- 1996: Mary Hawke disappears from her residence in South Australia, leaving behind her car, keys, and belongings.
- 2002: John William Mallard, a taxi driver, is charged for the kidnap and murder of Mary Hawke. He becomes the primary suspect in the case.
- 2004: Mallard was found guilty of Hawke's murder after evidence such as DNA matches, fibers from Mary Hawke's clothes found in Mallard's car, and Mallard's inconsistent statements during police interviews were presented in the Supreme Court trial.
- 2005: Mallard is sentenced to life imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 25 years, for the murder of Mary Hawke.
- 2006: Mallard's conviction was appealed to the South Australian Court of Criminal Appeal, but the appeal was dismissed, upholding his life sentence.
- 2010: Mallard files a second appeal to the High Court of Australia, arguing that his murder conviction was unsafe due to alleged errors during the police investigation and trial proceedings.
- 2012: The High Court denies leave for Mallard's appeal, bringing the legal challenges against his conviction to a close.
- 2020: As of my most recent update, John William Mallard remains in prison, serving his life sentence for the murder of Mary Hawke.