Podcast Summary: Australian True Crime

Episode: Main Suspect in Rachelle Childs Cold Case Found Dead

Date: July 27, 2025
Host: Meshel Laurie | Guest: Ashley Hanson

Overview

This episode investigates the major development in the long-unsolved 2001 murder of 23-year-old Rachelle Childs from rural New South Wales. The main suspect in the case, Kevin Stephen Currell (formerly Kevin Cornwall), has been found dead in Thailand. Journalist Ashley Hanson, who has spent 18 months investigating the case for her podcast "Dear Rochelle," joins Meshel Laurie to unpack Currell’s background, re-examine the evidence, discuss new technological breakthroughs, and reflect on the impact his death has had on Childs' family and the ongoing quest for justice.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Case Recap & Development

• Discovery of Currell’s Death

  • Kevin Stephen Currell, 69, the prime suspect in Rachelle Childs' 2001 murder, was found dead of a heart attack in a Phuket, Thailand hotel room (04:40; 36:57).
  • Currell was under heavy scrutiny as Hanson's podcast and new evidence began to focus on him.

• Profile of the Victim: Rachelle Childs

  • Rachelle was a much-loved “rev head,” a tomboy, blonde, athletic and a social hub in her small town (10:45; 11:03; 11:17).
  • She worked at Camden Holden, loved cars, and trusted her manager—Kevin Currell—implicitly.

2. Currell's Background & Pattern of Behaviour

• Prior Accusations & Name Change

  • Currell was born Kevin Stephen Cornwall and changed his name after being acquitted in four sexual assault trials in the 1980s (05:46).
  • Despite multiple accusations, he escaped conviction and re-established himself, ultimately becoming Rachelle’s boss at Camden Holden.

• Relationship with Rachelle

  • He exhibited a strong, possibly unhealthy attachment to her, giving her favors at work and reportedly infatuated, though he presented himself as a mentor/father figure (05:46; 12:41).

• Daughter's Perspective

  • Currell’s estranged daughter Jaz gave a “candid interview” in Hanson's podcast, describing him as a “terrible person” and a complex, troubling father (05:46).
  • After his death, Jaz stated she felt “no sympathy” and said justice was denied to his victims.

“She’s not sorry that he’s gone as a person… she remembers him as a very terrible person, a terrible father…”
— Ashley Hanson (05:46)

3. Timeline and Key Evidence

• Critical Events

  • Rachelle vanished after leaving work around 5:00 PM, June 7, 2001; her burnt body was found in Juroa, over 100 km from her home (05:46–10:13).
  • Her car was found abandoned, with clear evidence she hadn't parked it herself.

• Workplace Dynamics

  • Friends described their boss as a “power tripper,” but Rachelle considered him a mentor (12:30–12:41).
  • Co-workers, friends, and investigators agree she was likely killed by someone she knew and trusted.

4. Red Herrings & Rumors

• False Leads
  • Currell spread unsubstantiated rumors about Rachelle’s involvement with outlaw bikies to divert suspicion (15:26–17:27).
  • Police considered various suspects, including a senior Rebels gang member (“Sash”), but no evidence implicated them; rumors ultimately traced back to Currell.

5. Breakthroughs in the Investigation

• New Evidence via Modern Technology
  • Cutting-edge mobile phone data analysis revealed Currell’s alibi—shopping in Campbelltown—was impossible (28:04–33:00).
  • His phone pinged near Rachelle's home the night of her disappearance, undermining his story.

"It was physically impossible for that call to be made at Campbelltown, where he says he was."
— Ashley Hanson (28:04)

• Circumstantial and Hard Evidence

  • Circumstantial: Threats to ex-wife (promising to “dismember her and bury her at Juroa,” the place where Rachelle’s body was found), connections to the region.
  • Hard evidence: Suspicious phone call at a crucial time; number dialed almost matched Rachelle’s except for two digits (28:04).

• Missed Opportunities

  • Early mistakes by police and the challenge of cold cases before digital forensics were widespread acknowledged (36:31).

6. Currell’s History of Violence & Manipulation

• Victims Speak Out

  • Interviews procured for “Dear Rochelle” feature a woman accusing Currell of sexual assault at knifepoint in 1980, matching a broader pattern of accusations (19:45–21:12).
  • Despite strong identification evidence, he was acquitted by juries.

• Systemic Issues

  • Discussion of the justice system’s failure to convict, and societal tendencies to disbelieve and blame victims—especially in the 1980s (22:20–22:26).

"It's an indictment of what Australian society was back in the 1980s… these women weren't listened to, they weren't believed, they were victim-shamed…"
— Ashley Hanson (22:26)

7. Currell’s Final Years and Death

• Life After the Murder
  • Continued to travel to Thailand, frequented red light districts, possibly engaged in relationships with local women (36:57–38:10).
  • Died of natural causes, alone, with bystanders noting his ill health before death.

8. Emotional Fallout and the Question of Justice

• Rochelle’s Family and Community Reaction
  • Family devastated by loss of opportunity for justice, expressing sorrow for Currell’s family but frustrated that justice is “denied” (39:40–42:42).

“If it was Kevin Carell … they’ll never get their day in court. That will never happen. … It’s another blow in this tragic, tragic case.”
— Ashley Hanson (39:48)

• Call for New Information
  • Ashley and the family hope Currell’s death may encourage new witnesses to come forward, no longer afraid of retaliation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Rachelle’s Character:
  “She was a Rev head… really bubbly, girly, just a woman in the prime of her life… She was a head turner.”
  — Ashley Hanson (11:17)

• On the Failure of the Justice System:
  “There's a pattern of our justice system, isn't it? … Even today it’s hard to get a conviction for a sexual assault.”
  — Host & Ashley Hanson (22:23)

• On New Digital Forensics:
  “We had the mobile phone maps … it was physically impossible for that call to be made at Campbelltown, where he says he was.”
  — Ashley Hanson (28:04–29:10)

• On Currell’s Threats:
  “She recalled him threatening to dismember her body… in one threat, he said he was going to bury her at Jaroa, which is the same area where Rachelle’s burning body was found.”
  — Ashley Hanson (28:04)

• Currell’s Daughter's Statement:
  “Justice was denied to victims.”
  — Jaz (Paraphrased by Ashley Hanson, 05:34)

Important Timestamps

• 00:39 — News of Currell’s death announced
• 04:40 — Hanson begins deep dive on Currell’s role in the case
• 05:34 — Interaction with Currell’s estranged daughter
• 10:13–12:41 — Host and Hanson discuss Rachelle’s time at Camden Holden & workplace testimony
• 15:26–17:27 — Biker rumors, misdirection, and Currell’s false narratives
• 19:45–22:26 — Currell’s history of sexual violence, court outcomes, and impact on victims
• 28:04–33:00 — Forensic phone evidence, timeline, and digital breakthroughs
• 36:57–39:40 — Currell’s Thailand lifestyle, circumstances of death, and local response
• 39:40–42:42 — Family reaction, emotional fallout, hope for new revelations

Conclusion

The episode provides an in-depth look at how an unsolved murder case from 2001 is reframed by investigative journalism, new forensic science, and survivor testimony. The death of Kevin Currell in Thailand deprives Rachelle Childs’ family of their hoped-for courtroom reckoning, but technological advances and persistence from journalists like Ashley Hanson continue to bring new truths to light. The case remains open, and the podcast ends with a call for anyone with information to come forward, keeping hope alive for eventual justice.

Further Listening:
Download the detailed investigative podcast "Dear Rochelle" for more on this case and personal interviews not covered here.

Support:
If you were affected by the episode’s content:

• Lifeline: 13 11 14
• 1-800-Respect: 1-800-737-732 or 1800respect.org.au
• 13Yarn for Indigenous Australians: 13 92 76 or 13yarn.org.au