Betty Shanks

Betty and two other students from her night class were driven partway home by their lecturer Edward Milliken. He dropped Betty off at Tram Stop 19 on Lutwyche Road in Windsor where she boarded tramcar 434 bound for Grange.

The Brisbane Tramway Network was operational from 1885 to 1969. Shown on the map in green is the old 434 route from Lutwyche Road to Grange Tram Terminus.

At 9:32pm, Betty exited the tram at Grange Tram Terminus on Days Road, heading towards Thomas Street – this was the last time she was seen alive.

Between 9:38pm and 9:53pm, Betty was brutally beaten, murdered and left in the backyard of a home on Carberry Street.

Seven people – including a resident of the home –reported hearing screams around 9:40pm. 

Upon hearing the cries, an off-duty police officer –Alex Stewart – who lived next door, looked out his front window at Thomas Street and the school grounds across the road but couldn’t see anything unusual. His view of the neighbour's yard was obscured, so he didn't see the attack unfolding metres away.

Stewart discovered Betty’s body at 5:35am the following morning when collecting the paper from his front yard.

Betty had been beaten so badly that several of her teeth were found metres from her body. Her face and legs had traces of black boot polish where she had been kicked and there was also an unusual dotted imprint on her forehead.

Although Betty’s underwear had been removed and straps of her brassiere broken, there was no evidence of sexual assault.  

Two bloody handprints were also found on a neighbouring fence.

The brutality of the assault suggested a criminal with a history of violence. Robbery was not considered a motive as Betty’s jewellery and handbag were left – although the contents were scattered across the yard.

Throughout the investigation, there were no obvious motives or suspects – Betty was well-liked and respected in the community and didn’t have a husband or boyfriend.

Over the years, there have been many theories as to who killed her.

1. The doctor

In the days following the murder, a doctor who operated in the local area committed suicide. This was reported in the news at the same time Betty's murder was garnering national attention – and in some publications the two stories shared the front page. This sparked rumours he was connected to Betty and responsible for the murder.

2. The soldier 

On the evening Betty was attacked, a number of officers were at the nearby Exhibition Grounds for an army tattoo dress rehearsal. Many believe one of them is responsible for killing Betty given the unusual marking on her face was consistent with canvas gaiters worn by soldiers at the time.

3. The police officer

This theory suggests a rogue police officer struck Betty with his motorcycle – rode away – then returned later and strangled her to ensure she was dead.

The injuries she sustained could be explained by contact with the handlebars of the bike and markings found on her forehead are said to match protective gear worn by motorcyclists.

4. The handyman 

A few months before the murder, Betty hired a handyman to complete renovations on her parent’s home. Despite being married, the man reportedly expressed a romantic interest in Betty, however there is no evidence she reciprocated it. Some believe he killed Betty for rejecting his advances.

Years after the murder, the handyman's daughter told police she and her brother were in the car with her father one night when he pulled up at Wilston State School. She claims he left the car for a long time and was covered in blood when he returned to drive them home.

Retracing Betty’s path and examining geographic markers at the crime scene can provide law enforcement with further insight into the suspectology of her attacker and the sequence of events.

Given this crime occurred nearly 70 years ago, any renewed investigations must also consider how the passage of time can change the areas surrounding a crime scene.

Betty was dropped off at the Lutwyche road tram stop. Another woman arrived at the same stop shortly afterwards. They were the only two passengers to board the tram so it's unlikely she was followed from this stop.

Betty was last seen heading towards Thomas Street. With only 150-metres between the tram terminus and the location where she was found, there is a limited stretch where Betty could've crossed paths with her attacker.

Either she was followed from the terminus, or the killer was waiting to ambush her.

Seventeen-year-old Marie Patton caught the same tram as Betty that night and walked ahead of her along Thomas Street. She told police she didn't see or hear anyone along the way. Marie was only a minute or so ahead of Betty – if the attacker was lying in wait, they let Marie pass without incident.

The timing of the attack suggests Betty may have stopped to talk with somebody at the Terminus or along the street. The walk from the terminus to the location of the attack takes less than two minutes but it took seven or eight minutes for Betty to arrive. This leaves five or six minutes unaccounted for between departing the tram and her attack.

This theory may be supported by a witness who saw two people walking together down Thomas Street at approximately 9:36pm – minutes before Betty’s screams were heard by neighbours. The identities of the two people remain a mystery.

The location of blood splatter at the scene indicates the assault took place in the backyard, meaning the killer threw or pushed Betty over the fence and into the yard before assaulting her.

The killer removed her underwear but didn’t sexually assault Betty, indicating he may have been interrupted. A passenger from the following tram reported passing by the backyard at 9:53pm – this is approximately the time Betty is believed to have died and the killer was likely still in the yard.