The Murder of Anita Cobby

On February 2, 1986, 26-year-old nurse Anita Cobby finished work
in Sydney and caught the train home to Blacktown.


When she arrived at the station that night, the phone she
normally used to call her father for a lift was out of order.
With no taxis available, Anita began the short walk home.


She was abducted from Newton Road by five men driving a stolen
car.


Two days later, her body was discovered in a paddock near
Prospect.


The brutality of Anita’s murder shocked Australia and sparked
national outrage. Within weeks, police arrested five offenders
whose trial would expose the horrifying details of the crime.


In this episode of Coffee And Crime AU, we examine:


• Who Anita Cobby was before the headlines


• The events of the night she disappeared


• The police investigation and undercover recordings


• The trial that gripped Australia


• The lasting legacy of Anita’s case and the changes it brought
to victims’ rights


This episode discusses violence and sexual assault. Listener
discretion is advised.