Mums Mysteries & Murder · Marti & Cheryl

The Murder of Scott Johnston

·1 hr 28 min·3 clips

Scott came out as gay and moved to Australia to be with his boyfriend Michael

Mum's Mysteries and Murder podcast hosts Marty and Afi cover the Scott Johnston murder case, a well-known Australian true crime involving a brilliant mathematician and LGBTQ+ victim. They detail Scott's journey from California (abandoned by his father at seven) through Cambridge mathematics doctorate to Australia where he came out as gay and moved for his boyfriend Michael. The episode includes heavy trigger warnings for suicide and anti-gay hate crimes, with hosts sharing their personal experience dealing with homophobia in their own work.

As heard by us

A conversational murder story that places Scott Johnston's case inside the hostility gay men faced at the time.

The episode treats Scott Johnston's murder as more than a crime report, tying it to the hostile climate gay men faced in late-1980s Australia.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

A chatty true-crime story that sets Scott's case against gay bashings, AIDS-era prejudice, and police who sometimes looked away.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Mums Mysteries & Murder