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The Jaidyn Leskie Murder
On New Year's Day 1998, the body of an infant child was discovered in Blue Rock Dam near the town of Moe in eastern Victoria. Although the body had been submerged for some time, the cold water in the dam had prevented rapid decomposition. To Detective Senior Sargeant Rowland Legg of Victoria's homicide squad, the child's face was instantly recognisable. It was a face that had been etched into Australia's national consciousness, and conscience, since a little boy had disappeared in bizarre circumstances six months earlier. It was the face of Jaidyn Raymond Leskie.
The discovery of Jaidyn's battered body brought to a close one of the biggest searches for a missing person in Australia's history. However, it did little to answer the myriad questions surrounding the murder. What happened on the night of Jaidyn's disappearance? What was the relevance of a pig's head, found on the front lawn of the house from which he allegedly vanished? How could a society such as ours have allowed this heinous crime to happen? And, most importantly, who killed Jaidyn, and why?
In researching the Jaidyn Leskie murder, author Michael Gleeson, a crime reporter with Melbourne's Herald Sun, was granted unprecedented access to police case diaries and files. As a result, Gleeson's is the only authoritative and detailed examination of a crime that chilled a nation. The conclusion? Read the book, and make up your own mind.
ISBN 0732267706
The discovery of Jaidyn's battered body brought to a close one of the biggest searches for a missing person in Australia's history. However, it did little to answer the myriad questions surrounding the murder. What happened on the night of Jaidyn's disappearance? What was the relevance of a pig's head, found on the front lawn of the house from which he allegedly vanished? How could a society such as ours have allowed this heinous crime to happen? And, most importantly, who killed Jaidyn, and why?
In researching the Jaidyn Leskie murder, author Michael Gleeson, a crime reporter with Melbourne's Herald Sun, was granted unprecedented access to police case diaries and files. As a result, Gleeson's is the only authoritative and detailed examination of a crime that chilled a nation. The conclusion? Read the book, and make up your own mind.
ISBN 0732267706
- GenresTrue CrimeNonfiction
235 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1999
25 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 30, 2018
4 Stars = Outstanding. It definitely kept me interested.
April 8, 2015
An excellent read but being a Police Prosecutor myself. It was an all too common sight to see offenders found 'not gulity'. What killed the Crown's case was not getting the evidence in of McKellan, as Domaszewicz confessed to the murder. I don't know why the Crown didn't fight to get this evidence in, it sounds like they didn't even try. I'm sure if the Jury heard this evidence, then Domaszewicz would have been found guilty. That poor little boy - Jaidyn Leskie, RIP.
August 15, 2010
Couldn't put this book down! What type of mother is his Mum? Some of the things that boy went through in his short little life is hard to swallow.. I feel for his Dad and I hope his Mum suffers because its our responsibility as Mums to keep our children safe and well.. she failed that!!! Makes my blood boil!
December 21, 2012
This poor baby had no chance from the minute he was born. I couldn't put the book down. Great read even though it was actually a little disturbing at times.
September 19, 2019
Reading this book, and knowing the small town talk as this murder was from my home town, witness (random ones in the book) are friends of mine made it all that harder to read... what a tragic loss and an unjust :(
December 31, 2010
Great Book
Written Well
But is lacking an ending..
Written Well
But is lacking an ending..
August 17, 2014
Deeply disturbing...
November 20, 2024
Factual but it ruined the ending in the first chapter
September 14, 2023
Murder At The Hands Of A Monster
This is an Excellent book and is very well researched by the author Michael Gleeson and sticks to the facts in this case.
Jaidyn was the son of Bilynda Murphy and Brett Leskie but they had split up and Jaidyn lived with Bilynda.
The story consists of quiet a few characters due to the day Jaidyn goes missing Bilynda is out drinking with friends after leaving Jaidyn with her boyfriend and babysitter Greg Domaszewicz. Greg it turns out is not very maternal and is a guy who likes to play jokes on people which are seriously not funny. Throw in his x girlfriend and other people who on the night of Jaidyn’s disappearance throw a pig’s head through Gregs window.
The book takes you through the lives of all these people and the inconsistences of the interviews when Greg and Bilynda when they go to the police station for the first time and report Jaidyn missing. The police do not believe the story’s straight away and when the police visit Gregs house and see the pigs head they are not fully dismissive but have a hunch they are not connected.
Eventually after many interviews and weeks pass little 14-month-old Jaidyn Leskie is found tied and weighed down by a crowbar and discarded in the Blue Rock Dam. The poor child had so many injuries to his tiny body. The police then build a case against Greg, and they arrest him and charge him with murder. Sadly, the defence lawyer manages to put doubt into the jury members, and they find Greg not guilty. I was dumbfounded because for a start the only clothes found with Jaidyn after being found at Blue Rock where what Bilynda had given Greg that day (a Red Flag.)
Sadly, Greg cannot be charged again but it is a horrific abuse at the hands of a monster and the neglect from a young mum who was more interested in having a good time rather than being a good responsible mum and who went against the police from the beginning and believed everything Greg told her. Sadly, it took until the end of the final coroner’s report for Bilynda to start acknowledging her behavior but sorry I believe this to be a bit late.
If you are a true crime fan and want a story to decide who is guilty then this book is defiantly a who did it read. I am part of the ARC group for WildBlue Press and BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is an Excellent book and is very well researched by the author Michael Gleeson and sticks to the facts in this case.
Jaidyn was the son of Bilynda Murphy and Brett Leskie but they had split up and Jaidyn lived with Bilynda.
The story consists of quiet a few characters due to the day Jaidyn goes missing Bilynda is out drinking with friends after leaving Jaidyn with her boyfriend and babysitter Greg Domaszewicz. Greg it turns out is not very maternal and is a guy who likes to play jokes on people which are seriously not funny. Throw in his x girlfriend and other people who on the night of Jaidyn’s disappearance throw a pig’s head through Gregs window.
The book takes you through the lives of all these people and the inconsistences of the interviews when Greg and Bilynda when they go to the police station for the first time and report Jaidyn missing. The police do not believe the story’s straight away and when the police visit Gregs house and see the pigs head they are not fully dismissive but have a hunch they are not connected.
Eventually after many interviews and weeks pass little 14-month-old Jaidyn Leskie is found tied and weighed down by a crowbar and discarded in the Blue Rock Dam. The poor child had so many injuries to his tiny body. The police then build a case against Greg, and they arrest him and charge him with murder. Sadly, the defence lawyer manages to put doubt into the jury members, and they find Greg not guilty. I was dumbfounded because for a start the only clothes found with Jaidyn after being found at Blue Rock where what Bilynda had given Greg that day (a Red Flag.)
Sadly, Greg cannot be charged again but it is a horrific abuse at the hands of a monster and the neglect from a young mum who was more interested in having a good time rather than being a good responsible mum and who went against the police from the beginning and believed everything Greg told her. Sadly, it took until the end of the final coroner’s report for Bilynda to start acknowledging her behavior but sorry I believe this to be a bit late.
If you are a true crime fan and want a story to decide who is guilty then this book is defiantly a who did it read. I am part of the ARC group for WildBlue Press and BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews