HOLIDAY SPECIAL: The New Year's Murders Part 2 | Murder: True Crime Stories

The investigation into the disappearance of Olivia Hope and Ben Smart intensifies in this second episode, following detectives as they seize on 26-year-old Scott Watson as their primary suspect despite mismatched witness descriptions, a missing boat, and no bodies ever found. Carter and Vanessa examine the controversial forensic hair evidence, disputed scratch marks, shifting witness identifications, jailhouse informants, and the prosecution’s improvised “two-trip theory,” all of which led to Watson’s conviction in one of New Zealand’s most divisive murder cases. As key witnesses later recant and public skepticism grows, the episode explores decades of appeals, wavering public opinion, and the families’ painful search for closure—raising the haunting question of whether the truth about what happened to Olivia and Ben has ever truly been uncovered.Follow Murder: True Crime Stories on your podcast app: https://play.megaphone.fm/6g4bv3tos9yn9abg2yeakg To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices