Murder: True Crime Stories

HOLIDAY SPECIAL: The New Year's Murders 1 with Vanessa Richardson

Release Date: December 30, 2025
Host: Carter Roy
Guest: Vanessa Richardson

Episode Overview

This gripping holiday special of Murder: True Crime Stories delves into one of New Zealand’s most notorious unsolved cases—the disappearance of 17-year-old Olivia Hope and 21-year-old Ben Smart on New Year's Day 1998. Through first-hand accounts, witness testimonies, and host analysis, the episode reconstructs their final night, explores the immediate search and investigation, and introduces the prime suspect, Scott Watson. The episode artfully weaves fact, speculation, and emotion, emphasizing the enduring impact of this mystery and setting up for a deeper exploration in part two.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Excitement and Promise of New Year’s Eve

• Setting the Tone: Carter and Vanessa discuss the significance of New Year’s as a symbol of fresh starts and celebration.
  • Carter: “New Year's Eve is supposed to be a time for new beginnings... But by the end of the night, Ben and Olivia had vanished.” (01:01)
  • Vanessa shares her fondness for the holiday and the sense of adventure it symbolizes.

Backgrounds of Olivia Hope and Ben Smart

• Olivia Hope: Bright, ambitious, about to start college with plans to become a lawyer; her family, including her mayoral-candidate father and winery-owner mother, embodied optimism for the coming year.
  • “Olivia was about to start college at Otago University. Her goal was to become a lawyer. So this celebration marked her transition into adulthood...” (05:14)
• Ben Smart: Aspiring engineer, talented musician in a rock band, exhausted from academic and creative pressures, ready to unwind with friends.
  • “Not only was he in his last year of college at Christchurch Polytech, but his rock band Exit was doing well too.” (08:12)

The Night of the Party: December 31, 1997

• The Setting: A massive New Year’s celebration at Furneaux Lodge in New Zealand’s remote Marlborough Sounds, accessible only by boat.
• Highlight Events:
  • Olivia and her sister Amelia charter a yacht (the Tamarack) for the adventure. (06:17)
  • Olivia hopes for romance with Ben, who is also attending the party. (06:17, 07:14)
  • Olivia connects first with another acquaintance, Hamish Rose, and shares a midnight kiss but later finds Ben. She and Ben share a significant, mutually anticipated moment as the new year begins.
  • “According to Amelia, the two put their arms around each other and kissed.” (09:07)

The Disappearance (Midnight – 5am, January 1, 1998)

• After a night of festivities, Olivia and Ben attempt to sleep on the Tamarack but find it overcrowded with party crashers. (10:26)
• They seek another place to sleep and encounter Guy Wallace, the water taxi driver, and a mysterious "scruffy man" who offers them a place on his boat—a large, double-masted vessel with a blue stripe.
  • “He said he had a boat and wouldn't mind letting the young couple sleep there, especially Olivia. He definitely sounded kind of creepy. But Ben and Olivia were desperate...” (12:08)
• Telling Detail: The water taxi pulls up around 5am; Olivia and Ben board the stranger’s boat and are never seen again.
  • “Ben and Olivia climbed on board with the stranger and wished Guy Wallace a good night. He waved them as he sailed his water taxi back toward the lodge.” (12:08)

The Aftermath and Search

• Discovery of Disappearance: Amelia, Olivia’s sister, realizes Olivia is missing; initially, family and friends suspect the couple simply extended their celebration. (13:16)
• Escalating Concern: With no contact, both families grow worried and then frantic, alerting the police.
  • “By the following morning, January 3, the police were convinced they had a real missing persons case on their hands.” (16:10)
• Police Investigation:
  • Focus on witness recollections, especially that of Guy Wallace.
  • Composite sketches and descriptions of the mystery boat and its owner released publicly.
  • “Guy explained that he'd dropped Ben and Olivia off at a 40-foot-long two-masted boat. He even drew them a picture of it which showed a prominent blue stripe along the side.” (17:39)

The Case Turns: Media Frenzy and Suspect Emerges

• The case becomes front-page news; community and family pleas add urgency. (19:14)
• A Lead Surfaces: Reports of an unsettling man, “Scott”, at the party—identified as Scott Watson.
  • “Scott was drunk, obnoxious, and a major jerk... Another witness identified the rude man as 26-year-old Scott Watson.” (20:06)
• Scott Watson interviewed: denies seeing Olivia and Ben, recounts his movements, admits to drinking and harassing partygoers, and describes his return to his small, single-masted boat, the Blade. (21:56, 23:19)
• Police are suspicious due to his criminal record and personality, but his physical description and the details of his boat don’t match Guy Wallace’s memory. (23:19, 34:40)
  • “Guy said the stranger was long-haired, unshaven, and wearing a khaki shirt. But police had photos of Scott from the party. He looked clean-shaven, had short hair, and was wearing a blue shirt. Plus his boat, the Blade, didn’t match what Guy had described.” (23:19)
• Ongoing Search & Forensic Analysis: Police rigorously search all 100+ boats in the harbor; so far, the mystery boat remains elusive. (25:14)
• Forensic Red Flags:
  • Watson’s boat is found to be unusually clean—“even his cassette tapes had been wiped down.” (34:40)
  • The hull had been repainted shortly after the disappearances, though in a way that made it stand out more. (36:20)

Police Theory and Frustrations

• Detectives struggle with inconsistencies: the mystery boat is never found, physical descriptions remain unconfirmed, and timelines are tight.
• Police speculate Scott Watson is hiding evidence, but without direct physical proof, the case hangs on witness testimony and circumstantial findings. (36:58)
  • Carter: “If they could find a single hair that belonged to Ben Smart or Olivia Hope on Scott's boat, then they knew they had their man and nothing would convince them otherwise.” (36:58)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Carter Roy:
  • “People's lives are like a story. There's a beginning, a middle, and an end. But you don't always know which part you're on. Sometimes the final chapter arrives far too soon, and we don't always get to know the real ending.” (01:01)
• Vanessa Richardson:
  • “It was going to be a night to remember, especially because Olivia already had a New Year's kiss in mind.” (06:17)
• On the Scruffy Stranger:
  • “He definitely sounded kind of creepy. But Ben and Olivia were desperate, and besides, they'd be together.” (12:08)
• Regarding Witness Guy Wallace:
  • “Guy became understandably aggravated over the course of the interview, which lasted nearly three hours. In the end, though, his story never wavered.” (28:02)
• On the Investigative Dead-ends:
  • “It seemed like nothing about the case made sense. But without any other leads, detectives started to wonder if maybe Guy Wallace was wrong about what he'd seen that morning.” (36:58)

Timeline & Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:06–02:27: Opening, introductions, and establishing New Year’s as a theme.
• 05:14–09:07: Introduction to Olivia and Ben; their individual backgrounds and life before the party.
• 09:07–10:26: The party at Furneaux Lodge; Olivia and Ben’s encounter, first kiss, and plans.
• 10:26–12:08: After the party, failed attempt to sleep on the yacht; encounter with Guy Wallace and the scruffy stranger.
• 12:08–13:16: Olivia and Ben are last seen boarding the mystery vessel.
• 13:16–16:10: Discovery of missing teens; initial family reactions.
• 16:10–21:23: The early phase of the police investigation, role of witness Guy Wallace, media involvement.
• 20:06–23:19: Emergence of Scott Watson as a person of interest; his background, interview, and inconsistencies.
• 25:14–26:01: Search for the mystery vessel, tracking leads, and community tips.
• 34:40–36:20: Forensic scrutiny of Watson’s boat, the Blade, and the significance of his deep cleaning and repainting activities.
• 36:58–38:12: Investigative impasse and setting up for the next episode.

Tone and Atmosphere

The hosts maintain a balance of empathy and suspense, emphasizing not only the procedural intrigue but also the enduring trauma for the families and the community. Vanessa brings warmth and human interest, while Carter focuses on investigative details and narrative flow.

Conclusion & Lead-In

The episode ends with the investigation at a crossroads—no hard evidence, a suspect but no clear match, and a community desperate for answers.
Carter Roy:
“If they could find a single hair that belonged to Ben Smart or Olivia Hope on Scott's boat, then they knew they had their man and nothing would convince them otherwise.” (36:58)
Vanessa Richardson:
“Come back next time for part two of this New Year’s special...” (38:12)

For Listeners

This episode offers a detailed yet compassionate look at the Ben and Olivia case, blending personal stories with the mechanics of real-world investigation. The story’s unresolved nature heightens the intrigue, while the focus remains on the young victims and the questions still haunting a nation.

Next episode: Part two—covering the investigation’s twists, public controversy, and the aftermath of the trial.