Uncovering the Truth: Debi Marshall's Quest for Justice in Adelaide's Unsolved Murders

Debi Marshall, a renowned investigative journalist and author of six true crime books, has spent her career delving into the darkest corners of human nature. Her latest obsession is the unsolved 'family' murders in Adelaide, a case that has haunted her for years.

Marshall's investigation into the so-called Family Court bomber Leonard Warick drew attention to him years before he was charged with multiple murders. She also chronicled the 1973 murder of baby girl Deidre Kennedy and her family's push to overhaul Queensland's double jeopardy rules, which they eventually achieved.

In a recent interview, Marshall discussed what drives her to continue investigating and writing about true crime stories, despite the toll it takes on her life. "It simply has to be done. It has to be written. I mean, there are so many unsolved murders in this country, sadly. And there's very few investigative crime journalists who are doing the work that I do," she said.

Marshall's specialty is serial killers, and she has a candid discussion about the psychological impact of her work. "When you're writing or researching, your mind takes you to another place. You're focused on what you're doing, as you need to be, and it's only later at rest when the words and the images and the interviews and the thoughts come back sometimes in very distorted ways, but always in nightmares," she explained.

Marshall's latest book, Banquet: The Untold Story of Adelaide's Family Murders, explores the chilling abduction, sexual abuse, and murder of five teenage boys and young men in Adelaide between 1979 and 83. She believes that these crimes can be solved, but is fighting an uphill battle to lift suppression orders that she believes could lead to answers.

"Absolutely. They not only can be solved, they should be solved and they should have been solved a long time ago. There was suppression sitting around names of people who were either police witnesses, informants or suspects and I'm in a battle royale right now working with some of Australia's senior legal figures, who are equally as appalled as I am that these suppressions remain in place, to try to get those suppressions lifted or at least one of them lifted," Marshall said.

The battle to lift these suppression orders involves working with lawyers and the Commissioner for Victims' Rights in South Australia to represent the victims' families. A GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign, "Adelaide's 'Family' Murders: Help Lift Suppression Orders", has been established to cover running costs and potential legal fees.

Marshall's determination to see justice served is driven by her own experiences, including the 22-year fight to see her partner Ron Jarvis's killer sentenced. "I'm always reluctant to compare what I went through with Ronnie with what the victims' families go through because to lose a child, whether they're an adult or not, must be incomprehensibly heartbreaking. To lose a partner was bad enough, but to get justice, it's just the most extraordinary thing," she said.