The Detective’s Story: Frank Sanvitale on the Disappearance of Cheryl Grimmer

The disappearance of 3-year-old Cheryl Grimmer in 1970 has gripped listeners around the world due to the extraordinary BBC Sounds Podcast Fairy Meadow and our guest for this episode Frank Sanvitale is a big part of that podcast.

Now retired from the New South Wales Police, Frank has moved the wheels of justice further for Cheryl’s shattered family more than had ever been done in the more than 50 years since her disappearance.

Frank, was teamed up in 2016 with Detective Sergeant Damian Loone and the pair set about looking into this long cold case, combing over boxes of stored evidence.

It was a confession made in 1971 by a then 17-year-old that was found in one of these dusty boxes and set in motion events that would see that person, who we can only identify as Mercury, charged with Cheryl’s murder in 2017.

But tragically, the case against mercury fell apart because the trial judge applied a retrospective law on the confession and would not allow it as evidence.

The collapse of the case against Mercury was the breaking point for Frank who left the police soon after.

The NSW Attorney General Mark Speakman can give the Grimmer family their day in court. You can contact him here.

You can also sign this petition - addressed to Attorney General Speakman - to help in the fight to find justice for Cheryl.

The BBC Sounds podcast Fairy Meadow, hosted by Jon Kay, can be found here.

There is a $1 Million dollar reward from NSW Police for information about Cheryl’s abduction and murder.

NEXT WEEK

Terror Knocks in FNQ - A young man is woken in the dead of night by a terrfied woman at his door. He barricades the two of them inside against the men from whom she’s fleeing, none of whom he knows, and frantically calls police for help. Before help arrives, he’s forced to defend himself and the 000 operator listens helplessly as the men outside lose patience and invade his home. What follows is a tragedy.

Author Robyn Bowles sheds light on how this bizarre night really unfolded.

CREDITS:

Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram here and get her free monthly newsletter here.

Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram here and listen to her podcast Killer Content here.

Guest: Frank Sanvitale

Producer/Editor: Lachie Flannigan

Executive Producer: Jacqueline Tonks

GET IN TOUCH:

Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast

Email the show at [email protected]

Australian True Crime is a podcast by Smart Fella Media.

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