Whorouly is the kind of place that rarely makes the news. A quiet dot on the map in north-east Victoria, tucked between the vineyards of Milawa and the farming town of Myrtleford. The Ovens River winds its way past open paddocks, dairy herds graze under a big sky, and the streets are lined with weatherboard homes where everyone knows their neighbours.

It’s a small town with one school, a general store, and a recreation reserve that serves as the beating heart of the community. Life moves slowly here, marked by the cycles of harvest and the familiar faces at the local footy club.

But in January of 2016, that calm was shattered. In a place where unusual cars stand out and strangers are noticed, the disappearance of Karen Chetcuti rippled through Whorouly like a shockwave. What happened here would expose the darkest of human impulses, set against the backdrop of one of Victoria’s most unassuming country towns.