Sensing Murder

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sensing Murder

Genre	Supernatural Crime Solving Reality
Running time	90 min
Creator(s)	David Baldock
Starring	Rebecca Gibney (host)
Country of origin	New Zealand
Original channel	TVNZ
Original run	2005–present

Sensing Murder tells the stories of unsolved murders and all the facts known about them so far, while input from New Zealand and Australian psychics adds a further dimension to the stories.

The low profile of many the cases was an advantage to series producer David Baldock. It meant welcome publicity for crimes which may not have had their fair share of coverage to help solve them and it also meant the psychics involved weren't influenced by previous knowledge about the cases. "When you look up the name 'Olive Walker' on the internet, there's absolutely nothing about her. This was a way to honour her. She was just an innocent girl whose life had barely begun," Baldock says.

Presented by Rebecca Gibney, the format of the show is based on a Danish concept, but it wasn't until Baldock saw an Australian-made programme that he felt the format could work well in New Zealand. "The programmes needed credibility of process. They're documentaries."

Throughout the making of the series, Baldock received invaluable help from retired policeman Warwick Walker. He was also greatly assisted by former and current police with the accuracy of any material used. Any leads thrown up by the psychics were given to a private investigation firm for further scrutiny. All information will be passed on to the police as each episode airs, including an identikit picture of a possible suspect created by the psychics working on the Olive Walker case.

Baldock says whether you're a believer or not, there were discoveries made by the psychics that had no rational explanation. He cites the example of an Australian psychic, who had never been to New Zealand before, who led the crew on a merry dance to a car yard in an area previously unconnected to the case he was working on. "He told us that the deceased used to work there, but before it was a car yard. It turned out the victim had worked in a food processing factory that used to be there, a fact that was only revealed after we searched through the factory's employment records," Baldock says.

At the end of each episode, phone numbers will be displayed. For factual information on the murder of Olive Walker viewers can call police on 0800 TIP OFF.

Any queries regarding psychics in general should be directed to 0508 4 SENSING.

[edit] The Psychics

With each case, the show's producers test hundreds of psychics and mediums in New Zealand and Australia with a case that has already been solved. The most accurate psychics are then shortlisted from which the producers choose between two to three of them to solve an unsolved murder case.