Anne Connolly is no stranger to exposing the darker sides of the aged care sector.
The award-winning ABC investigative journalist is best known in aged care circles for her 2018 exposé on abuse and neglect in Australian nursing homes – a report so damning that then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a Royal Commission the day before it aired.
Now, Connolly returns to aged care with a gripping new true crime podcast series, ‘The Invisible Killer’, as part of the ABC’s Background Briefing.
This five-part series delves into the shocking case of an aged care nurse convicted of murdering two residents and attempting to kill a third.
Speaking with HelloCare, Connolly ponders whether she may have uncovered an aged care serial killer.
The case took place in Newcastle, New South Wales, at SummitCare Wallsend in 2013.
A series of mysterious deaths within the facility led police to charge male nurse Garry Steven Davis, who was later convicted of two murders and one attempted murder by insulin injection.
He was sentenced to 40 years in prison. The story initially caught Connolly’s attention because of her personal connection to Newcastle – her own parents live there.
“I took great notice of it because I would go home on weekends and see it on the front page of the Newcastle Herald,” Connolly explains.
The more she looked into it, the more she found a case riddled with contradictions and unsettling questions. “Everyone I spoke to said, ‘We just couldn’t believe he did it. He seemed like such an ordinary, really nice guy. Just completely unexpected.'”
As Connolly delved deeper, she uncovered inconsistencies in the trial, including the fact that one of the victims, before dying, insisted a woman had injected him – not a man.
“I started to wonder whether he had been wrongly convicted,” she admits.
What followed was a rigorous investigation, including direct communication with the convicted nurse in Goulburn Prison, as well as interviews with ex-staff, police officers, family members of the victims, and legal experts.
Uninvestigated deaths in aged care
The resulting podcast is more than just a true crime story – it is an exposé of the cracks in the aged care system.
“There are over 1,000 unexplained deaths every year reported in the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS), but less than half are investigated by a coroner,” Connolly reveals. “The regulator doesn’t analyse the data. I put in a request asking what the most common cause of death was in these cases – was it medication errors? Neglect? The answer? They don’t know.”
This lack of oversight is precisely what allowed this case to unfold undetected.
Connolly’s investigation suggests that the convicted nurse may not have been caught if not for a vigilant doctor in the hospital who ordered blood tests on two of the victims.
“He did this in broad daylight over a 48-hour period,” Connolly says. “But what if this wasn’t the first time? Has he done it before? Could he have been harming, even killing, residents long before he was caught?”
The series methodically tracks the chilling progression of the case. The first episode sets the scene, detailing how elderly residents at SummitCare Wallsend suddenly fell gravely ill and were rushed to hospital. Initially, no one suspected foul play.
It was only when a doctor detected insulin injections in the victims – when they were not diabetic – that alarms were raised.
As the series unfolds, each episode meticulously unravels the layers of this chilling case, plunging listeners into the heart of a disturbing mystery.
As Connolly works to connect the dots, she uncovers a web of secrets and unanswered questions that hint at a more complex reality than anyone initially imagined. With each revelation, the narrative becomes increasingly compelling.
Connolly’s interviews with key figures add a layer of authenticity, compelling listeners to confront their assumptions about trust and safety in aged care settings.
With every episode, the series raises haunting questions about accountability, the systems meant to protect the vulnerable, and whether the real story of an aged care serial killer remains hidden in the shadows.
Beyond the crime itself, the podcast also highlights the need for serious reform in aged care staffing and oversight.
“This man had a poor history. He was lazy. He had been sacked from one place for writing ‘I hate old people’ on Facebook,” Connolly explains.
“If his references had been checked properly, he would never have been employed at SummitCare. Instead, he was promoted to a senior position, in charge of medications. And look what happened.”
Anne Connolly’s new Background Briefing series is not just a crime podcast – it is a stark warning about the vulnerabilities in our aged care system.
With gripping storytelling, in-depth research, and shocking revelations, ‘The Invisible Killer’ is a must-listen for true crime fans and anyone concerned about the safety of our most vulnerable citizens.
Could this be Australia’s first known aged care serial killer? Connolly’s investigation may just provide the answer.
Listen to the first 3-Episodes – HERE
Anne Connelly I thank you for your continued persistence and ongoing advocacy voice for older people . The silence and “glad wrap” put over and around these serious issues of how we are treating older people ……
As a Professor said in 2016 , we will have an apology day for how we have treated older people . It will take 20 – 25yrs , but will come . It has stuck in my mind and remains . I don’t know how you stay sane Anne Connelly , but keep up the voice for all our older Australians . Hellocare , thank you for your continued stories and great work .
Yes, I’ve been following the podcast. It is chilling. I don’t want to go into aged care for a million reasons but this story is scary.
I suspect it is much more common than has been uncovered thus far