The 50 Year Secret
Channel Details
The 50 Year Secret
School teacher Jennifer Beard disappeared on New Zealand's West Coast while hitchhiking on New Year's Eve 1969. Nearly three weeks later her body was found under a bridge outside the tiny township of Haast. Now a Herald investigation has uncovered new evidence that could identify her killer.
Recent Episodes
13 episodes
NZH Presents - Accused: The Polkinghorne Trial
On Easter Monday 2021, Paulina Hanna was found dead at the Remuera home she shared with her husband of 30 years, Philip Polkinghorne.
For 16 mon...
Update episode: A missed opportunity
We reveal how police were told about the rumours Reg Wildbore’s own wife had said he committed the murder - and what happened next.
See omnystud...
Special Update Episode: I Need To Speak To Mitten
More people come forward with new evidence about Reg Wildbore, and his comments about speaking to lead detective Emmett Mitten.
See omnystudio.c...
Episode 9: Suspicion
In the final episode of The 50 Year Secret we talk to Reg Wildbore's old boss about why he always believed Reg was guilty of murder, and ask police ab...
Episode 8: A Bad Feeling
The last person to ever see Jennifer alive recalls the moment she saw the British tourist climbing into the car of the man who's believed to have kill...
Episode 7: Leave It Alone
A confession, sex claims, and a statement putting Reg Wildbore practically at the scene of the crime the day Jennifer disappeared.
Had n...
Episode 6: Something In His Eyes
Reg Wildbore's former best mate Peter Johnston talks about Reg's strange behaviour and why it's not hard for him to believe he was capable of murder.<...
Episode 5: D-Day Is Coming
Reg Wildbore had more than one secret, and they were all starting to catch up with him.
We take a look at the twists in his story and sp...
Episode 4: The Wild West Coast
It's 50 years on, but former lead detective Emmett Mitten still clearly remembers the challenges of the Beard case - from going three weeks without a...
Episode 3: Confession
A secret that had been bubbling under the surface in a small South Island town finally comes to light.
Ian Molloy speaks about the day h...
Episode 2: The Sleeping Woman
Police spent precious days searching for Jennifer's body as it lay decaying under the Haast River Bridge.
We speak to Michael Hines, who...
Episode 1: Gentle Giant
School teacher Jennifer Beard disappeared on New Zealand's West Coast while hitchhiking on New Year's Eve 1969. Nearly three weeks later her body was...
Trailer
School teacher Jennifer Beard disappeared on New Zealand's West Coast while hitchhiking on New Year's Eve 1969. Nearly three weeks later her body was...