THE SINISTER CALLER: Who Killed Betty Shanks By Ken Blanch

Unidentified Male Caller Upsets Victim Days Before Death

On Wednesday 17 September 1952, two days before her death, Betty Shanks received a telephone call at her workplace that affected her demeanor.

John Ducey, Betty’s supervisor at the Commonwealth Department where she was employed, was to say she “was not her usual self” after taking it:

I answered the phone and the caller asked for Betty Shanks. It was a male caller. As far as I could detect, he was speaking in a normal Australian accent. I had no particular interest. I told the caller she was out and that I could get her to call him back, but he said ‘No’ and then he rang off. Shortly afterwards the telephone rang again. I answered the phone and the caller asked for ‘Betty Shanks’. She was then in the building and I handed her the phone and she spoke to the caller. She made no comment to me at all after finishing that call. That was unusual, as in most cases she would make some mention of the nature of the call. It was usual to seek permission to use the phone and to make some record of the call. She was not her usual self after receiving that call. I have no idea who the caller might have been. 

The male caller's identity has never been ascertained. For more than 50 years police sought to find something in Betty's background which may have led to the attack on her.

In 2006 in book WHO KILLED BETTY SHANKS? Brisbane's Greatest Murder-Mystery Ken Blanch was able to show that the killer was not actually waiting for Betty Shanks...

Betty was one of us. Her story must be told.   

Discover Brisbane's criminal history. Buy WHO KILLED BETTY SHANKS? Is the Wilston Monster Still Alive? 2012 REVISED EDITION by Ken Blanch.

Ken Blanch is appearing at these bookstores over the next few weeks to sign his book:

Dymocks Carindale                            Thursday 20 September 2012     4pm - 9.00pm     

Angus & Robertson - Brookside      Saturday 22 September 2012     10am-12.30pm

Dymocks Chermside                         Saturday 22 September 2012      1.00pm - 4.00pm 

State Library Cafe                              Thursday 27 September 2012      6pm - 7.30pm

Angus & Robertson - Ipswich           Saturday 29 September 2012      11.00am - 2.30pm  

Thomas & Daisy - Wilston                  Saturday 6 October 2012             11.00am - 1.00pm

A Lot of Books - Ipswich                    Thursday 4 October 2012            11.00am - 1.00pm      

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