Skull of accused reality TV star’s boyfriend found after his burned body was discovered inside her apartment

The skull of Julian Story, the 39‑year‑old partner of former reality TV star Tamika Chesser, has been discovered over six weeks after police first recovered his dismembered body in Port Lincoln, South Australia.

The grisly discovery has brought renewed attention to a case that shocked the nation and reignited questions about justice, motive, and the small community at its center. Chesser, 34, rose to fame as a contestant on the 2010 Australian version of Beauty and the Geek, and later worked as a model for brands like Target and appeared in magazines such as FHM and Ralph.

Story’s murder

In mid‑June, authorities allege she murdered Story on or very close to Story’s 39th birthday. According to prosecutors, Story was dismembered, and his remains set ablaze inside their shared Port Lincoln apartment.

Firefighters and police were called on June 19 to deal with a small fire, but they discovered Story’s body in the bathroom. It was severely burned and disfigured, and his head was missing, prompting an extensive search for the skull in the area.

Chesser was arrested shortly thereafter, found in the yard of the home in a catatonic or unresponsive state, and was subsequently placed under a Mental Health Act detention in James Nash House, a psychiatric facility in Adelaide.

The search for Story’s skull

In late July 2025, authorities suspended the active search for Story’s skull, but on July 31, a local named Tyson McCallum was walking his dog, Benji the Beaglier, in dense scrubland near Slipway Road and Hindmarsh Street on the eastern edge of Port Lincoln. Benji veered off the path and led his owner to what appeared to be a human skull lying openly in the scrub vegetation. Preliminary forensic assessments strongly indicate the skull is Story’s missing head.

Chesser has not yet entered a plea. She faces charges including murder, destroying human remains, and assaulting a police officer, as well as unrelated summary charges stemming from alleged disorderly and assaultive behavior earlier in the year.

In a court appearance on July 31, conducted remotely from the psychiatric facility, she was represented by counsel from the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement. Chesser identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. 

Magistrate Patrick Hill agreed to adjourn both the murder-related and lesser charges to a future hearing date set for December 18, 2025. Investigators stress that many questions remain unanswered, notably the motive and exact sequence of events in the hours around mid‑June, which CCTV footage and witness statements may help illuminate.