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Court rule in cold case death of Gwen Grover featured in hit 7NEWS podcast, Shot in the Dark
Gwen Grover was discovered in her car in Cairns with a fatal gunshot wound to the head and clutching the barrel of a long rifle.
shot in the dark
NEW EPISODE JULY 11, 2025
THE DEATH OF GWEN GROVER
What happened to Gwen?
Gwen Grover was found dead in her car next to a park in Cairns, Queensland, in 1983.
What followed almost defies belief.
Police immediately assumed that Gwen, a 32yo mother of two, had committed suicide.
Gwen was a devoted mother of two young boys, one of whom could not get past the loss of his mother, eventually taking his own life.
Gwen's family have always suspected foul play and her sister, Sue Cole, battled for years to win a Coronial Inquiry into Gwen's death.
What unfolded next is a remarkable story of one woman's battle for justice against an all-powerful system.
Shot in the dark
Breakthrough!
Dec 13, 2024: The District Court in Brisbane has set aside the 2021 finding of suicide by Coroner Nerida Wilson, paving the way for a new inquiry into Gwen Grover's death...
Judge overturns inquest findings into the death of Gwen Grover
New evidence revealed in the 7NEWS podcast 'Shot in the Dark', has led to a judge overturning inquest findings into the death of Gwen Grover.
District Court, Brisbane
Read Judge Jarro's Decision...
'For the reasons that follow, I am of the view that the findings as to the death being self-inflicted should be set aside.'
Shot in the dark
Episodes
Click to listen to Shot in the Dark...
Episode 1
Gwen?
Meet Gwen Grover and her sister Sue Cole, as we examine the circumstances of Gwen's death with the help of a former homicide detective.
Episode 2
Who Am I?
The man who discovered Gwen's body speaks for the first time. Sue speaks to the former police officer who did the initial investigation.
Episode 3
The Investigation
We examine in detail the police investigation into Gwen's death and hear from several people who knew Gwen well in the months and years leading up to her death.
Episode 4
Sleeping with the Enemy
We unearth stunning new evidence, not presented to the Coroner, that casts new light on the death of Gwen Grover
Episode 5
The Inquest: Part 1
We examine in detail the evidence given to the Coroner in the 2021 inquest into the death of Gwen Grover.
Episode 6
The Inquest: Part 2
Key witnesses give evidence and respond to questions as the inquest ends, leaving Sue with more questions than answers.
Episode 7
The Injustice System
A forensic expert delves into Gwen's case, we reveal extraordinary internal police documents and Alison meets Ed Kinbacher in person... it's a conversation you won't forget.
Episode 8
Searchlight
Sue's support group of families of lost loved ones reveal the startling similarities to Gwen's case and what happened to Gwen's ashes?
Episode 9
Hidden Homicides
The unspoken shame of Australia. The victims of brutal crimes overlooked by authorities. We detail the ways in which they failed Gwen.
Episode 10
Justice for Gwen
A new eyewitness comes forward casting a new light on what happened to Gwen as Sue makes an overwhelming case for a new Coronial Inquiry.
Episode 11
Back to the Beginning
Sue and Irene hold a memorial at the spot where their sister Gwen died 40 years ago in Cairns, joined by locals supporting their cause, as new information surfaces about Gwen's ex-husband and the legal effort to win a new Coronial Inquest gathers momentum.
Episode 12
Courting Justice
Twelve months after our last episode, Sue Cole and her siblings appear in the District Court to ask a judge to set aside the findings of the Coroner into the death of their sister Gwen Grover. You have a front row seat to this nail-biting drama that holds the key to getting justice for Gwen.
Episode 13
Breakthrough
Sue Cole's battle to find the truth culminates in a courtroom where a judge rules on the finding of Coroner Nerida Wilson. The decision sends shockwaves through Queensland Police and gives Gwen's family new hope they will finally win justice.
Episode 14
Into the Light
"They always tell someone". That's what Former homicide detective Ron Iddles told Sue Cole; that killers always tell at least one person what they've done. Sue issues an emotional plea for that person to come forward and say what they know about the man she believes murdered her sister, Gwen Grover. Sue has won in the courts, exposed the Queensland Police Service and restored her sister's honour... will she finally prove who killed Gwen?
Shot in the Dark
The Police Investigation
What the police did, and didn't do, for Gwen Grover.
Shot in the Dark
The Coronial Inquest
The 2021 Inquest into the death of Gwen Grover.
Shot in the Dark
The Fight for Justice
Gwen's family vow to fight to the end.
Shot in the Dark
Sue Cole
Gwen's sister is a tireless campaigner for the truth.
Shot in the Dark
Media Reports
Media reports about Gwen Grover.
Shot in the Dark
The Team
Meet the team behind the podcast.
Shot in the Dark
Statements, Right of Reply
Read statements and answers to questions