Disclaimer: this story contains mentions of blood, alcoholism, drugs, anxiety, depression, toxic relationships, verbal abuse, death, and suicide. Reader discretion is advised.
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Authorities claim Phoebe’s death to be a freak accident; she had gotten drunk, took sleeping pills, and sleep walked her way down the garbage chute. Phoebe’s family isn’t so easily convinced—they suspect foul play.
Setting the Scene:
December 2, 2010. Melbourne, Australia. Balencea luxury apartment building.
A concierge is completing her nightly routines at the luxurious apartment building she works at. As she is tidying up the lobby, she goes to find a broom to sweep the floor. She approaches the garbage room and tries to open the door. The door doesn’t budge. The concierge tries again and shoves the door harder. As the door finally opens, the concierge is horrified by the sight before her; a young woman is lying in a pool of blood amid the trash at the bottom of the trash compactor.
Main Characters
Phoebe Handsjuk (24) - Phoebe Handsjuk was a very social person who was well liked by many. She is remembered as being caring, compassionate, strong willed, funny, and often quick tempered. Phoebe also had struggles with depression and anxiety and was medicated and went to therapy. Unfortunately, at an early age she often turned to drugs and alcohol to deal with her problems. Despite her personal problems, she was fiercely loved by those around her. (May 1986 - December 2010)
Ant Hampel (40) - Phoebe’s boyfriend at the time of her death. He was known to be a bit violent in relationships. Him and Phoebe were on again, off again for quite some time. It was known that Ant was aggressive and verbally abusive towards Phoebe when they would fight and most people in Phoebe’s life did not think he was good for her. Today, he is married and works as an event manager with a successful company.
Detective Sergeant Lorne Campbell - Phoebe’s grandfather. A retired detective who began making inquiries and professional observations of his own following the death of his granddaughter.
George Hampel - Ant Hampel’s father. George was a Victorian Supreme Judge for 17 years in Australia’s legal system. Despite judging heinous crimes for almost two decades, he still claims to believe in the good in human nature. This caused many to speculate that he was too generous with his sentencing and often let criminals off with more slack than he should have. His wife Felicity, Ant and Krissy’s stepmother, is also a judge.
Krissy Hampel - Krissy is Ant’s sister, who has had numerous important connections to this case. In 2014, Krissy was caught dealing drugs and in possession of a weapon she shouldn’t have had. Due to her father’s connections and fear of embarrassing the family name, a magistrate let Krissy off the charges. Following Phoebe’s death, in 2016 Krissy made a post on Facebook that has caused tons of speculation. Her post was in commemoration of Phoebe, sharing how much she misses her, and more importantly, states, “I only hope one day that the truth will come out.”
Phoebe’s Death
On December 2, 2010, Phoebe and Ant had plans to get dinner with Phoebe’s father that evening. While Ant was at work during the day, Phoebe stayed home. The last known activities of Phoebe are found from CCTV footage taken at 11:44 am. After a fire alarm went off in the building, Phoebe is seen exiting with her dog that she then took on a walk before returning to Ant’s apartment.
This footage is the last time Phoebe is seen alive. After this point, only Ant Hampel can explain what happened.
Ant claims to have gotten home around 6 pm to a disturbing scene. The apartment had broken glass all over the floor, blood smeared on the floor and walls, and two used wine glasses sitting on the counter. Phoebe was nowhere to be found, although her purse, wallet, and keys remained on the kitchen counter.
When Phoebe was found in a pool of blood at the bottom of the trash shoot, the coroner's report reveals that she had a blood alcohol level of 0.16, which is three times the legal limit, as well as prescription sedatives in her system.
Upon a quick investigation of the scene, authorities claim that Phoebe had fallen down the narrow chute with her arms at her sides and when she hit the bottom, her foot had nearly been severed off. The coroner concluded that Phoebe had actually survived the fall, and while she was trying to escape the garbage bin, she bled out from her foot and died after the fall.
Authorities claim Phoebe’s death to be a freak accident; she had gotten drunk, took sleeping pills, and sleep walked her way down the garbage chute. Phoebe’s family isn’t so easily convinced -- they suspect foul play.
Foul Play
This case is filled with numerous unresolved details and puzzling coincidences. From countless missed details at the crime scene to the impossibility of Phoebe putting herself down the chute, the loose ends of this case can only point to foul play.
Misdoings in the Investigation:
Used wine glasses found in the apartment were never dusted for prints or tested for DNA.
Not all blood found in the apartment was DNA tested.
Blood on the door of the refuse room was not DNA tested.
Large shoe prints leading from the apartment were completely ignored.
No CCTV recovered on the night of death and the hard drive of CCTV later went missing.
Ant's iPhone was not seized on the night of Phoebe's death.
Computer not seized on night of Phoebe's death.
Ant Hampel Oddities:
Accidental phone call was made to Phoebe’s father the night of her death.
Ant called Phoebe's Nokia phone that day and connected for 13 seconds; Ant says he can’t explain it and is firm that they did not speak.
Ant’s iPhone SIM card went missing a few days later after an investigator had told Ant to keep it.
Ant Hampel was very against any inquests.
Phoebe Handsjuk Oddities:
Phoebe’s Nokia phone has never been found.
Phoebe’s hair straightener had been left plugged in in the apartment.
Phoebe’s phone charger was found in her purse without the phone itself.
Phoebe had sunglasses on her head.
Phoebe’s pants were around her knees when found at the bottom of the chute.
A piece of paper with a phone number was found in Phoebe’s pocket. The owner of the phone number is still unknown and the piece of paper wasn’t turned in for months.
So…What Actually Happened?
Phoebe’s death was ultimately ruled as a freak accident. There was talk of potential suicide, but upon the family’s insistence that she would never kill herself and the odd circumstances of her death, investigators deemed it to be an unfortunate accident that took her life. The family proved through through testing that it would have been impossible for Phoebe to put herself down the garbage chute. A fully sober, able bodied person was unable to put themselves down the chute without help from another person. So how was Phoebe able to do this in her drunken and drugged state? Although her death is officially ruled as an accident, many believe Ant Hampel to be responsible.
Ant’s family’s connection to the legal system provides for a perfect coverup. The misdoings of the investigation and unanswered strange circumstances are far too odd to just be an accident. While some claim that it is tragic that Ant lost his girlfriend, others claim it is tragic that it happened twice.
In 2018 Ant Hampel dated 25-year-old model, Baillee Schneider. Schneider was found dead at her family home in Moonee Ponds. Her death was ruled a suicide by asphyxiation, as she was found with a cord wrapped around her neck mere hours after the two broke up. Much like Phoebe’s family, Schneider’s family claim this to be impossible.
Although Ant has moved on to have a successful life scotch free of any charges, Phoebe’s family still grieves not only her death, but the utter lack of justice. We can only hope that one day justice will prevail.
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