Lynette Dawson

Case background and investigation

On January 8, 1982, thirty-three-year-old Lynette Joy Dawson vanished from her home in Bayview, a suburb on Sydney's northern beaches. Her husband, Chris Dawson, a well-known rugby league player and high school teacher, claimed she had left to 'find herself' and moved in with his teenage babysitter and lover, Joanne Curtis, almost immediately.

Lynette's family was suspicious from the start—she had left behind her children, her belongings, and her bank account. No evidence of Lynette being alive after January 8, 1982, was ever found. Despite this, police initially accepted Chris Dawson's explanation.

In 2018, journalist Hedley Thomas launched 'The Teacher's Pet,' a podcast investigating Lynette's disappearance. It became one of the most downloaded podcasts in the world, generating renewed public interest and new witnesses. The podcast detailed Chris Dawson's relationship with his teenage student and the inadequacies of the original investigation.

Chris Dawson was arrested in December 2018 and charged with murder. His trial, held before a judge alone to avoid jury bias from the podcast's influence, concluded in August 2022 with a guilty verdict. Dawson was sentenced to 24 years with a non-parole period of 18 years. Lynette's body has never been found.