BRISBANE — 1952 · Murder

Betty Shanks case

UnsolvedSources: CLast updated: 14 October 2026

In 1952, 22-year-old Betty Shanks was beaten to death while walking home in Brisbane, Australia. Despite decades of investigation, the perpetrator was never identified. Numerous theories have been put forward, including one historian's claim that the incident may have been covered up after an accidental collision with a police motorcyclist; the case remains one of Queensland's oldest and best-known unsolved cases.

Date: 1952
Place: Grange, Queensland, Brisbane, AU
Category: Murder
Case Status: Unsolved
Coordinates: -27.4271, 153.0181 ↗

Timeline of Events

1952Incident occurred
1952Investigation launched
2000'lerFile resurfaced, new theories put forward

Sources

Official Report
Contemporary Press Archive

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