The case remained unsolved for more than 40 years.
Until last Tuesday, a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in Australia declared Chris Dawson, of 60 years, guilty of having murdered his wife, Lynette.
Chris, a former professional rugby player, lived with her and the couple’s two children in Sydney.
They were a seemingly normal family until she disappeared without a trace in January 1982. I had 33 years.
Chris had left rugby to late years 33 and taught physical education classes at a public school on Sydney’s North Beaches.
There he fell in love with one of his teenage students, Joanne Curtis, called JC at the trial where a verdict was finally reached on this intriguing case.
Infidelity
JC had only 16 years when Chris became infatuated with her, according to details revealed both at trial and on the investigative podcast of 2018 who unearthed the case, The Teacher’s Pet (“The teacher’s pet”).
Joanne was part of a broken family, where violence and alcohol were part of the daily routine.
“The prospect of losing her distressed, frustrated and ultimately overwhelmed him so much that Mr. Dawson decided to kill his wife”, sentenced.
Chris Dawson denies having killed Lynette and has always maintained that she abandoned him and their two children, possibly to join a religious group.
The police have not found a single trace of her since.
Chris has maintained that his wife called him on the phone days after she disappeared to tell him that she needed a break in the relationship.
That first call, he assured, was followed by others, but this has not been proven either and the judge believes it to be a lie.
The husband’s defense also argued that at least five people testified that they had seen the missing woman alive after January 1024.
This did not convince the judge either, who considered the sightings to be misperceptions by the alleged witnesses.
Two years after Lynette’s disappearance, in 1984, Chris Dawson and Joanne Curtis married and had a daughter.
The couple divorced in 1993.
The podcast
Two investigations into the disappearance of Lynette in 2001 Y 2003 concluded that she was dead and that she would have been killed by a “known person”.
But prosecutors did not see enough evidence to press charges, until journalist Hedley Thomas investigated the case on his podcast.
Winner of the Walkley, Australia’s premier journalism award, The Teacher’s Pet accumulates more than 59 millions of downloads and reached number one on the charts in its country , and in the UK, Canada and New Zealand.
The podcast and its impact on public opinion played a key role in Chris’s arrest in 2018 and in the subsequent judicial process.
Judge Harrison criticized his “unbalanced view” of the case and ruled that he had affected the evidence provided by some witnesses.
In fact, the attention generated by the podcast even caused the start of the trial to be delayed.
The defense even tried to stop the case by arguing that its repercussion deprived the accused of the opportunity of a fair process.
Finally, it was decided to hold a trial with a judge instead of a popular jury, considering that the latter would be more influenced by public opinion.
The verdict
Judge Harrison delivered his verdict on Tuesday after three months of trial in which evidence provided by several witnesses was evaluated.
Although none of the tests was with conclusive in itself, after evaluating them as a whole, the magistrate ruled that Chris Dawson’s guilt was “persuasive and convincing”.
Discarded version maintained by the defendant that Lynette Dawson left her home voluntarily.
Assessed that the victim “idolized her children and her husband” and that all her possessions remained in the marital home after her disappearance.
“His contact lenses were even found in a blue container when Mr. Dawson delivered his belongings,” he alleged.
In addition, since Lynette disappeared, none of her friends and family had any news or any indication that she might be alive anywhere.
Considering the circumstantial evidence as a whole, the judge stated that “without a doubt” Chris killed his wife and disposed of her body.
After the verdict , the culprit was handcuffed and left the room shaking his head in dissatisfaction.
Relatives of Lynette Dawson present in court reacted with tears.
Her brother, Greg Simms, stated that the court ruling only confirmed what they had known for years.
“She loved her family and she never left them of her own free will. Her trust, however, was betrayed by a man she loved,” Simms explained to the press, visibly moved.
Also alluded to Chris Dawson , whom he asked to “finally do what is due” and “allow us to take Lynette home to rest in peace, finally giving her the dignity she deserves.”
The sentence will be known shortly, on a date yet to be determined.
Chris Dawson’s attorney has indicated that he will probably file an appeal.
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