Chasing Ghosts

School teacher Jennifer Beard disappeared on New Zealand's West Coast while hitchhiking on New Year's Eve 1969. Nearly three weeks later her body was found under a bridge outside the tiny township of Haast. Now a Herald investigation has uncovered new evidence that could identify her killer.Subscribe to The 50 Year Secret on your favourite podcast app.

School teacher Jennifer Beard disappeared on New Zealand's West Coast while hitchhiking on New Year's Eve 1969. Nearly three weeks later her body was found under a bridge outside the tiny township of Haast. Now a Herald investigation has uncovered new evidence that could identify her killer.Subscribe to The 50 Year Secret on your favourite podcast app.

From the NZ Herald newsroom, and Chasing Ghosts host Anna Leask, comes A Moment in Crime

From the NZ Herald newsroom, and Chasing Ghosts host Anna Leask, comes A Moment in Crime

Full of optimism about a new life, Nicola Cruickshank and her family spent an idyllic spring Saturday with friends. Then tragedy struck. WARNING: This podcast contains material that may be distressing for younger listeners.

Amber-Lee went missing near a large body of water. It was the obvious place to start the search. But police soon started to wonder whether something more sinister had occurred. WARNING: This podcast contains material that may be distressing for younger listeners.

With a history of drugs and crime, Nicola Cruickshank has had her critics. She decides to face the flak head-on, hoping to put the focus back on the hunt for her daughter. WARNING: This podcast contains frequent use of strong language and material that may be distressing for younger listeners.

After Nicola Cruickshank put her faith in the “psychic detectives” of TV show Sensing Murder, she became fixated on one man. WARNING: This podcast contains frequent use of very strong language and material that may be distressing for younger listeners.

It didn’t take long for police to focus on a small group of suspects. At the time, one name attracted particular attention. In this episode he breaks his silence. WARNING: This podcast contains strong language and material that may be distressing for younger listeners.

A quarter of a century has failed to dull the pain of Amber-Lee’s disappearance for her family. Can you help their desperate search for closure? WARNING: This podcast contains strong language and material that may be distressing for younger listeners.

Full of optimism about a new life, Nicola Cruickshank and her family spent an idyllic spring Saturday with friends. Then tragedy struck. WARNING: This podcast contains material that may be distressing for younger listeners.

A quarter of a century has failed to dull the pain of Amber-Lee’s disappearance for her family. Can you help their desperate search for closure? WARNING: This podcast contains strong language and material that may be distressing for younger listeners.

Amber-Lee went missing near a large body of water. It was the obvious place to start the search. But police soon started to wonder whether something more sinister had occurred. WARNING: This podcast contains material that may be distressing for younger listeners.

With a history of drugs and crime, Nicola Cruickshank has had her critics. She decides to face the flak head-on, hoping to put the focus back on the hunt for her daughter. WARNING: This podcast contains frequent use of strong language and material that may be distressing for younger listeners.

After Nicola Cruickshank put her faith in the “psychic detectives” of TV show Sensing Murder, she became fixated on one man. WARNING: This podcast contains frequent use of very strong language and material that may be distressing for younger listeners.

It didn’t take long for police to focus on a small group of suspects. At the time, one name attracted particular attention. In this episode he breaks his silence. WARNING: This podcast contains strong language and material that may be distressing for younger listeners.