There are many people without whose time and assistance I could not have completed this project.
First and foremost I extend sincere thanks to each and every person who allowed me to interview them for this book. In particular, I wish to acknowledge Emily Luna, Annie Paraan, Freddie Gonzales and Annie Gonzales-Tesoro, for sharing their family memories with me, and Amelita Claridades, who gave me access to the Gonzales’ extensive photo albums.
To the police on the case, including Mick Sheehy, Paul Auglys and Geoff Leonard, I appreciate your time, assistance and limitless patience.
I wish to thank Mark Tedeschi, QC, for your advice on matters of law, and DPP solicitors Nicole Paul and Fiona Rowbotham, for the legwork you both put into chasing up transcripts and exhibits. I thank Winston Terracini, SC, Philip Massey and Paul Townsend, for assisting me where you could.
To Attorney Rickson Chiong and Dr Amado Dizon, of the Philippines, you made my Baguio trip so much easier. I also wish to acknowledge the New South Wales Police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for giving me access to in-depth information on the investigation, as well as allowing me to access court transcripts, and crime-scene photographs taken by the police and tendered as evidence during the trial, for publication. I must also thank both the New South Wales and Commonwealth government agencies that allowed me to reproduce copyright transcript material.
To my Daily Telegraph colleagues Charles Miranda and Letitia Rowlands, who covered early aspects of the case for the paper, thank you for sharing your insights. On that note, I also thank those friends and colleagues who provided a listening ear, encouragement and advice. I must also thank the Telegraph’s former editor Campbell Reid for allowing me to pursue this project, and former Telegraph news editor Andy Byrne for providing the original inspiration.
Thank you to my agent Bill Tikos, and the HarperCollins team, especially my editor Emma Kelso, who helped turn inspiration into reality.
David Sylvester, thank you for your support, and for generously lending me a car and computer in those early research stages.
Last but not least, I thank my family, in particular my sisters Angie and Michelle (the great brain-stormers), for your encouragement and belief in this project.
Kara Lawrence
2006