Former Beauty and the Geek contestant Tamika Chesser charged with murder of partner Julian Story, appears before court

Tamika Chesser, who was a contestant on the reality TV show Beauty and the Geek in 2010, has been accused of murdering her partner, Julian Story, 39, at the couple's home on the Flinders Highway in Port Lincoln on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula on June 17, 2025. She appeared in connection with the case in Adelaide Magistrate Court on Friday, June 27, via video link from psychiatric facility James Nash House.

As Chesser appeared before the court, police revealed that they are yet to locate some of the man's remains, including his head. A suppression order on her identity was lifted on Friday morning. Later in the day, police, during a press conference, revealed the identity of the victim as 39-year-old Port Lincoln man Julian Story.

According to media reports, Chesser, 34, was arrested and charged with Story’s murder last Thursday, July 19, 2025, after some of his remains were found at a unit. His body was found without the head after police responded to a small fire in the yard of the house at about 3.35 PM on June 19, 9 News reported. Chesser was arrested at the scene.


"We know that after his alleged murder, Julian's body was dismembered, and while I won't provide any further details about that at this time," Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke told the media Friday afternoon. Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke, officer in charge of the Major Crime Investigation Section, revealed police were yet to locate Story's head.

“I can tragically say that we have not recovered the head of Julian Story," Fielke said, according to ABC News. "I can only imagine … the grief this news is causing Julian's family. It is crucial that we locate Julian's head so that his family has the opportunity to lay him to rest," he added.

Police have also issued a call-out seeking information on Chesser's movements from June 17 to June 19 from the Port Lincoln community. "Today I am asking the local community, or people that might know Julian or Tamika, to please contact us," the Detective Superintendent said.

"I'm appealing to local residents to review CCTV or dashcam footage that they may have that may assist the investigation. Specifically, we are seeking to identify the movements of Tamika, particularly between midnight Tuesday, 17 June, and the afternoon of Thursday, 19 June," he further stated.

Fielke stated that police were aware that Chesser had only arrived in Port Lincoln recently. "We know that they were in a relationship together ... it's something that's being explored, that domestic relationship," he said. He said there was no obvious motive at this stage, and Chesser was compliant at the time of the arrest.