Although Needle collected substantial sums of insurance money, her exact motive for murdering her family has not been determined.

Needle was born Martha Charles on 9 April 1863 in Morgan, South Australia; her father died when she was quite young.

After the move, the relationship between Martha and Henry Needle deteriorated; she was an attractive woman and enjoyed the company of men; he was a shy, jealous man who often beat her.

In June 1894, Herman travelled to Melbourne from Adelaide to handle his late brother's affairs, he ate a meal prepared by Needle and suddenly became ill.

Two days later, Herman had fully recovered but while eating a lunch prepared by Needle, he was seized by painful violent cramps.

All five bodies were found to contain fatal levels of arsenic and Needle was charged with the murder of Louis Juncken.

On 15 July 1920, Alexander Newland Lee, the son of Needle's older sister Ellen, was hanged at Adelaide Gaol for the 1 April murder of his wife Muriel, who had been poisoned with strychnine.

During the Great Depression, the Brighton City Council built bluestone walls to protect local beaches from erosion.