About This Episode
What is this episode about?
The episode "S1 BONUS | A million-dollar reward" from Trace covers a major development in the decades-old murder investigation of Maria James: Victoria Police is set to announce a one million dollar reward for information that finally solves the case. The killing took place in the back of her bookshop 44 years before this announcement, and the case has remained unsolved ever since.
What makes this bonus episode notable is that, for the first time in seven years of investigating the case, police grant an interview to the reporter behind the podcast. This marks a rare moment of direct engagement between investigators and the journalism that has kept public attention on the unsolved murder.
Hosts and release
Rachael Brown reports on the case throughout the series, and this bonus episode continues that reporting by bringing listeners the reward announcement alongside police commentary. Maria James remains the central figure of the investigation, and the new reward is framed as a potential turning point after decades without resolution.
The episode runs 16 minutes and is numbered as episode 11 in the season, released as a bonus installment on June 13, 2024. It is part of Trace, an investigative podcast uncovering cracks in Australia's justice system through this decades-old unsolved murder case. Listeners can find it wherever they access the show's regular episode feed.
