Katie Never Thought Her Partner Was Violent Until He Killed Her
5/6/202659 min
29-year-old Katie Haley arrived home on a Friday night in March 2018 after a long shift at a Melbourne tavern. Her partner Shane had been messaging throughout the day, calls, accusations, jealousy, and control that had continued for hours...
After reaching her limit, Katie stands up and starts packing a bag. She tells him the relationship is over. She’s leaving with their daughter. But she never makes it out the door.
Today, we’re speaking with Katie’s sister, Bianca Unwin, who has since become an advocate for domestic violence awareness following her sister’s death, and who now speaks openly about coercive control and the warning signs that were not fully recognised at the time.
LINKS
If you’re experiencing family and domestic violence, Safe Steps provides immediate and confidential assistance. Find out more here.
If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
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CREDITS
Guest: Bianca Unwin
Host: Gemma Bath
Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman
Group Executive Producer: Ilaria Brophy
Video Editor: Julian Rosario
Audio Engineer: Tegan Sadler
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsGemma Bath· Host0:00
[static] [gentle music] It's a Friday night in March 2018, and 29-year-old Katie Hailey is lounging on the couch on her phone after a big day on her feet working at a local Melbourne tavern. Her 10-month-old daughter is tucked up in bed, and Katie is exhausted. She's ready to rest, zone out, do some scrolling. But her boyfriend, Shane, has picked a fight again. [phone dinging] He didn't stop messaging her all day, calling, texting, checking in, accusing her of lying, of cheating, of doing something wrong, of posting something he didn't like on social media. But this time, Katie has reached her limit. "I'm over it," she tells him, and begins to angrily pack a bag. [suitcase zipper zipping] She's ready to get both herself and her daughter out of this house, away from him. She tells him she doesn't love him anymore. She tells him it's over for good. [phone sending] He has pushed her too far with his controlling, possessive behavior, but Katie never makes it out the door. I'm Gemma Bath, and you're listening to True Crime Conversations, a podcast exploring the world's most notorious crimes by speaking to the people who know the most about them. Before you listen today, this conversation does talk about family violence, so listen with care.