Timeline of the Radcliffe Killings

In 1981, after the Radcliffe brothers had been jailed for a series of murders from 1974 until 1979, the Santa Christina Herald put together a conjectured timeline of the killings, based on conversations with police, witnesses and criminologists. Police gave substantial co-operation to the newspaper, which helped to create as accurate a timeline as possible. The media, and subsequently the general public, have come to view the timeline as accurate. Police have been quick to point out that they do not know the full details of the killings, and counsel representing the brothers have repeatedly stated that the brothers have not admitted culpability in most of the murders for which they have been incarcerated. The timeline is reprinted below, slightly modified from its 1981 form based on evidence submitted after the original publication of the timeline.

May 12

 * 5:30 pm: Roger Radcliffe declares he is going "out for a walk" and leaves the house in Point Hobson with his sports bag, now known to have contained a hunting knife. Barry Radcliffe remains at home.
 * 6:12pm: A witness reports seeing Roger Radcliffe sitting on the beach. Martha Davis is alive at this point, running along the beach.
 * Approx 6:15pm: Roger Radcliffe strikes up conversation with Martha Davis, who he encounters on the beach. During the conversation, Radcliffe stabs Davis several times with the hunting knife and kills her.
 * Approx 6:20pm: Roger buries the body of Martha Davis inexpertly under the sand and walks away from the scene.
 * Approx 6:30pm: Roger encounters Sam Schumann on the beach and the two have a long conversation. Roger then stabs Schumann in the stomach and face.
 * Approx 6:40pm: Roger buries Schumann in the same manner as Davis and returns home.
 * 7pm: Radcliffe arrives at his home and informs Barry of the murders. Barry and Roger prepare to return to the scene.
 * 8pm: The brothers return to the beach, and Barry rakes up the footprints in the sand around Davis's body. No action is taken with the sand around Schumann.

May 13

 * 2pm: Roger Radcliffe is sent home early after erratic and distracted behaviour at work.
 * Between 2pm and 6pm: The brothers 'cruise' around Point Hobson and are seen by many witnesses in their car and in various bars, shops and cafes apparently trying to "pick up" women.
 * 8:45pm: The brothers enter the Traveller Hostel in Point Hobson and are witnessed by several dozen people. They begin a conversation with Margaret Barrows and Lisa Cohn.
 * 10:15pm: The two brothers, Barrows and Cohn leave the hostel together.
 * Around midnight: Barrows and Cohn are raped and shot The brothers take the bodies back to their house and store them in the garden shed.

May 14

 * 9:30am: Shaun Curry telephones Roger Radcliffe to ask why he is not at work. Radcliffe becomes angry and threatens to kill Curry.
 * 5:30pm: The White Unicorn Cafe closes. The Radcliffes arrive at the cafe, leaving their car on the kerb. Roger confronts Curry angrily inside the cafe attacks him, first punching him and then shooting him six times. Witnesses report gunshots. The brothers hurriedly leave the cafe and get back into the car and drive off.
 * 5:43pm: Police arrive at the White Unicorn Cafe and take statements from witnesses. Descriptions matching Roger and Barry Radcliffe are taken.
 * 6:00pm: Having returned home, the brothers hear a news report on the murder of Davis and Schumann. They opt to escape and pack.
 * 6:15pm: Police arrive at the Radcliffe home to find the brothers missing. The bodies of Barrows and Cohn are found in the garden shed.
 * Evening: The Radcliffe brothers leave Point Hudson and drive south-easterly towards Zigit. Two witnesses report their car on the highway as having been driven "erratically".

May 16
3:15pm: The brothers stop to refuel at a petrol station. 5:50pm: The brothers stop briefly at a roadside cafe close to Clearvale. Roger Radcliffe purchases coffee and donuts. The sales assistant notes nothing amiss.

May 18

 * Noon: First reported sighting of the Radcliffe brothers in Clearvale.
 * Approx 7pm: Martin Collins encounters one of the brothers (probably Roger) while walking in the park, and recognises him from the released photo. Collins attempts to flee, but Radcliffe shoots him dead.