Who Killed Betty Shanks: Three Perspectives

On the evening of 19 September 1952, Betty Thompson Shanks, 22 was attacked and killed as she walked to her Grange home from her tram stop. This year is the 70th anniversary of this shocking unsolved murder.

On the evening of September 19 1952, Betty Shanks, 22, a clerk in a Commonwealth Department, was returning to her parents’ home in Montepelier Street, The Grange. After attending night school classes in the city, she left a tramcar at The Grange at approximately 9.32pm to walk the remaining kilometre to her home. While walking along Thomas Street she was attacked, savagely beaten and strangled. Police believe Shanks’ attacker killed her in the shadow of trees on the corner of Thomas and Carberry streets. Her gold wrist watch had stopped at 9.53pm, 21 minutes after leaving the tram. Despite a long and thorough police investigation, the killer was never found. This murder case remains open and unsolved.

You will hear from three speakers with an interest in this murder, who will each give a 30 minute talk about their perspective on who might have killed Betty. Then the audience can ask questions of the panel of speakers. The event will also be livestreamed.

Jack Sim, Brisbane’s infamous “man in black”, walks the shadowy streets of town in search of horrible histories and tales of Brisbane’s most infamous gaol, Boggo Road. Since 1998 Jack’s passion for the notorious gaol has allowed it to be the site for thrilling ghost and historic tours. Jack has also published true tales of Crime Scenes, Ghost Stories and Prison History from Boggo Road Gaol. You may also have seen him late at night undertaking his Crime Tours and Ghost Tours, with a collection of other knowledgeable hosts, in historic sites such as Boggo Road Gaol, Toowong Cemetery and South Brisbane Cemetery. Jack worked with Ken Blanche while Ken was researching his book Who Killed Betty Shanks? Betty holds a special place in Jack’s heart.

Ted Duhs spent most of his working life in universities, first at UQ and then at QUT. After leaving university life he became interested in Criminology. His book Crucial Errors in Murder Investigations was published by Bond University Press in 2012. It deals with some 18 cases where significant procedural issues arise. This was followed by “I Know Who Killed Betty Shanks.” The first edition was published by Boolarong Press in 2014. This was followed by the second edition in 2019, and the third edition in 2022. He is currently working on a book entitled Miscarriages of Justice in the UK, US, Australia and New Zealand. Details are available on his website miscarriagesofjustice.com.au

Robert Constantine is a retired Queensland Public Servant, and he first became interested in the Betty Shanks murder case some year ago, after reading the book by Ken Blanch. He visited the location several times, to see if he could put together, in his own mind, the circumstances of the murder. He believes it was murder and has all characteristics of a well-planned and premeditated killing. Despite one theory that says Betty was killed in a motorcycle accident, after being struck by a police motorcycle patrolman, traveling on his beat that night. Robert formed the opinion, after reading Blanch, that there must have been two people involved in the crime. One man is waiting at the tram stop, whilst another is concealed in the bauhinia trees along Thomas Street.

**This event is planned as an educational seminar. The views and opinions of these speakers expressed at this lecture, do not necessarily state or reflect those of The Queensland Police Service**