The Unsolved Murder of German Backpacker Simone Strobel

Meshel Laurie (0:00)

This is Australian True Crime with Meshel Laurie. In 2005, 25-year-old German backpacker Simone Strobel disappeared from a caravan park in Lismore, New South Wales.

Six days later, her body was found hidden beneath palm fronds, and despite a lengthy investigation, nobody has been convicted of her murder.

In the ABC's Unravel podcast, Lies in Lismore, investigative journalist Richard Baker reexamines the case, uncovering alleged confessions, questions about the police investigation, and new revelations uncovered more than two decades later. Richard Baker joins us to discuss the case and his search for answers in the death of Simone Strobel. This is Australian True Crime. We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which this podcast is created, the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. And a warning, this episode of the podcast contains graphic descriptions of violence.

Richard Baker (0:59)

Yeah, it was a, it was a, a labor of, of love, I guess, to try and make it as well-rounded and as interesting. And there's just so much over 20 years, so many ins and outs. So it was, it was a challenge to make, but yeah, I'm happy with the way it turned out.

Meshel Laurie (1:15)

What you demonstrated really clearly was how we as an, I'm going to say an audience, but you know, this story started way before what we now call true crime when true crime was the news and you demonstrate how our opinions are cultivated and changed by the media. For example, a person who I would say is one of the sort of central figures of the podcast, Tobias Suckfuhl, that's his beautiful German name. He's also known as Toby Moran now.

I was well and truly in the cohort back in the day that, oh, it's the boyfriend. It's the boyfriend. There's something dodgy about this guy, classic last words, the last one to see her. She stomped away from an argument and we've never seen her again, kind of vibes.

SPEAKER_3 (2:00)

In 2005, the couple was backpacking around Australia. And this is one of the last times Simone was seen alive, leaving a pub in Lismore before her naked body was found beneath Palm Fronds near a caravan park.

Council assisting Philip Strickland told the inquest on the night of Simone's death. Witnesses heard screaming and shouting, leave me alone and why should I? But there was insufficient evidence the person screaming was Simone.

Meshel Laurie (2:28)

But then you bring him back to speak for himself and I feel completely differently about him. Did you know that was going to happen? Was that the plan or did that unfold for you as well?

Richard Baker (2:37)

Firstly, to your point, I can see why you and so many others did have a massive question mark over Tobias. He didn't help himself in his early interaction with police. That said, there were some cultural and language difficulties that probably made it worse than it needed to be.

Yeah. When we were making the podcast and Tobias agreed to be interviewed and tell his story and put up with any question that I wanted to ask him, which was a requirement for me, the plan was, well, let's set this up. We can see the case against and then hear the other side of the coin and then leave it for the audience to make up their own mind as to what they think of him, what they think of his conduct, what they think of the decisions that were made by the police who've had carriage of the investigation for 20 years and whether or not things could have been done differently and could Simone's case ultimately have been solved.

Meshel Laurie (3:39)

You've played audio in the podcast of his early interactions with police, his early interviews, and they're very combative on both sides, I would say, although the New South Wales police feel a bit more passive aggressive to me in the way that coppers are, just kind of trying to trick you up a bit and we all expect that. But Tobias, his reactions in the interview reminded me, I've been to Germany a couple of times and I'm certainly aware, I'm no expert, but I'm aware that we have very different, and I would say clashing communication styles, between Australians and Germans. Do you know what I mean by that?

Richard Baker (4:13)

Oh yeah, I do. Did you kill Simone Strobel?

SPEAKER_3 (4:17)

No, never. Why should I kill my girlfriend?

Richard Baker (4:23)

He's from, well, both he and Simone were from Bavaria, which is the southern part of Germany and in reasonably rural areas. So yeah, culturally, they are very black and white, very literal and can speak forcefully. The German accent to our ears has sometimes a harsh tone anyway.