Matty - Episode 1

Summary

Casefile True Crime: "Matty" Episode 1 - Summary

Episode Overview

The first episode of "Matty", produced by Casefile Presents and hosted by Lauren O’Keefe, introduces listeners to the heartbreaking story of Matthew (Matt) Leveson, a 20-year-old who vanished in Sydney in 2007. This series details his family’s tireless quest to find him, explores the challenges faced by loved ones of missing people, and gives voice to rarely-shared aspects of loss and resilience. In Episode 1, listeners meet Matt through the memories of his parents, Mark and Faye, getting to know their family and the events leading to Matt’s disappearance.

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Key Discussion Points

The Reality of “Missingness” (06:30–13:17)

• Lauren O’Keefe opens with the emotional turmoil of having a loved one disappear, describing how the search can extend indefinitely:

  “Have you ever had that terrifying experience at a crowded place where, for just a few moments, you’ve lost sight of your child?... Imagine if those few moments extended into an hour, a week, a year, or a lifetime.” (06:38)

• She connects her own experience of her brother Dan’s disappearance with the Levesons’ story, framing the series:

  “Missingness is an experience that stays with you just below the surface, ready to be triggered by anything.” (11:15)

• The goal is to show what families endure beyond the headlines:

  “Behind all the publicity embellishing their nightmare, I also wanted to give them an opportunity to talk about the things that were missing from the public conversation.” (12:24)

• Lauren sets the stage for hearing the Levesons’ story from “before the cameras,” to understand their transformation as advocates and survivors.

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Meeting Mark and Faye Leveson: Family Life Before Tragedy (13:17–22:47)

Mark’s Background

• Mark grew up in Sydney, aimed for a life outside the office but ultimately became an accountant with his own practice.
• He recalls a close-knit community and friends:

  “My friends refer to me as a nob. I’m a Gnawy Old Boy and we get together at least twice a year.” (13:36)

Faye’s Background

• Faye experienced strict, traditional upbringing; her father didn’t value education for women, pushing her towards marriage.

  “My dad thought that women should be barefooted and pregnant and education would be wasted on a female.” (14:34)

• She left school early, worked office jobs, and met Mark at a wedding. Their courtship was rapid and romantic, despite her father's initial resistance.

Their Life Together

• Both share anecdotes about falling in love, marrying young, and negotiating family expectations.
• The couple had three sons: Peter, Matthew, and Jason.
• The Leveson household was noisy, energetic, and loving, though not without its sibling rivalries.

Matthew’s Early Life

• Matthew (Matt) was sensitive, introverted, creative, and loved animals. His mother saw herself in his stubbornness.
• The brothers had a fierce love despite frequent scuffles; “When it came to the crunch, if one of them was in trouble, they were always there for one another.” (20:34 – Faye)
• Family events were cherished, with Mark recalling how “if ever one wasn’t there, didn’t matter which one, it broke the cycle.” (20:46)

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Matt’s Teen Years and Coming Out (22:47–32:50)

Schooling and Friendships

• Matt struggled at his original primary school, but blossomed after transferring to a smaller one.
• He was introverted and preferred crafts to sports, making him a target for bullies until the school change.

Sexuality and Family Support

• Matt’s first significant relationship was with a girl, Rachel, with whom he remained friends.
• At 17, Matt came out to Rachel, then later to his parents via a heartfelt letter before his HSC exams:

  “I do not know what the outcome of this letter will be, but I hope you will love me and accept me for who I am…” (28:30, letter read by Lauren)

• His parents were accepting and supportive, with Mark stating, “It changes nothing. So get home and keep studying.” (30:33)
• Faye recalls, “We knew, so it didn’t really bother us at all… Once he came out… he was my fashion stylist.” (31:04)

Early Adult Life and Hopes

• Matt started a pathology course but struggled with spelling and eventually left. He thrived in jobs at Big W and a call centre, NRMA Insurance.
• He was technically skilled and enjoyed helping set up computers and sound systems at home and at work (32:12–32:50).
• With boyfriend Daniel, Matt adored travel, finding bargains, and seeking adventure.

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The Arrival of Michael Atkins (33:42–43:58)

Relationship Shift

• After breaking up with Daniel, Matt entered a relationship with the much older Michael Atkins, initially keeping his new living arrangements secret from his parents.
• Mark and Faye were concerned by Atkins’ age (23 years older) and demeanor, but felt voicing their suspicions would isolate Matt.

  “We had to [accept him] for Matt’s sake... If we said to Matt, mate, you can’t see this guy, he’s too old for you, Matt would just say, ‘get nicked’ or something stronger and we’d lose touch with Matt.” (42:10 – Mark)

• The Levesons later learned Matt had initially lived out of his car, as Atkins wouldn’t let him bring clothes into the apartment—a reveal that deeply unsettled them.

Matthew’s Isolation

• Atkins exerted control: Matt was rarely allowed to spend time alone with family or friends. Interactions with the Levesons were strictly managed.

  “Atkins rarely gave them opportunities to see their son alone… He wouldn’t keep eye contact with you. As soon as they finished their lunch or their dinner, he’s, ‘Come on, Matt, we’ve got to go.’” (43:48 – Faye)

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Matt’s State Before Disappearance (45:11–53:56)

Family and Social Life

• Matt talked excitedly about redesigning a ring for his 21st, loved planning events, and enjoyed cooking themed meals for friends.
• However, Faye noticed Matt became subdued and clingier in the months before he vanished:

  “The saying goodbye got more huggier, tighter. And we tried to get him on his own one day… but Atkinson wouldn’t let him out of his sight.” (48:10 – Faye)

• Family and friends witnessed tension and even physical altercations between Matt and Atkins.

The Final Days

• Matt’s colleagues were aware of increasing conflict with Atkins. On his last known day, Matt complained about jealousy and controlling behavior:

  “Fuck off, Mike,” (49:43 – Matt, reacting to a call during work). “I’ve had enough of Mike’s bullshit. He’s too jealous. He wants threesomes and I don’t want it… he thinks he’s God’s gift to man.” (49:57 – Matt to colleague)

• After clubbing, a series of texts between Matt and a friend, John Burns, reveal anger and distress:

  “Mike’s having a fucking cry. He’s taken me home and won’t let me stay. Fucken cunt.” (3:20am, 51:50) “He needs to get over himself.” (3:31am, 52:10)

A Mother’s Intuition

• Faye reveals her long-standing fear for Matt's safety due to his sexuality, a fear that now haunts her in hindsight:

  “I cried for… I was fearing for him personally, his life. I used to say to him, Matt, please be careful. I’m going to find you dead in the gutter somewhere… It still haunts me.” (53:11 – Faye)

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Lauren O’Keefe: “No one is ever prepared for a loved one to suddenly disappear. That’s the thing about missingness.” (12:40)
• Faye Leveson (on Mark proposing while her father held a knife):

  “He spun around with this knife in his hand. I thought I’d done the wrong thing here, I’m sure.” (16:43 – Mark)

• Faye Leveson (after Matt came out):

  “He used to tell me, no, don’t wear that, Mum. You know, he was my fashion stylist.” (31:04)

• On Matt’s last message:

  “Mike’s having a fucking cry. He’s taken me home and won’t let me stay. Fucken cunt.” (51:50 – Matt to his friend John)

• Faye Leveson’s intuition:

  “I used to say to him, Matt, please be careful. I’m going to find you dead in the gutter somewhere… It still haunts me.” (53:11)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 06:30 – Introduction to “missingness” and Lauren O’Keefe’s mission
• 13:17 – Mark and Faye’s background, meeting, and early life
• 21:07 – Matt’s childhood and personality
• 22:47 – Matt at school, friendships, and coming out
• 27:52 – Matt’s coming out letter and parents’ reaction
• 32:12 – Matt’s jobs, talents, and interests
• 33:42 – The introduction and impact of Michael Atkins
• 45:11 – Matt’s relationship with family/friends as tension increases
• 49:43 – Last work shift, text messages, and leadup to disappearance
• 51:50 – Final text message exchange during Matt’s last night

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Episode Tone and Style

The episode is empathetic and intimate, blending reflective narration from Lauren O’Keefe, candid recollections by Mark and Faye, and deep emotional honesty. It balances investigative curiosity with respect and sensitivity to the family’s grief and perseverance.

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What to Expect Next

• The episode ends as Matt goes missing, with ominous signs pointing to Michael Atkins.
• A preview teases the beginning of the family’s and police’s search, hints at suspicious behavior from Atkins, and the transfer of Matt’s case to homicide (54:07–54:33).

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For Further Listening

The rest of the “Matty” series is available on all major podcast platforms, exploring the investigation, the Leveson family’s public fight for answers, and the broader experiences of families of the missing.

Transcript

[Casey]

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As you know, Casefile will be back in 2026 for our 10th year with all new episodes. Earlier this year you might have noticed that we released the first episodes of some of the Casefile Presents shows we've produced in the Casefile feed. The decision to do so came after I learnt something surprising while talking with people at our live events. Many Casefile listeners had no idea that we produce other shows outside of Casefile, and some had never even heard of Casefile Presents. It dawned on me that if someone is a big enough supporter of our show to come to a live event but hasn't heard of our production company, then clearly we need to do a better job of highlighting the other stories we've put so much care and work into. For those who don't know, Casefile Presents is our broader production platform. While Casefile is our flagship show, we've also created a number of other podcasts under the Casefile Presents banner. Our level of involvement differs from project to project, but we've played a direct role in all of them. Today, we're sharing another one of those shows, Mattie. Mattie was originally released in 2022 as a Spotify exclusive, meaning you could only listen to it on that specific platform. But now, for the first time, the entire Matty series is available everywhere, wherever you get your podcasts. Maddy was the second podcast series we made in collaboration with Lauren o' Keefe from the MIST foundation, previously known as the Missing Persons Advocacy Network or mpan. Lauren works tirelessly to support families of missing loved ones and this series is a powerful example of what drives her work. Mattie tells the story of Matthew Levison, a 20 year old who went missing in Sydney in 2007. His disappearance led to a decade long fight by his parents, Mark and Faye Levison, to bring their son home. The Levison search uncovered many twists, countless hurdles and years of stonewalling, along with moments of both good and bad investigative work. It's a story filled with heartbreak, perseverance and the relentless pursuit of the truth. In Mattie, Lauren o' Keefe documents the Levesons determination in the face of unimaginable loss, showing the strength of a family's love and their refusal to give up, no matter how long it takes. We're releasing the first episode here on the Casefile feed. You can find the full series by searching for Matty. That's M A T T Y Wherever you get your podcasts. Now, here's episode one.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

This podcast contains explicit language, sexual themes and drug use. Have you ever had that terrifying experience at a crowded place where, for just a few moments, you've lost sight of your child, your heart starts racing, adrenaline floods your body and you are instantly and utterly desperate and vulnerable, worried sick? I want you to imagine if those few moments extended into an hour, a week, a year or a lifetime. As you hear these words, hundreds of people will disappear. Mothers, brothers, daughters, husbands. No one's ever prepared to have a loved one go missing. It's a scenario usually confined to fictional storylines, but it happens to all sorts of people all around the world for all kinds of reasons. It's a frantic situation and time is of the essence. Media opportunities are coveted, but those precious seconds of screen time or words on a page are usually limited to a few vital statistics. Your loved one is so much more than their height, date of birth or what they were wearing when they were last seen. My name is Lauren O'. Keefe. When my brother Dan disappeared in 2011, he was 24 years old. And because the circumstances weren't deemed suspicious, none of the police resources we'd been led to expect from TV shows were available to our family. We didn't know where to begin, but we knew we needed help. So on day three, I created a Facebook page to implore the Australian public. The support was unprecedented and prompted families of other missing people to reach out and ask for advice. So in 2013, I founded the Missing Persons Advocacy Network MPAN to create awareness for missing people in a way that humanises them and engages the public, as well as providing practical and emotional support to their families and friends left behind. I first met Mark and Faye Levison at a support group, morning tea, in 2012. Even though their case was completely different to ours, their hope, tenacity and drive in a room bursting with grief, brokenness and exhaustion was the example. I needed to see that you could still function and maintain that determination long term. We stayed in touch over the following years, reaching out when we'd see each other's developments in the media. And when Matt was found on what would have been my brother's 30th birthday, I was struck with a deep and conflicting sense of relief and an overwhelming sadness. Their tireless near decade long search was a remarkable but heart wrenching testament of their unconditional love. Despite unimaginable hurdles, they accomplished exactly what they promised to bring Maddie home. Missingness is an experience that stays with you just below the surface, ready to be triggered by anything from a missed call from a private number to a poster on a telegraph pole. Most families close the public's door into their lives once the search is over. But Mark and Faye continue to share their son, their pain and their struggles. I wanted to understand why as well as what that decade of their lives was really like. Behind all the publicity, embellishing their nightmare, I also wanted to give them an opportunity to talk about the things that were missing from the public conversation. A chance for them to have their say without the restrictions, pressure and scrutiny of the media spotlight. This podcast is dedicated to Matty, his family and families like theirs. No one is ever prepared for a loved one to suddenly disappear. That's the thing about missingness. When someone you love vanishes into thin air. Every family that experiences it has to figure it out for themselves. Where do you start? What do you do? Who can help? Mark and Faye Levison have endured untold hurdles in their search to find their son Matt and fight for justice. Over the past 15 years, the couple has done countless TV, print and radio interviews. But despite the extensive media coverage, the public only gets small clips. We only hear the buzzwords favoured by the media. Distraught parents, grieving family, find our son. But how much does the world really know about the battles the Levesons tirelessly fought in their efforts to find Matt? There were so many other things happening in the background, things that no one would realise unless they were personally confronted by them. By allowing the Levesons to tell their full story, it's our hope to give the audience an insight into what families and friends of missing people go through. Financial challenges, administrative obstacles, the loss of friends, people trying to exploit your loss to their benefit. And perhaps the hardest thing of all, moving forward, when you feel everything should be put on hold. Before getting into the story of when Matt went missing, I want to begin when the Levisons were still a regular family with regular highs and lows. This way we get to meet Mark and Faye away from the glare of cameras before they had to face press conferences and stand side by side trying to contain their emotions so they could get their message across. And when we hear who they were, we have a much better understanding of how they became warriors for their son.

[Mark Leveson]

I grew up in Beverly Hills in Sydney, and just in a normal, quiet little suburban street. My stepbrother was much older than me, so I basically was an only child growing up. I was schooled locally at Beverly Hills North Primary School and, sadly, Nguy Boys High School, which is no longer there. It's now been closed. My friends refer to me as a nob. I'm a gnawy old boy and we get together at least twice a year, a bunch of us. I went to uni after school because I didn't want to have an office job. I wanted to be out in the outdoors and out in the open, and so I did surveying. I did a year of surveying and passed the first year. But after that first year, I just didn't like it. So I worked in an office again where I was working. They offered me the chance to do a degree and I became an accountant. I started to see a few clients privately as well, and my client base grew to the point where I left work and started my own accountancy practice.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

Faye's upbringing was strict. Her father was of the view that education for his daughter wasn't necessary or important. Her role, as he saw it, was to marry and have babies.

[Faye Leveson]

I had a very strict upbringing. My sister and brother were 10 and 11 years older than me, so I was completely different generation. Went to Catholic schools, went to fourth form. In fourth form, my dad thought that women should be barefooted and pregnant and education would be wasted on a female. So I left school and went to business college. And I only went halfway through it, left there and got myself a job as a golf riday in the city. And I didn't like travelling into the city by train, so I ended up getting another job in an accounts office.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

Ironically, Mark and Faye would start their lifelong love story at someone else's wedding. Hearing them recount their courtship is the stuff of romantic movies. Eyes locking across the table, dancing all night, kissing under the stars.

[Mark Leveson]

In my street, I had a good mate across the road. He's also a knob and we still see him regularly. And he would often have his cousins over as kids to play. We'd play footy or cricket in the street and I used to play with him and his cousins. And then when his elder sister got married, I was asked to their wedding. They asked their cousin to the wedding as well. And that cousin you're sitting across from you right now it was Faye.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

Oh, my gosh. It was fate.

[Faye Leveson]

It was fate and it was love at first sight. And all the way home, the car was in trouble from dad because Mark and I kissed and we were the talk of the wedding and we took the limelight off the bride and groom and it just. Just went from there.

[Mark Leveson]

43 years this year.

[Faye Leveson]

Yep. We've been married 43 years this year.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

Just two and a half months after meeting, Mark and Faye got engaged. They kept their engagement a secret because Faye was only 17 in those days, the man asked the woman's father for her hand in marriage. As her 18th birthday got closer, Mark approached Faye's dad to ask his permission to marry her. Mark learnt the hard way that it was best to wait till the father of the bride wasn't holding a weapon.

[Mark Leveson]

Back in those days, we thought, do the right thing, you ask lady's father for her hand in marriage. And I chose a bad time. He was cutting fish with a very large knife in the backyard. I asked him and he spun around with this knife in his hand. I thought I'd done the wrong thing here, I'm sure.

[Faye Leveson]

And he said no.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

But didn't he want you to be barefoot and pregnant?

[Faye Leveson]

He did that. I wasn't 18 yet.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

Right. Okay.

[Faye Leveson]

Mark couldn't give me the ring until I was 18 years old. And we weren't to tell anybody. We were thinking about getting engaged till after my birthday. So once I turned 18, we were engaged. And then he said, you're not getting married for another three years. We railroaded him. We were married within 12 months.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

How did he take that?

[Faye Leveson]

He went along with it begrudgingly, I think. Begrudgingly.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

But yeah, Mark and Faye wanted to have children, but despite the constant questions from those close to them, they weren't in any rush. They were both so young and wanted to enjoy life.

[Faye Leveson]

It got to the stage where I was 24 when I fell pregnant with Peter and we were sort of getting. You've been married nearly six years. When are you going to have children?

[Lauren O'Keefe]

Did you have a clear number in mind of how many kids you wanted to have? Was it sort of a plan? You're an accountant, so was it.

[Mark Leveson]

The odd thing was, I think we had the discussion. I wanted two, Faye wanted four.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

In the end, Faye and Mark compromised with three. Their firstborn, Peter, middle child, Matthew and Jason, the baby were all born just a few years apart. During Faye's pregnancy with Matthew, she had a premature labour scare.

[Faye Leveson]

All the boys all came early. Mattie and Peter, they were both Due Christmas Day and they were both induced, but with Mattie I went into labour early October, long weekend. I went into heavy labour. And so Mark went from Picnic Point to the Sydney Adventist Hospital up at Wurrungah in under half an hour.

[Mark Leveson]

It was a crazy ride because we couldn't have Matt. We didn't know it was a boy there, so he couldn't have Matt. But. And we just raced up there, we went through red lights, speeding it upwards of 140k up a major road called Wooderville Road, not as busy as it was these days. If Copper see me and say, well, shoot me, I'll shoot my tyres. We're not stopping. And we got there, I didn't see any police at all. We got there in an amazing time and the staff were there at the front with a wheelchair and a syringe and stopped labour straight away.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

The injections prevented Faye from giving birth prematurely. She carried Matt for two more months before being given a date to be induced on 11th December 1986. The date was the same day her first son, Peter was born. And Faye was worried that her two boys would have to share a birthday.

[Faye Leveson]

So I'm in hospital, I'm keeping my legs frosted. As soon as it became midnight I said, you can come any time now. And they induced me. And yeah, he was born 12 December, but I always said they were going to have separate birthdays, separate parties, separate cakes. So I kept to that promise.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

Three years later, in 1989, the Levesons youngest son Jason was born, completing the young family. He was born prematurely and the boys were very protective of their tiny baby brother.

[Faye Leveson]

Matt and Jason were so much alike, they always locked horns. But when Jason was born and he was so prem, I had to stop going out with him because I was very protective of him. Why are they looking at him? And they tell people to stay away from him. They go to touch him or isn't he cute? How prim was he? And that stay away. But as they got older, they like typical boys, love, hate relationships, they lock horns. And Jason always accused Matthew of trying to drown him in the pool, but it didn't doesn't tell you that he goaded him and you know, so. But when it came to the crunch, if one of them was in trouble, they were always there. They were always there for one another.

[Mark Leveson]

The odd thing was there'd be times when often actually when the one of the boys would go and play at Elsa's house at a friend's place and I'd get home and I say, what's happened to the kids? It's so quiet. And if ever one wasn't there, didn't matter which one, it broke the cycle. It was really, really odd. And if there's three there, it's on two there, it's really quiet.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

As Matt grew older, he reminded Faye of herself, with his stubborn personality and occasional quick temper. He adored animals and dreamed of becoming a vet one day. He loved chocolate, playing the piano and listening to Celine Dion. The Levesons raised their sons in the Sydney suburbs of Picnic Point and then Bonnet Bay, with three energetic boys on the go. Their household was a noisy but loving one. Matt and his brothers fought often, but they loved each other fiercely. Did they all go to the same primary and high school together?

[Faye Leveson]

Well, they all went to the same primary school. Peter was in year six, Matt was in year four and Jason was in year two. 1 1. And the school they were going to at the time wasn't too good and it was sort of like thug's rule. So once Peter left the school, we took them out and put them into a small school up the road where Matty blossomed, because Matty was very introvert then as a child, he was introvert. He wanted to do craft and that. He wasn't into contact sports. He played tennis, but he didn't want any, like football or anything like that. So he was a bit. Kids would pick on him. We took them out of there and they blossomed. They both blossomed and then when they went to high school, they went to the same high school. It's funny because Peter and Jason didn't really like the high school, but Matt loved it and his friends, they were fantastic. They had a good group of friends.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

Matt's first girlfriend was a girl named Rachel. They were close friends first and foremost, and when their teen relationship didn't last, they remained really close. When he was 17, Matt came out to Rachel before he told anyone else. She kept his confidence as he figured out how to tell everyone. On the whole, people were supportive, so.

[Faye Leveson]

When Matt did come out at school, they were supportive of him, which was great.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

What about with your friends? Was there any issues? No, not really.

[Mark Leveson]

I think none. I think none. Our friends, it's not like it was. It's.

[Faye Leveson]

There was.

[Mark Leveson]

It's friends of our age, I think.

[Faye Leveson]

It'S pretty good one, but we sort of drifted away from them. But at that stage he was out of our lives, which I was grateful for. And there was one other that used to talk about them and once he found out that Matt was gay. That changed his whole perspective of things. And when Matt went missing, there wasn't much media on it. Cause we weren't allowed to go to the media. But there was a small thing in one of the papers and it said, young gay boy goes missing. My mother read it and she said, you didn't tell me Matt was gay.

[Mark Leveson]

That's your first question? Your grandson's missing.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

Oh my God.

[Mark Leveson]

And you're asking. You didn't say he was gay.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

I was going to ask at that point, did your mother know? What about your parents, Mark?

[Mark Leveson]

At that stage, they'd both gone and.

[Faye Leveson]

They would have been very excited.

[Mark Leveson]

It wouldn't bother them at all.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

Okay, okay.

[Faye Leveson]

The boys were their world. They wouldn't care.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

In the end, Matt chose to tell his mum and dad by letter. He felt that if he got it off his chest, he could focus all his attention on his upcoming high school certificate HSC exams. You can imagine the heart in the throat moment when they got a text from Matt saying he had left a letter for them to read.

[Casey]

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[Faye Leveson]

Just before his HSC actually, the night before the HSC started.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

Oh what a stressful time.

[Faye Leveson]

We thought he was going well in the hsc. There didn't seem to be any struggles or problems. He was doing the best he could and he went out, he was going to his partner's place at that stage, his first boyfriend and he sends us a text saying I've left a letter on the desk. My heart sank so I go in there and his room was perfect and here's this letter, this envelope, and I felt so sick in the stomach I opened it up.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

The letter read, to Dear Mum and Dad, I know this is not the most appropriate way of telling you what I'm about to say, but I cannot think of another way to do it and I want to clear it up before the HSC so it doesn't worry me. I do not know what the outcome of this letter will be, but I hope you will love me and accept me for who I am. The rumours that you have probably been hearing and vibes you have picked up about me are true. I am gay. Please don't hate me as this is just who I am and it is the decision I have made. Nothing can change it as this is who I am. I love you so much and I will forever love you. I am writing to you in the hope that you can understand my life's choices and so I can try to be more open to you and not live my life as a lie. I want to be honest with you about me and my life. As you are reading this, please take into mind that this is very difficult for me to say and that's why I found it easy writing to you. As you probably guessed by now, Daniel is my boyfriend and I do deeply love him and he is my partner. To the formal. Please do not worry about what my friends will say as they do know about me and Daniel and they have been so supportive over the last couple of months. I do have such great friends and I thank you for this because I would not have them without you letting me go to Inaburra school. I am so grateful for what you have given me in my life and my life yet to come. I will forever love you as my parents and I hope you will love me back. Love always, Matthew. John. Kiss, hug, kiss, hug, kiss, hug.

[Faye Leveson]

He was telling us that he was gay and thanked us for. For sending him to the school he was going to. His friends knew, they were very supportive, but he had to get it off his chest before starting his hsc. So he just said, get your butt home. It didn't matter.

[Mark Leveson]

It changes nothing. So get home and keep studying.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

Of course, Matt's coming out wasn't a complete surprise to his family. They had seen the signs for years, since he was a small child, in fact. But after he came out officially, Matt seemed lighter somehow. He could focus on his studies, have a boyfriend and release the stress of keeping his sexuality a secret. He could live his best authentic life.

[Faye Leveson]

We knew, so it didn't really bother us at all. And he liked to be well dressed. It was. It was good once he came out because, you know, it was on the table and it didn't matter. And he used to tell me, no, don't wear that, Mum. You know, he was my fashion stylist.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

Stylist.

[Faye Leveson]

But yeah.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

After the HSC was over, Matt left school and began a course in pathology. He was enthusiastic about his studies and wanted to continue them. However, as Faye explains, he had a few things stacked against him.

[Faye Leveson]

He was doing that and he was really enjoying it. But unfortunately, Matt wasn't a terrific speller, so that came against him in one of the exams and he had to sit the unit again because of the spelling. So after sitting for it again and did that unit again and he was one mark of passing, they took it off him for the spelling.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

In the end, it proved too difficult and Matt decided to drop the pathology course. He'd been working for a while at discount department Store, Big W and then got a job at a call centre for NRMA insurance.

[Faye Leveson]

And he loved it, absolutely loved it. He loved the people there, they loved him. And yeah, but he always had a plan to get out of there and get into the computer side of things. Cause he was always at the computers. He set up all our computers down at work. He got the Microsoft book and read up on it, how to connect a server. And he put a server in at work and linked it all up. Got our computers up and running. He had all our sound systems running here at home through the TV and that.

[Mark Leveson]

Well, he was the guarantee person for the teachers. You know, when they would get new gear at school they'd say, here's the new camera, Matt, here's the manual. Learn and then teach us.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

Matt also loved travelling and always tried to get the best travel deals with his boyfriend Daniel.

[Faye Leveson]

He and Daniel loved to travel. I didn't know there was such a thing. They'd have their laptop side by side and they'd get on happy hour. I think it was Virgin or Jetstar. One of them have happy hour at certain nights and they get flights, $29 down to Tasmania. They got a flight over to New Zealand for I think it was under $100 at midnight.

[Mark Leveson]

Now they do when the specials came online, they go whack, whack and press their inner button and they get seats on the same flight.

[Faye Leveson]

And Daniel was at the time he was going to be a pilot, so he was training out of Bankstown. And he didn't. Matt wasn't telling me that he was going up in the small plane with him when he was allowed to take passengers. And this particular day he shows me the photos. Look Mum, there's our house. I said, were you up in the plane with.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

Here's a house from 5,000ft with a trainee pilot.

[Faye Leveson]

Yes. Oh my God.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

Despite their adventures together, Matt and Daniel broke up. By then another man had come onto the scene, a much older man. And right from the time he appeared, the Levesons could see he was not a good influence on their young son.

[Faye Leveson]

We knew things were a bit rocky. He went to Thailand with Daniel and when they came back they separated. And I think at this time that Atkins was on the scene.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

And from the moment Atkins came on the scene, there was trouble. When Matt's relationship with Daniel ended, Matt was working as a supervisor at a big W store in Menai, a suburb near the Levisons home in Bonnet. Matt was a reliable employee. So when he didn't show up for a shift on 13 August 2006, his manager phoned Mark and Faye.

[Mark Leveson]

He was working part time at Big W. He loved that job as well, and there's some good colleagues there. And the manager called, I think it was Faye one day, said, where's Matthew? We said, well, we don't know, he's not home and he hadn't time for work and they were expecting him. And that's again, he loved it, so it wasn't like him to not be there.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

The Levisons were concerned. They tried calling Matt, but he wasn't answering his phone. They reached out to all Matt's friends to see if they knew where he was. One of them said that Matt had gone out the night before to meet a guy called Mike. But no one was able to shed any further light on who Mike was. Matt's parents were at a loss. It was so out of character for him to just disappear. Eventually, they were worried enough to call.

[Mark Leveson]

The police, so we were concerned, so we rang the police and reported him missing. And they came out here and went through his room and looked for what they could see. And they were able to get from friends that Matt was with. Do you recall who was with Faye?

[Faye Leveson]

He went to the nightclub, like, we knew he was going to some nightclubs with school friends and other mates and one of his schoolmates said, oh, he was, he was meeting a Mike call there, a Mike. And we didn't know who this was, so we told the police that.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

Police soon discovered that Mike's full name was Michael Atkins and he worked as a security guard for the Sutherland United Services Club. While hunting down the contact details for Atkins, one of Matt's friends phoned the Levesons to say he'd spotted Matt's car on Allison Crescent in Menai, which was near the shopping centre where Matt worked. The Levesons hurried down to the spot. The car was locked, but Faye had a spare key. The police inspected the vehicle's interior. They found nothing of note and the Levesons were permitted to take the car back home. Police visited Atkins at his workplace to ask if he knew where Matt was.

[Faye Leveson]

And they finally got the name Michael Atkins. So when they phoned him, he said, oh, no, I didn't see him. And then, oh, yeah, I did see him. I just said hello. Short conversation, and we went our own way.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

At this stage, officers were simply making inquiries to find out where Matt was to ensure he was ok. No crimes had been committed and nobody was in trouble. Yet Atkins was lying to the police when he said that he And Matt only had a brief conversation.

[Faye Leveson]

In actual fact, Mattie went back to Atkins place and we didn't know that at this stage. And so Matt rang us the next morning, very angry, saying he was at a friend's place at Emma's place I think.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

He said Matt's angry phone call at around one o' clock in the morning did nothing to calm his parents. He said he was at Emma's house and his phone battery had died. He said he just needed some time and space to himself. Due to his recent breakup with Daniel. Faye didn't believe him and asked her son to visit the police station so he could update them as to his whereabouts. But Matt hung up on her. Faye's instincts were right. Matt wasn't staying with Emma. He was at the unit of Michael Atkins in Cronulla, more than a 20 minutes drive away and had decided that he would be staying there indefinitely. He had no intention of returning home. It's worth pausing here to examine who was Michael Atkins, the man who seemed to steal the Leveson son right out from under them. Michael Atkins was raised in a strict Catholic family. His boyhood included an all boys Catholic school where he was bullied. In his mid teens, Atkins dropped out of school and began an apprenticeship as an electrician. Several years later he began training in ninjutsu and by the time he was 29 he was a third degree ninjutsu sensei. For the layperson, this is three steps past a black belt. Around this same time, Atkins was still living with his mother near Cronulla. He was also in a relationship with his first long term girlfriend. Eventually the relationship ended as Atkins didn't want to get married or have children. As well as working as an electrician, Atkins found a part time job as a mobile dj. But he still wanted to make more cash. So he purchased a basketball gaming machine. This machine was installed at Sutherland Basketball Stadium next to Waratah Oval in Sutherland. Remember that location? The Waratah Oval will come up again later in the podcast. In 2003, Atkins developed a strong friendship with a 17 year old boy. It began online but soon progressed to meeting in person. While the boy identified as gay, Atkins did not. It would take another two years for Atkins to accept his own sexuality. And once Atkins was out, he was really out. He quickly gained reputation as a player and he spent time online talking to other young gay men. Matt was one of them. He too was 17 when he began chatting to Atkins, who by then was 41. It would take a couple of years for the two to meet in person. But once they did, things moved very quickly between Matt and atkins. And in August 2006, Matt began living with Atkins in his Tonkin Street Cronulla apartment. Eventually, Matt confessed to his parents that he hadn't been staying with Emma, but rather he was now living with Michael Atkins. As a result of the anxiety he had caused his family by disappearing and not telling them of his move to Cronulla, Matt promised Mark and Faye that he would never go missing again. When things had settled down and it was time for Mark and Faye to meet Matt's departure new boyfriend, they were troubled. He looked like an old man. His taste in music matched their own and they suspected he was closer to their age. Michael Atkins claimed to be 34 years old, but he was actually 43 by that time, 23 years older than Matt. But despite what Mark and Faye could clearly see, they faced the dilemma common to parents. Saying something against the partner often has the opposite effect. Matt was strong willed. If they voiced their concerns, it might cause a rift between them and their son.

[Mark Leveson]

We went, had dinner one night down at Cronulla, wasn't it, I think, where we met Matt and his new partner. And this old man turns up, which we'll call it that because his taste in music was phased in my taste in music. And Matt was of the belief he was about 10 years older than Matt, who was 20, but he was actually 43 at that stage. And telling all the young boys that he was much younger than he was, he'd hide his wallet so they couldn't see his real age. Black hair dye, Botox, buffed from the gym.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

So when you see this old man rock up with your son at this restaurant in Cronulla, what's your like? Were you able to control your facial expression?

[Mark Leveson]

We had to for Matt because we thought if Matt's so strong willed and he was. If we said to Matt, mate, you can't see this guy, he's too old for you. Matt would just say, get nicked or something stronger and we'd lose touch with Matt. So we accepted him for Matt's sake.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

What was your impression, what were the discussions that you two were having between yourselves, coming back from that initial, God.

[Faye Leveson]

What do we do? And we sort of said, well, there's nothing because if we tell him that he can't, he's gotta come home, he can't see him anymore, he's just going to tell us to get nicked. But not in those words. But what we did later find out and I beat myself up And I still reckon we should have gone down there and dragged him home. For the first couple of months, Matt was living out of the boot of his car. He wasn't, in fact, had his clothes in Atkins unit. He wouldn't let him in. As such, Matt would have to wait outside the door for him to come home if somebody shut the main entrance. So Matt would have to wait on the front doorstep for him. And we didn't know this till afterwards, but for the first few months, Matt was actually living out of the boot of his car.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

When they found this out, courtesy of one of Matt's best friends, Mark and Faye were horrified that Atkins could treat their son like that. The treatment didn't bode well, especially at the start of a relationship. When Mark and Faye met Atkins again, he seemed cold hearted. But more worrying than that, this much older man seemed to have control over their son. When the couple came over to visit, Atkins would cut the visits short. And another thing that bothered the Levesons was that Atkins rarely gave them opportunities to see their son alone.

[Mark Leveson]

You couldn't engage him in any deep conversation. He'd discuss his work with you. Never discuss his background or family. He was very shallow with what he would discuss and say.

[Faye Leveson]

It was very cold. Like anybody comes through the front door, we always give him that hug. And he was very. There was like this, this cold thing. He was like hugging an ice cube. And you could tell he was very uncomfortable about it. But he didn't like being here. He wouldn't keep eye contact with you. As soon as they finished their lunch or their dinner, he's, come on, Matt, we've got to go. I've got to go to work. This one particular time I said, no, it's okay, you go, we'll take Mattie home. No, no, he's coming. I stood my ground. I said, no, no. And poor Matt didn't want to say anything. Matt would normally tell us, but when Atkins was around, he was very submissive. So eventually Atkins went and Mattie didn't want to go home. He sat here for hours. We took him home very late that night and he said, I'll have you, you and dad over for a cup of coffee one day. Well, that day never came. Atkins didn't like Mattie having friends in the unit, especially when he wasn't there. Rach went over there one day and Atkins didn't like it. So he was sort of living like a double life. Matt, I don't know what kept him there.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

By mid-2007, Matt had left his job at Big W and was working at the call centre for an RMA insurance. He and Atkins had been together for a year. Matt worked from Tuesday to Saturday. He was well regarded there and had developed friendships with his colleagues. Matt was looking forward to celebrating his 21st birthday in December. He hadn't settled on the exact plans for his party, but he had settled on a present. He wanted to redesign a ring that his grandmother had left him.

[Faye Leveson]

Coming up to Matt's 21st, Grandma had left him a ring. He had a picture in one of the newspapers and I think it was a Cartier ring that he wanted, that we were going to have the ring melted down and made up like that. I think it was just one of those thick bands with the diamonds around. And we never got to see the photo because I kept saying to him, matt, it's getting closer. If you want this ring made up, I need the photo. Yeah, I'll get it to your mum. I'll get it to your mum. I said, okay, I know you've got friends and that. Do you want a combined party or do you want to go? Are you going to go to Ark and have your party? And then we just have a small family thingy, what do you want to do? And he couldn't make up his mind. We never, never got him to tell us exactly what he wanted to do. But one night, Atkins sat here. When we had them over for dinner, he goes, oh, we'll have a barbecue with a keg. Matt didn't drink beer. Matt would have wanted a theme party. And we had cocktail nights. He used to cook sushi. He'd have his friends over have sushi and he'd set the lounge room up like a little Japanese restaurant. And yeah, that's the sort of guy.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

He was in those final weeks. Faye realises now Matt had become subdued in her company when Atkins was around. And when he was saying goodbye, Matt would hug her for longer than usual. And the last hug was a long one too. Mark and Faye Levison saw Matt at a friend's 21st birthday party towards the middle of September. As Matt was leaving, he hugged his mum and told her he loved her. Matt's younger brother Jason last saw him about a week before he went missing. Matt had been to the Gym and the two brothers talked for about 30 minutes. Matt told Jason that he had some photos from the recent friends 21st and they could meet up soon so he could give them to Jason. A few days later, Matt was gone.

[Faye Leveson]

With family get togethers like birthdays and Christmas. Matty Loved it. So. And they'd always. We've since found out they would fight because Matt wanted to go and Atkins didn't. And that last 21st we saw Maddie at. I rang them to find out if they'd left and he goes, oh, no, the princess is doing his hair, he's running late. In actual fact, they were fighting, he didn't want to go down there. So they turned up late.

[Mark Leveson]

She luckily did, because at the last.

[Faye Leveson]

Time we saw Matt alive and there was a couple there that were giving him a hard time because he was gay, the birthday boy's friends. And then apparently Atkins and him had an altercation and Jason saw it and Atkins pushed Matt in. Matty pushed back and Atkins pushed him almost to the ground. Then they went outside and Matt had gone to work after that and told them outside, Atkins had pushed him against the brick wall. Was the brick wall or the bush out the front of the golf club. And we didn't know that. And so when it came time to go, when I said goodbye to Matt, he gave me the biggest bear hug and said, I love you, Mum. And it was like he didn't want to. Want to go, because up in those few months before he died, I said to Mark, there's something going on. Because he'd come to us and the saying goodbye got more huggier, tighter. And we tried to get him on his own one day down at work and it got to the state that Atkinson wouldn't let him out of his sight. Everywhere Matty went, Atkins wept. And we tried to get him on his own in the office and the receptionist at the time was trying to keep Atkins out there. And I took Mattie out to the kitchen and we were about to get into a conversation, we were going somewhere with it and next minute Atkins appeared and he shut up.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

On Saturday, 22 September 2007, Matt arrived for his usual shift at an RMA Insurance. During the morning, his mobile was ringing a lot but he didn't answer it. He told a colleague that it was Atkins but that they were fighting. Matt said he'd tell her about it at lunch. The next time the phone rang, Matt didn't answer it. Instead he looked at the phone and said, fuck off, Mike. At lunch, Matt told his colleague that he was thinking of collecting his work bonuses and heading to London. He said, I've had enough of Mike's bullshit. He's too jealous. When she asked what he meant, he said he thinks he's God's gift to man and he can do whatever he wants. But if another guy shows any interest in me, he gets the shits. He wants threesomes and I don't want it. Matt shared his suspicions that Atkins was cheating on him and said he had decided to stand up to Atkins. As he drove off at the end of the day, the colleague heard the sound blaring out from Matt's car. In his usual fashion, Matt played his music loud, louder than usual after his brother had installed a subwoofer that took up most of the boot space. After work, Matt was looking forward to a night out clubbing with friends. As the night began, Matt Atkins and Matt's brother Pete hung out for a little while at their mutual friend's house, Jack Smith and Sally White in Inner Sydney. Jack Smith and Sally White are pseudonyms. The group then arrived at Ark nightclub just before 11pm that night for their usual weekend of dancing and partying. Some of Matt's other friends were also there that night. Matt wore white cargo shorts with a brown tiger stripe pattern belt, white leather shoes and a tight black singlet with the boxing and fitness brand logo Morgan in white letters across the chest. Matt and Atkins left the Ark nightclub at some point in the early hours of Sunday 23rd September. The last time someone had contact with Matt was around 3:30am this was a text message exchange between Matt and a friend who has been given the pseudonym John Burns. Matt was angry and that comes across in his messages. So there is a language warning. Here's the exchange. 3:03am, John to Matt. Hey babe, where are you? 3:20am Matt to John. Mike's having a fucking cry. He's taken me home and won't let me stay. Fucken cunt. 3:20am John to Matt. Aw shit, that's not too good. 3:31am Matt to John. He needs to get over himself. 3:32am John to Matt. Oh well, I'm sure you'll be alright. But Matt wasn't alright. It's ironic that when Matt first came out as being gay, his parents feared for him. At the time, gay hate crimes were prevalent and their son was young and good looking and they worried he'd be a target. Knowing what they do now, they wonder whether the danger actually lay much closer to home.

[Faye Leveson]

Because when he came out I cried. Oh I did. I cried for. And it wasn't because he was gay, it was because I was fearing for him personally, his life. And I used to say to him, Matt, please be careful. I'm going to find you dead in the gutter somewhere. I used to always say that to him. Yeah. And those words now, I still. It still haunts me. It really still haunts me because as I said, I think it was Jay said to me, mum, he's only gay. I said, yeah, I'm not crying because he's gay. I'm crying because I'm scared. But something's going to happen to him.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

On the next episode of Maddy. At 7am Tuesday, 25 September, Atkins sent a text message to Matt. Where are you, baby? I'm really worried now.

[Mark Leveson]

We started ringing around Matt's friends, Atkins. We'd rung, but we had no answer.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

Back at that stage, Atkins didn't seem to look at all concerned.

[Faye Leveson]

And he's walking up and down like a cage line and he's sweating and he's clammy.

[Lauren O'Keefe]

The receipt showed that two items had been purchased, duct tape and a Garden master brand Matic.

[Mark Leveson]

They told Faye and I that the case had been transferred to homicide.

[Casey]

Thanks for listening. If you'd like to hear the rest of Maddy, you can find it wherever you get your podcasts. This episode is brought to you by Gab. It's that time of year again. The holidays are coming fast, and if your kids are anything like mine, that list is already getting pretty long. And let's be honest, some of the things on that list make us stop and think like a smartphone. What makes me nervous about kids having phones isn't the screen time. It's everything they can stumble across online. There's so much out there they're not ready for, and once they see it, you can't take it back. It's scary how easily they can end up in those corners of the Internet without even meaning to. I just want my child to feel connected and included without being exposed to all that too soon. That's why I was so relieved when I found Gab. Gab offers phones and watches made just for kids. No Internet, no social media, and just the right features for their age. Kids want phones to feel independent and connected. As parents, we want to know they're safe. With Gab, you can have both and protect them from the scary stuff. With the GAB's Tech in Steps approach, kids get the right tech at the right time. From watches with GPS tracking for the youngest explorers, to the perfect first phone with no Internet or social media, to the teen phone with parent approved apps. So get ready for a Christmas morning they'll never forget. The one where they get their first phone. And really, it's a gift for you too. Because these kidsafe phones will give you peace of mind. Visit gab.comcasefile and use code casefile for a special holiday offer. That's gabb.com casefile Gab Tecnsteps independence for them, peace of mind for you. This episode is sponsored by Pura Smart Ascenting starts with a free Pura Diffuser For a limited time, get a free diffuser with a 12 month subscription risk free for 30 days. Customise your experience with app controlled technology and enjoy premium long lasting scents in a sleek modern diffuser. Just in time for holiday hosting. Subscribe to a festive scent now and to easily swap it later for a new favourite. This exclusive deal won't last, so shop now at pura. Com.