The people that were there that night in the red four-wheel drive have gone there obviously to pick her up, which it didn’t take them too long to get there, so they can’t live too far from Mannum itself. Um, but hopefully they’re just helping her like pretty much in a sense hiding her away so she can sort herself out.
Jodi is worried she’s come to some harm, but are refusing to give up hope. Jodi, please come home. We miss you. The body was found beneath a concrete slab right under a shed in the backyard. Just a few feet away from the exact spot where he had stood in front of cameras begging her to come home. She had vanished without a trace.
A 20-year-old mother, no calls, no explanations, just one message. A message that was meant to make it seem like she had simply left to figure things out. But something about it felt off. And when police started digging deeper, the story about the red car, the mysterious couple, and the sudden disappearance began to fall apart.
Her bank card had been used. Her phone had been topped up and there was fresh concrete in the yard. And then came the most chilling part, a confession delivered cold and without emotion. I killed her. But the biggest question still remained. What really happened that night? And how did the people who stood in front of cameras asking for help end up at the center of it all? All right, real quick, I’m going to take just a minute.
I’m really curious where you’re watching from, so I’d love to know your city and what time it is for you right now. Thanks for sticking with me, drop it in the comments and let’s keep going. Jodi Myers’ family described her as someone who truly loved life and lived it to the fullest, always positive, always smiling. At just 20 years old, she was a devoted mother to her young son, Elijah.
Everyone who knew her said that becoming a mom was the best thing that ever happened to her and that her son meant absolutely everything. Elijah’s father was 29-year-old Neil Archer. He and Jodi were engaged and living together in Mannum, South Australia. Not far from them lived Neil’s mother, Margaret, along with her husband, Lawrence.
On August 26th, 2015, Jodi and Neil went to celebrate Jodi’s stepfather’s birthday. Jodi spent the evening with her family enjoying a barbecue and sitting around the fire. But Neil never even got out of the car. He refused to join the celebration, didn’t talk to anyone, didn’t eat, he just sat there waiting for Jodi. Sometime between 7:30 and 8:00 that evening, Jodi finally joined him and the two of them drove home together.
Two days later, Jodi’s mother, Lucy, received message from Jodi’s phone. It claimed that she had left Neil and gone to stay with friends to figure things out. But there was one problem. She hadn’t taken Elijah with her. And Lucy knew there was no way Jodi would ever leave her little boy behind. Lucy replied to the message but never got a response.
She showed it to her older daughter and her reaction was immediate. This didn’t sound like Jodi at all. At that point they went straight to the police. Detectives from the major crime unit agreed it was highly unlikely that Jodi had simply disappeared, especially leaving her son behind. As news of her mysterious disappearance began to spread, her fiance, Neil, along with his mother, Margaret, started making public appeals asking for help.
Does have any information if they can or beg them please to come forward. I’m very worried cuz she hasn’t contacted anyone as far as I know of. Me and her son really do want her to contact somebody or come home. I’m worried if she is listening, I just want her to know that we all do love her and miss her dearly.
Neil and his mother, Margaret, told police that they had seen Jodi leave in a red car with an unknown couple. According to them, the pair showed up late that night, quickly picked her up, and disappeared just as fast like the whole thing had already been planned. They claimed they didn’t know who these people were, had never seen them before, but suggested that Jodi might have reached out to them for help.
In their version of events, it all sounded spontaneous. Like after an argument, she just decided to leave, take a break, get some space, and figure things out. Neil and Margaret insisted that maybe these people were simply helping her, giving her time, giving her distance, letting her calm down and think.
They even suggested that Jodi might have chosen not to stay in contact just to avoid pressure and be alone for a while. At first glance, the story seemed reasonable, but the more details that came out, the more it all started to fall apart. The people that were there that night in the red four-wheel drive have gone there obviously to pick her up, which it didn’t take them too long to get there, so they can’t live too far from Mannum itself.
Um, but hopefully they’re just helping her like pretty much in a sense hiding her away so she can sort herself out in a sense. News outlets began circulating images of the car hoping that someone out there would recognize it. Yeah, we might remember Neil Archer’s claim that he last saw Jodi Myers leaving their home in a red Nissan X-Trail.
Well, today police released an image of a similar looking vehicle which Nine News understands has been provided to them by Mr. Archer himself. It’s believed he claims it’s a very close likeness to the car that he saw minus the black strip that can be seen there on the side. So, police are calling for anyone who might have information about that red Nissan X-Trail to contact them.
Good evening. Major crime detectives have joined the investigation into the disappearance of young mother, Jodi Myers, who vanished from her Mannum home 13 days ago. Late today, they interviewed her partner who’s told Nine News he hasn’t seen her since the couple fought and she left with two strangers. 4:00 this afternoon, Neil Archer returns to Mannum police station to give a second statement about the disappearance of his girlfriend.
This time he was met by major crime detectives who were deployed from Adelaide this morning to retrace Jodi Myers’ last known movements. Weeks went by and there was still no sign of Jodi. No calls, no sightings, nothing. Search efforts stretched across the city and along the banks of the Murray River, but they turned up no leads.
Then, a small glimmer of hope. When investigators checked Jodi’s bank records, they discovered that $250 had been withdrawn from her account at a nearby ATM. That was all the money she had left. And just a few hours later, her phone was suddenly topped up right before that message was sent to her mother, Lucy.
Police began collecting every piece of surveillance footage they could find from the surrounding streets hoping to catch even a glimpse of Jodi. While the investigation continued, Neil and Margaret were appearing more and more in local news coverage and reporters started asking Neil some tough questions.
So, you’re not a murderer, you’re not a killer? No, I’m not. I’ve never harmed anyone in that way, so I would never harm anyone in that way. It is getting really bad. Uh, we miss her. We want her to come home or at least contact someone. Uh, someone that’s out there may knows anything to contact the police or Crime Stoppers. Um, her son needs her.
He needs his mom. Sorry. She was like a daughter to me. We spoke about anything and everything. The more this pair appeared in the media trying to involve themselves in the investigation, the more public perception began to shift. At first, they came across as worried, desperate for answers. But over time, more and more people started to feel like something wasn’t right.
The way they spoke, the way they acted, their reactions, it all began raising questions. And the first doubts didn’t come from strangers. They came from Jodi’s own family. Her relatives said that from the very beginning, Neil never really fit in and didn’t seem interested in trying. He always kept his distance, stayed on the outside looking in, and never came across as someone you could truly rely on.
Jodi’s brother-in-law, Michael, later recalled that Neil always seemed a little off. Like he was physically there, but emotionally somewhere else entirely. Jodi’s mother had her concerns from the start, too. She believed Jodi was trying to convince everyone, family, friends, even herself, that she was happy. When in reality, something wasn’t right.
Over time, Jodi began opening up more and she admitted something that raised even more concern. She felt like Neil was slowly isolating her, pulling her away from her family, her friends, from anyone who might support her. His behavior became increasingly controlling and manipulative. He had access to her Facebook, he monitored who she talked to, he wouldn’t let her see people without him being there.
He needed to know everything, where she was, who she was with, what she was doing. Control slowly became normal. And then there was Margaret Archer, Neil’s mother. She had raised four sons in Adelaide before moving to the small town of Mannum in South Australia. Neil had lived with her well into his mid-20s until he met Jodi.
Margaret adored her son and her grandson, Elijah. But when it came to Jodie, she was distant, cold. There were even claims that she would take Elijah into the house and shut the door in Jodie’s face, refusing to let her see her own child. By early 2015, the relationship between Neil and Jodie had become deeply toxic.
That’s when Jodie finally told her family the truth, she wanted out. She didn’t see a future with him anymore. But when Neil found out, his reaction wasn’t what anyone expected. Instead of accepting it, he blamed Jodie’s family, accusing them of interfering, of trying to break them apart.
That’s when Michael decided to be direct. He told Neil, “If Jodie wants to leave, you have two choices. You either fight for her and try to fix things, or you let her go and allow her to live her life.” At that moment, everything should have been clear. But Neil’s response was cold. He looked at him completely emotionless and said, “I’ll kill her.
” At the time, it didn’t seem real. It sounded like something said in anger, something you don’t fully take seriously. But later, it became clear. Those weren’t just words. It was a warning. By mid-September, Neil Archer had officially been named a person of interest. And by then, investigators already had reason to believe that something terrible had happened to Jodie and that she was most likely no longer alive.
Family of missing man and woman, Jodie Myers, say they’ve been left devastated by the revelation police believe the young mother has been murdered. But they say they’re determined to cling to hope until her fate is known for certain. A family’s most heart-wrenching fears confirmed. Devastating, it’s it’s not something you want to hear.
It’s pretty emotional. Detectives revealing they believe missing man and mother, Jodie Myers, has been murdered, yesterday declaring her disappearance a major crime. It’s very hard to hear. Especially from police. Although we’ve got our suspicions, but to hear it from police is very very devastating, upsetting. Quite shocking.
I didn’t think they’d do that so soon. Hopefully they’d keep looking for her as alive. Once the CCTV near the ATM machine had been processed, police could finally see exactly who it was withdrawing the money. Nine News understands that CCTV obtained from the Bank SA branch here in the main street at Mannum the day after she vanished shows someone other than Jodie Myers using her bank card to access cash.
Surveillance footage clearly shows Margaret Archer. She walks up to the ATM and withdraws $250. She’s wearing a gray hoodie and dark pants, nothing that stands out. It all looks completely ordinary. Standing nearby is Neil. He’s wearing a baseball cap, leaning against the wall like he’s just waiting. But his eyes keep moving, scanning the street, watching everything around him like he’s making sure no one is paying attention.
At that moment, they have no idea that this footage will later become one of the key pieces of evidence. Then the cameras pick them up again already on the move. Neil and Margaret are driving a green Ford, calmly making their way through the city. They stop near a newsstand. Margaret steps out, walks inside, and buys a $10 phone top-up voucher.
A routine purchase, but in this case, it’s part of a plan. She gets back into the car, the doors close, and they just sit there. 1 minute, 2, in total about 6 minutes. And during that exact window of time, something happens that would later raise serious red flags. A message is sent from Jodie’s phone to her mother, Lucy.
The same message claiming that she had left Neil and decided to live on her own for a while. A message meant to create the illusion that she was still alive. After that, they simply drive off like nothing ever happened. But the next set of footage makes things even more disturbing. The very next day after Jodie was last seen, cameras capture Margaret at Bunnings Warehouse.
She purchases more than 600 kg of cement, paid in cash, with the same money that had been withdrawn from Jodie’s account. At this point, it doesn’t look like a coincidence. It looks like preparation. Meanwhile, Margaret’s husband, Lawrence, was in Tasmania, completely unaware of what was happening. When he returned home, one detail immediately caught his attention.
The floor in the shed, it had just been covered in fresh concrete. Smooth, even, brand new. Neil had a simple explanation. He said it was a Father’s Day gift. But to Lawrence, it didn’t make sense, not at all. He knew Neil. And he knew that this wasn’t something he would just do out of the blue, especially not for someone else, and definitely not without a reason.
Something didn’t add up. And without even realizing it, Lawrence did something that would become a crucial turning point in the investigation. He told everything to the police. Good evening. Major crime detectives have made an arrest over the disappearance of Mannum mother, Jodie Myers, who they fear has met with foul play.
But the suspect has been charged with theft, not murder. These are exclusive pictures of inside the Murray Bridge police station where Margaret Archer was arrested this afternoon. She emerged just before 3:00 with two detectives and her partner, Laurie. What have you been charged with, Margaret? Nothing.
Innocent. No comment. Have they accused you of using Jodie’s ATM card? Did you use the ATM card? No, I didn’t. Police think she did. They’ve charged the 55-year-old with using Jodie Myers’ ATM card 1 day after the 20-year-old vanished. Mrs. Archer is the mother of Jodie’s boyfriend, Neil Archer, who has been named as the only person of interest in her suspected murder.
You seem very upset. Yeah, well, I don’t like being charged with something I haven’t done. Police were already convinced she was involved. The very next day after Jodie disappeared, the 55-year-old woman was charged with using Jodie Myers’ bank card. It was the first clear sign that the story they had been telling was starting to fall apart.
Margaret Archer, Neil Archer’s mother. And by that point, Neil had already been named the only person of interest in Jodie’s suspected murder. On camera and in front of reporters, Margaret appeared confused, even offended. You seem very upset. Well, I don’t like being accused of something I didn’t do. But day by day, the situation kept changing.
More evidence surfaced. And piece by piece, it all began pointing in the same direction. The pressure was building, and it couldn’t last forever. It didn’t take long before Neil started to crack. One day, when Margaret wasn’t home, the house was quiet. That’s when Neil decided to talk to his brother, Aaron.
They were standing in the laundry room, no build-up, no emotion. And then, out of nowhere, Neil just said, “I killed her.” No explanation. No hesitation. Just a statement. Right after that, he tried to walk away like it meant nothing. But Aaron stopped him immediately. “Why?” he demanded. Neil gave a short answer.
He knew Jodie was planning to leave him. And not just leave, she was going to take Elijah with her. After that, he tried to walk out again. But Aaron wasn’t letting him go. “How did you do it?” A brief silence. And then came the answer that made everything even worse. Neil said he strangled Jodie inside their home.
Then he drove her body to his mother’s house and buried her beneath the tool shed. Aaron later recalled that moment. “His eyes were black, like there was nothing there. It was terrifying. It honestly scared me.” Aaron urged Neil to turn himself in to do at least one thing right. But when Neil refused, Aaron made a decision of his own.
He went to the police, and that changed everything. Soon after, investigators were on the property of Margaret Archer. A place that had looked completely ordinary just days before was now an active crime scene. And Neil Archer was officially charged with murder. Good evening. A tragic end to the search for missing man and woman, Jodie Myers, whose body has been found buried under a backyard shed.
Her partner has been charged with her murder. The crime find made at his parents’ home. Jodie Myers’ body was discovered in a shallow grave under the concrete slab Neil had laid. This was just meters from where the pair had been courting the media and begging for Jodie’s safe return. It was later confirmed that Jodie had been strangled with the cord from one of Neil’s hoodies.
Margaret Archer was later charged with helping Neil cover up the crime. Guilty plea for murder has sparked emotional scenes in an Adelaide courtroom as Neil Archer admitted to killing his former partner, Jodie Myers. The victim’s family labeling the 31-year-old gutless and calling for a life sentence to be imposed.
Neil Archer ultimately pleaded guilty to the murder of 20-year-old Jodie Myers. That decision spared her family from having to endure a long, exhausting, and deeply painful trial. The kind where every detail of the tragedy would be relived over and over again in court. Under the law, a crime like this carried a minimum sentence of 20 years without the possibility of parole.
But Neil believed he deserved special consideration because he had admitted guilt. His defense pushed for a reduced sentence, arguing that he had saved the court time and spared the victim’s family additional suffering. Their argument was based on another murder case where, under exceptional circumstances, the court had set a minimum non-parole period of 15 years.
Neil hoped for a similar outcome. It was also noted that in certain situations, a defendant could receive up to a 30% reduction from the standard term. But in this case, the court took a firm stance. Despite the defense’s arguments, Neil Archer was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 20 years before he could be considered for parole for the murder of Jody Meyer.
Judge Trish Kelly made it clear. Applying the full reduction in a case like this would have been completely disproportionate to the severity of the crime. She stated that such a decision would be so inappropriate, it could shock the public. The following year, Margaret Archer also stood trial. She pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact, essentially admitting to helping cover up the crime.
She was sentenced to six and a half years in prison with a minimum of four years before being eligible for parole. However, her sentence was backdated to the time she was taken into custody in December 2015. That meant she became eligible for parole as early as 2019. Despite the position of police and the firm belief of Jody’s family, Margaret continues to insist that she had no involvement in the murder itself.
Meanwhile, life goes on for those left behind. Jody’s son, Elijah, now lives with his grandmother, Lucy. He carries a photo of his mom with him all the time, like he’s trying to hold on to the connection that was taken from him, like he’s still sharing his life with her even though she can’t answer anymore.
Lucy remembers one moment in particular. On Christmas, Elijah received a bicycle as a gift, a small one, brand new, probably something he had been dreaming about. He took his mom’s photo outside and showed it to her. Then he carefully placed it on a table so she could watch him ride. And in that moment, the hardest truth became painfully clear.
He still believes she’s watching. And that’s where this story comes to an end. But cases like this are a reminder that reality can sometimes be far more disturbing than anything you see in a movie or a fictional story. Behind every case like this are real people, real events, and questions that sometimes are never fully answered.
If you found this story interesting, support the channel, leave a like, share your thoughts in the comments, and make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss what’s coming next. There are still many more mysterious, chilling, and deeply compelling stories ahead.
