One ordinary day almost a decade ago, John Beckenridge abducted his stepson, Mike, from school and vanished.
Police investigated for four years, but with no proof of what happened, asked a court to make sense of the crime.
That court heard dozens of hours of evidence, and tried to determine how a marriage breakdown became a manhunt and then a mystery.
As well as a kidnapping, the story includes cryptic phone messages, a car plunging from an 80-metre cliff and allegations of secret bank accounts, criminal accomplices and illegal border crossings.
We'll take you inside the courtroom as two opposing theories are put to the test. Are John and Mike alive or dead?
From Stuff Audio, New Zealand’s leader in true crime podcasts, and The Press newspaper, this is the story of a calculating man with a dark past, the 11-year-old boy he controlled and the distraught mother left behind.
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CREDITS
Scripted, hosted and produced by Michael Wright and Shannon Redstall
Sound design, audio editing and mixing by John Ropiha
Visual design: Aaron Wood
Producer: Jen Black
Executive producer: Chris Reed
Special thanks to Kamala Hayman and Wei Shao from The Press; Laura Heathcote, Elmo Johnstone, and Matt Slaughter
Warning: The Lost Boy podcast contains strong language, content that may be distressing and references to self-harm and suicide. If you or anyone you know needs help, call or text 1737 for free assistance, 24 hours a day.