly maintained her innocence, telling The Weekly in 2015: “I think he was the victim of a random or opportunistic incident,” and that she feels like she’s “been sent off to a strange planet.” Supporters have lined up behind her, calling for reviews and a Royal Commission. Venerable defence barrister Robert Richter said the conviction was the greatest miscarriage of justice in this country since Lindy Chamberlain.
This story is from the March 2019 edition of The Australian Women's Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 2019 edition of The Australian Women's Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Hitting a nerve
Regulating the vagus nerve with its links to depression, anxiety, arthritis and diabetes - could aid physical and mental wellbeing.
Take me to the river
With a slew of new schedules and excursions to explore, the latest river cruises promise to give you experiences and sights you won’t see on the ocean.
The last act
When family patriarch Tom Edwards passes away, his children must come together to build his coffin in four days, otherwise they will lose their inheritance. Can they put their sibling rivalry aside?
MEET RUSSIA'S BRAVEST WOMEN
When Alexei Navalny died in a brutal Arctic prison, Vladimir Putin thought he had triumphed over his most formidable opponent. Until three courageous women - Alexei's mother, wife and daughter - took up his fight for freedom.
The wines and lines mums
Once only associated with glamorous A-listers, cocaine is now prevalent with the soccer-mum set - as likely to be imbibed at a school fundraiser as a nightclub. The Weekly looks inside this illegal, addictive, rising trend.
Jenny Liddle-Bob.Lucy McDonald.Sasha Green - Why don't you know their names?
Indigenous women are being murdered at frightening rates, their deaths often left uninvestigated and widely unreported. Here The Weekly meets families who are battling grief and desperate for solutions.
Growing happiness
Through drought flood and heartbreak, Jenny Jennr's sunflowers bloom with hope, sunshine and joy
"Thank God we make each other laugh"
A shared sense of humour has seen Aussie comedy couple Harriet Dyer and Patrick Brammall conquer the world. But what does life look like when the cameras go down:
Winter baking with apples and pears
Celebrate the season of Australian apples and pears with these sweet bakes that will keep the midwinter blues away.
Budget dinner winners
Looking for some thrifty inspiration for weeknight dinners? Try our tasty line-up of low-cost recipes that are bound to please everyone at the table.
