Episode 35 | Love, Meat and Murder: The Life of Katherine Knight - Part 2

Part two of this shocking story is about the brutal murder of John Price — a killing so gruesome it shocked even the most seasoned investigators. We trace the final, terrifying days leading up to his death, when obsession turned to rage and love curdled into violence. Through police reports, witness accounts, and psychological insights, we reconstruct the night Katherine Knight crossed the final line.

It’s a descent into unimaginable brutality: the culmination of years of volatility, control, and manipulation. As the evidence unfolds, we confront not only the horror of what she did, but the chilling precision with which she carried it out. This episode asks a haunting question — what happens when unchecked rage and deep-seated trauma finally explode?

John Price

John Charles Thomas Price, affectionately known as “Pricey,” was born and raised in the tight-knit community of Aberdeen, New South Wales. A proud father of three, he was known for his quick wit, easygoing charm, and unwavering work ethic. For 17 years, Pricey worked at the local mines, where his reliability and good humour earned him the respect of his mates and the reputation of being the kind of man who’d always lend a hand when someone was in need.

After separating from his wife, Pricey continued to support his children and maintain a close relationship with them — a devoted dad whose life revolved around family, work, and his small circle of friends. He loved a beer at the pub, a laugh after a long shift, and the simple comforts of small-town life.

Katherine Knight’s relationship with John Price began like many of her past romances — with intense affection, devotion, and a carefully crafted image of domestic perfection. She cooked, cleaned, and played the part of a loving partner, but beneath that surface warmth was a volatility that soon began to resurface. Price, who was well-liked in the Aberdeen community and known for his kindness, found himself drawn into Katherine’s cycle of passion and rage. Their relationship, which began in the early 1990s, quickly became a turbulent storm of jealousy, manipulation, and violence. Katherine’s growing obsession with marriage — and Price’s refusal to divorce his ex-wife — became a major source of conflict. Despite repeated separations and disturbing outbursts, the two always seemed to find their way back to each other, trapped in a pattern that friends described as both toxic and inevitable. By the late 1990s, the once-loving relationship had spiralled into something dark and dangerous, marked by escalating fights, public scenes, and an undercurrent of fear that would ultimately culminate in one of the most shocking crimes in Australian history.

Recomendations

Jul 24, 2024 I Catch Killers Podcast

Man Eater: Skinned, Beheaded & Served As Dinner -

Robert Wells | I Catch Killers

John Price’s severed head was boiling in a pot with veggies, his skin was hanging in one piece on a butcher’s hook in the doorway and the walls were covered in blood. That was the crime scene retired detective Robert Wells walked into in 2000. Robert joins Gary Jubelin to talk about how he ran the murder investigation, and what it was like when he came face to face with the cannibal killer Katherine Knight.

Katherine Knight: Cannibal, Psychopath, Mother and Wife (Crime Documentary)

Katherine Mary Knight (born 24 October 1955) is the first Australian woman to be sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. She was convicted of the murder of her partner, John Price, in October 2001, and is currently imprisoned at the Silverwater Women's Correctional Centre in NSW. She stabbed him to death and then skinned him. She then put his skin on a meat hook, cooked his head and parts of his body and placed them together with vegetables on plates with placecards with his children's names.

Part 3 - 23rd November

Source Information

Books

Phelps, J. (2016) Green is the New Black: Inside Australia’s Hardest Women’s Jails. Sydney: HarperCollins Publishers.
↳ Offers a rare look inside Australian women’s prisons — including the life of Katherine Knight, who remains one of the most infamous inmates.
Walker, J. (2001) Katherine Knight: Beyond the Darkest Crime. Sydney: HarperCollins Publishers.
↳ A comprehensive deep dive into Knight’s crimes and the community of Aberdeen.
McCulloch, J. & Wilson, D. (2005) Criminal Psychology: Understanding the Criminal Mind. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
↳ Explores antisocial and borderline personality disorders, psychopathy, and criminal behaviour.

Podcasts & Interviews

Wells, B. (Guest) & Denham, G. (Host) (2022) I Catch Killers – Katherine Knight: Inside the Mind of a Killer, [Podcast]. True Crime Australia.
Available at: https://www.icatchkillers.com.au (Accessed 4 Oct 2025).
↳ Former detective Gary Jubelin sits down with experts to discuss the psychology and impact of Knight’s crimes.
Morbid Podcast (2020) Episode 171: Katherine Knight – The Butcher of Aberdeen, [Podcast]. Wondery.
Available at: https://www.podscripts.co/podcast/morbid (Accessed 4 Oct 2025).
↳ A detailed retelling of the case, focusing on Knight’s relationships and her life behind bars.

News & Media Reports

The Sydney Morning Herald (2001) ‘Life without parole for Katherine Knight,’ The Sydney Morning Herald, 9 November.
Available at: https://www.smh.com.au
↳ Coverage of Knight’s sentencing and Australia’s first female “life without parole” ruling.
ABC News (2019) ‘Katherine Knight: The only Australian woman sentenced to life without parole,’ ABC News, 2 March.
Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/news
↳ Revisits the case nearly two decades later, detailing her life in Silverwater Women’s Correctional Centre.

Professional & Academic Sources

The Australian Psychological Society (2020) ‘Understanding Cluster B Personality Disorders,’ APS Journal of Psychology and Behavioural Health.
↳ Outlines traits of Antisocial and Borderline Personality Disorders, often discussed in the context of violent crime.
National Mental Health Commission (2021) Personality Disorders in Australia: Diagnosis and Treatment Outcomes. Canberra: Australian Government.
↳ A national report on how personality disorders are diagnosed and treated across genders.
NSW Department of Communities and Justice (2023) Corrective Services NSW – High Risk Female Offenders. Sydney: NSW Government.
↳ Provides insight into prison classification systems and restrictions placed on inmates like Knight.

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