About this episode

Detective Liz McNaughton uncovers an alleged confession by former police officer David Phillips regarding the murder of his father-in-law, Les Ball, leading to a re-examination of the case.

A breakthrough shatters years of silence as cold-case detective Liz McNaughton uncovers an alleged confession made by former police officer David Phillips regarding the murder of his father-in-law, Les Ball. We re-examine the contradictory timelines shared with police and Coroners over the years, unpack these shocking claims, and trace how one detective’s deep dive turned a cold case on its head. Note: This episode has been updated; we explain in episode 5. Read more and watch exclusive video content here Follow us on socials: Instagram: @newscomauhq Facebook: News.com.au TikTok: @news.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Topics covered

• cold case
• murder
• confession
• detective work
• police investigation
• true crime

Keywords

• cold case
• murder
• confession
• detective
• David Phillips
• Les Ball
• police investigation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: news.com.au

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• I Know Who Killed My Father | 1 · August 9, 2026 · 32 min
• Introducing: Perfect Alibi · August 6, 2026 · 1 min

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