Podcast Summary:

Murder: True Crime Stories | "MYSTERY: The Somerton Man"

Host: Carter Roy
Date: February 6, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode of Murder: True Crime Stories, Carter Roy explores the enduring enigma of the Somerton Man, an unidentified man found dead on an Australian beach in 1948. With a mysterious scrap of paper, coded messages, ties to potential espionage, and modern DNA breakthroughs, the case has confounded generations. Roy goes beyond the crime scene, unraveling both the facts and the fascinating theories, and examining the passionate people who wouldn’t let the story die—including those who may have finally solved his identity after more than 70 years.

Key Discussion Points

1. Discovery of the Body and Initial Investigation

• Timeline: December 1, 1948, Somerton Beach, Adelaide, South Australia.

• Two early-morning horse riders, Neil Day and Hori Patching, spotted a well-dressed man slumped against the seawall, initially assuming he was a drunk (06:03).

• Police arrived; the man was dead, well-groomed, dressed in multiple layers despite the heat—no wallet, ID, or hat (a rarity for the era).

• Notable Details:

  • Clothing had all identification tags removed.
  • An American-style tie and US-exclusive stitching suggested overseas origins.
  • Pockets contained only a used bus ticket, unused train ticket, and a few personal items.

"Despite how many layers he had on, the man wasn't wearing a hat, which Constable Moss thought was strange. In 1948, it was etiquette for men to wear hats [...] All men wore them outside." — Carter Roy (08:27)

2. Autopsy and Physical Evidence

• Dr. John Dwyer performed the postmortem (09:57).
• Unknowns and Oddities:
  • Age estimated at 45.
  • Grey eyes, strawberry-blonde hair, clean nails—he cared about his appearance.
  • Unusual calf muscles, possibly from dance, cycling, or heeled boots.
  • Missing nine upper and nine lower teeth—most notably the lateral incisors.
• Cause of Death: Heart failure, likely due to an undetectable poison; no trauma or typical signs of suicide/homicide.

"The damage to his stomach and liver strongly suggested he'd taken some sort of drug or poison. The problem was... tests for common poisons and drugs came back negative." — Carter Roy (12:45)

3. Police Hits a Wall—Then Finds a Suitcase

• Fingerprints and dental records yielded no matches locally or with international agencies (14:44).
• In January 1949, a suitcase was found in railway storage (16:05).
  • Contents: clothes (some marked "T. Keen" or "Keen"), sewing thread matching his suit, tools (including a stenciling brush used by sailors).
  • No direct link to the man; the name tags likely an attempt to obscure true identity.

4. The "Tamam Shud" Mystery and Coded Book

• Major Break: In June 1949, pathologist Cleland found a secret fob pocket with a tiny scrap of paper: "Tamam Shud"—Persian for "the end" (20:51).
• Later, a local chemist produced a copy of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, with "Tamam Shud" torn from the final page (22:12).
  • The book had faint writing: a phone number and a string of coded letters—possibly a cipher used by spies.
  • Police traced the phone number to Jessica Ellen Harkness (Jessica Thompson), who denied knowing the man but became visibly upset when viewing his likeness.

"The code... ended up turning this case into a global mystery." — Carter Roy (23:37)

5. Espionage Theories and Connections

• The book's code and the Somerton Man's clandestine traits fueled Cold War spy theories.
• Jessica was evasive, and her then-boyfriend/husband Prosper Thompson was involved in black market dealings.
• Robin, Jessica’s son (born before she married Prosper), had physical anomalies matching the Somerton Man; speculation arose about familial ties (27:45).

6. Modern Breakthroughs: Derek Abbott and DNA

• In 2009, electrical engineering professor Derek Abbott picked up the cold case, focusing on the connection between Somerton Man, Jessica, and her son Robin.
• Abbott noted that both Robin and the Somerton Man shared rare genetic features: ear shape and missing teeth.
  • The odds of coincidence: between 1 in 10 million and 1 in 20 million (36:55).
• DNA analysis was pursued:
  • Abbott married Robin's daughter, Rachel Egan, while attempting to establish a genetic link (she was not a match).
  • Partnered with Dr. Colleen Fitzpatrick of the DNA Doe Project, they built out an extended family tree using modern genealogy techniques (39:27).

7. Identification at Last—Carl Webb

• Abbott and Fitzpatrick’s research pointed to Carl Webb, an Australian man missing from records since 1947, as the Somerton Man (41:55).
  • Family connections explain suitcase items.
  • Personal history: Carl was a troubled man—divorce records describe his affinity for poetry about death, mirroring the Rubaiyat's themes.
• Official police remain noncommittal—the forensic case is still open (45:31).

"He has written many poems, most of them on the subject of death, which he claims to be his greatest desire. The Rubaiyat is full of poems about death..." — Carter Roy quoting Dorothy Webb’s divorce petition (44:40)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On the Comfort of Unsolved Mysteries:

  "There are some things in life we may never know the answers to. It's an uncomfortable thing to realize and something that not everyone is willing to accept." — Narrator (00:42)

• On the Endurance of the Case:

  "Although we might know the Somerton man's identity, we still don’t know how he died or how Jessica knew him. But if we can take away anything from this case, it's that no matter how far gone an investigation might seem, there's always hope. Thanks to Derek Abbott, the Somerton man’s story continued, and we learned more than we ever thought possible. It just goes to show, where there's a will, there's a way." — Carter Roy (48:12)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:42 — Case Introduction & Setting the Scene
• 05:59 — Discovery of the Body
• 09:57 — Autopsy Findings
• 13:00 — Evidence and Dead Ends
• 16:05 — Suitcase Discovery
• 20:51 — "Tamam Shud" and The Rubaiyat
• 22:12 — The Book, Hidden Code, and Phone Number
• 27:45 — Jessica, Prosper, and Robin’s Theories
• 35:41 — Derek Abbott's Modern Investigation
• 41:55 — Carl Webb Identified
• 46:50 — Present Day: Official Statement and Unanswered Questions

Final Reflections

The Somerton Man’s story weaves together classic detective work, the human urge for answers, spy-movie intrigue, and the promise of scientific breakthrough. Carter Roy’s narrative highlights the perseverance of everyday people—be they 1940s detectives or a modern professor who “married the case”—and reminds listeners that mysteries, however cold or complex, deserve to be told and re-told as long as questions remain.

For further discussion and more episodes, follow Murder: True Crime Stories on your favorite podcast app or on Instagram @crimehouse.