Juanita: A Family Mystery delves into one of this country’s biggest crime mysteries – the 1975 disappearance of Kings Cross activist Juanita Nielsen.
The unmissable two-part series follows Juanita’s family members, Keiran McGee and Pip Rey, as they work alongside the ABC’s award-winning Unravel True Crime podcast team, to uncover the truth behind Juanita’s mysterious disappearance.
Sophisticated and fiercely intelligent, with her trademark beehive hair, Juanita Nielsen was a well-known Kings Cross resident and editor of the local paper. In the early 70s, she grew increasingly dismayed at the changing fabric of her community and became a vocal and active opponent of property developers, who were pushing to build high rise apartments. Her influence and activity certainly got her noticed.
Kings Cross in the 70s was rife with criminals linked to corrupt police and politicians. Despite knowing this, Juanita agreed to meet with a local businessman who not only had questionable connections but the meeting venue, the notorious Carousel Club, was well-known for its underworld connections. Juanita went to the meeting and was never seen again.
Featuring compelling archival footage, actual voice recordings of Juanita and intimate interviews with friends and family as well as an investigator and an underworld figure who have never spoken publicly before, Juanita: A Family Mystery brings to life Juanita’s world, and pieces together the events leading up to her disappearance.
Determined to probe unflinchingly into the speculation surrounding Juanita’s disappearance, Keiran and Pip wade through coroner transcripts, interviews, and police reports in an effort to uncover the truth.
As they dive deeper into their investigation, new information and never-before heard witness recollections are revealed.
“For our family, there was never any justice that applied to Juanita,” says Pip. “Nobody has paid the consequences of her murder… For us to have resolution on what happened to her, I think is the key point that we want now.”
Will Keiran and Pip get the answers to provide closure for their family and finally solve this case that has intrigued the public for over 40 years?
You can listen to the hit ABC podcast Unravel True Crime: Juanita HERE
Production credits: A Wildbear Entertainment Production for the ABC. Developed with Screen NSW Slate Development and financed with the assistance of Screen NSW.
