Australia Australia - Marion Barter, 51, missing after trip to UK, June 1997 #7

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It’s behind a paywall, but this article says he lived there, according to police.


I think that Ballina is the most likely place that he and his family have been living at least since at least the early 90s and the other addresses like Wollongbar (18 mins away) and Lennox Head (10 mins away) and so on, were fictitious.
 

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Monday 14 to Tuesday 15 February 2022
Inquest into the disappearance and suspected death of Florabella Natalia Marion REMAKEL
Missing person
Ballina Courthouse, Cnr River & Martin Sts, Ballina
Courtroom 1 at 10.00 AM Before Her Honour Magistrate O'Sullivan, State Coroner

Wednesday 16 to Friday 18 February 2022
Inquest into the disappearance and suspected death of Florabella Natalia Marion REMAKEL

Byron Bay Courthouse, Middleton St Byron Bay
Courtroom 1 at 10.00AM Before Her Honour Magistrate O'Sullivan, State Coroner

Upcoming inquests

Something I noticed is that in the first notice above, they state that Florabella is a missing person. But in the second notice, she is not described as a missing person.

I am not sure if there is any significance to this or not.

The entries are quite inconsistent. For the live streams that took place 1- 5 Feb, we have Marion Barter aka Florabella Natalia Marion Remakel, but for the 14 to 15 February and 16 to 18 February the name Marion Barter is omitted and only the Remakel name is used.

Live Streams

Tuesday, 1 February 2022 to Friday, 4 February 2022
Inquest into disappearance of Marion Barter aka Florabella Natalia Marion Remakel

Upcoming Inquests

Monday 14 to Tuesday 15 February
Inquest into the disappearance and suspected death of Florabella Natalia Marion REMAKEL


Missing person
Ballina Courthouse
Cnr River & Martin St, Ballina
Courtroom 1 at 10.00 AM
Before Her Honour Magistrate O'Sullivan, State Coroner

Wednesday 16 to Friday 18 February 2022
Inquest into the disappearance and suspected death of Florabella Natalia Marion REMAKEL


Byron Bay Courthouse
Middleton St Byron Bay
Courtroom 1 at 10.00AM
Before Her Honour Magistrate O'Sullivan, State Coroner
 
Articles that mention sisters of M/F state that they believe she may be alive and they should leave her alone.

I know we can’t sleuth family members, but are there articles or sm with recent pictures of one of the sisters so we have an idea how they age?

I know we have the age progression. Just curious because of a picture of an older lady i came across on the internet that looks like her. That gave me this idea.
 
todays podcast -

RB married 3 times, but they only mentioned 2 by name - Ilona and Diane - ???

I am glad someone helped them with looking up the Ballina number but I can tell you its probably the first thing I would have done, gone to the Ballina library and looked at ever bloody page.

also, Pss poor apology for the real FR, seriously I thought AS and BS were investigative journalists, I think a large majority of us could deduct from what we saw and the reaction from the real FR that there was a high possibility they had this wrong.
In fact if they hadn't approached with such an accusatory manner he might of told them he had his identity stolen at some point in his life ( who knows if he knew but hey they didn't give him a chance to find out). Really disappointing that they are trying to justify their actions rather than just saying they handled it badly
 
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todays podcast -

RB married 3 times, but they only mentioned 2 by name - Ilona and Diane - ???

I am glad someone helped them with looking up the Ballina number but I can tell you its probably the first thing I would have done, gone to the Ballina library and looked at ever bloody page.

also, Pss poor apology for the real FR, seriously I thought AS and BS were investigative journalists, I think a large majority of us could deduct from what we saw and the reaction from the real FR that there was a high possibility they had this wrong.
In fact if they hadn't approached with such an accusatory manner he might of told them he had his identity stolen at some point in his life ( who knows if he knew but hey they didn't give him a chance to find out). Really disappointing that they are trying to justify their actions rather than just saying they handled it badly
It's fascinating how this case is progressing and I'm so very pleased for Sally and her family that it seems the answers are finally coming after all these years, my heart absolutely goes out to them. But I also very much care for the real FR and his partner, and I simply can't believe there's been no apology yet - an altruistic approach is necessary here. These innocent people in their 70s were dragged into this. People would have been looking sideways at them thinking he's done something to Marion. He was filmed at his private residence for all to see, secretly with a phone by the looks of it, recorded, phoned twice at 7 am and recorded, accused of having a manipulative personality by a lady who used to work for him! What in the world. Who isn't disliked by someone in the office - and he didn't deserve that to be played to 9 million listeners, and counting. He got told at his front door that he wrote an ad in 1994 (he didn't, of course). His wife said "what you do to us on the internet, ooii" - "why are you doing this to us." Fernand says he's never been to Australia - the word "illogical" comes up from him quite a bit. They mentioned an ad on the internet from a lady who met him in Australia and was looking for him! Planted suspicion in our minds "ooh, he's been to Australia" - that ad was obviously fake placed by a sleuthing snoop. Shameful. They even phoned his ex-wife hoping she'd say something derogatory about the poor fella, but all she said was "I loved that boy", "he's a good guy." Many episodes are very accusatory of FR and planted suspicion in the mind of the listeners. Luxembourg culture, manners, it's very different to Australia. Anyway, I just can't believe there's been no public apology, nothing. I actually can't stand it. People are still downloading the podcast and discovering about the case. Maybe Sara from the Luxembourg Wort will do a big story about it and vindicate him publicly, that would be nice.
 
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Notable points from latest podcast:

Admitting to Remakel alias
FDdH obtained his Remakel QLD lincense in 1988.

24 Aug 1988 – Fernand Remakel QLD lincense
10 Dec 1994 – M.F. Remakel Le Courrier rencontres

The ph number in rencontres was associated with a business 'Ballina Coin' in the name FDdH. So this is why he had to admit to placing Le Courrier ad!

CBA transfer
Police have a CBA document revealing an automatic funds transfer 14 October 1997.
Byron police notes from GC April 1998 claim 'electronically transferred, possibly overseas'.

To me, this might mean some of Marion's money was transferred from Colonial Ashmore to CBA? Not necessarily from CBA to overseas. Also, that the Byron branch was in fact CBA as Sally insisted, as there has always been confusion wether Byron branch was CBA or Colonial.

IDK, hope we hear more next week!

Should have been listed as 'Missing'
It's clear Marion should have been classified as missing at the beginning, and at every other stage of the case. There was ample opportunity - basically every time Sally poked her head in to see how things were going.

I believe this is why police officer GC and GS have a shared lawyer present throughout inquest. The Coroner will most likely speak to errors made and make recommendations for this sort of thing not to happen again. Sally might be able to sue?

No to be unnecessarily litigious, but if police did their job on 22 Oct 1997, properly followed up with Byron bank and ran some checks, Marion or RB might've been immediately found. Instead, they dragged Sally through 25 years of calling her mother a divorcee runaway and not worth the trouble... gah! makes my blood boil!
 
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It's fascinating how this case is progressing and I'm so very pleased for Sally and her family that it seems the answers are finally coming after all these years, my heart absolutely goes out to them. But I also very much care for the real FR and his partner, and I simply can't believe there's been no apology yet - an altruistic approach is necessary here. These innocent people in their 70s were dragged into this. People would have been looking sideways at them thinking he's done something to Marion. He was filmed at his private residence for all to see, secretly with a phone by the looks of it, recorded, phoned twice at 7 am and recorded, accused of having a manipulative personality by a lady who used to work for him! What in the world. Who isn't disliked by someone in the office - and he didn't deserve that to be played to 9 million listeners, and counting. He got told at his front door that he wrote an ad in 1994 (he didn't, of course). His wife said "what you do to us on the internet, ooii" - "why are you doing this to us." Fernand says he's never been to Australia - the word "illogical" comes up from him quite a bit. They mentioned an ad on the internet from a lady who met him in Australia and was looking for him! Planted suspicion in our minds "ooh, he's been to Australia" - that ad was obviously fake placed by a sleuthing snoop. Shameful. They even phoned his ex-wife hoping she'd say something derogatory about the poor fella, but all she said was "I loved that boy", "he's a good guy." Many episodes are very accusatory of FR and planted suspicion in the mind of the listeners. Luxembourg culture, manners, it's very different to Australia. Anyway, I just can't believe there's been no public apology, nothing. I actually can't stand it. People are still downloading the podcast and discovering about the case. Maybe Sara from the Luxembourg Wort will do a big story about it and vindicate him publicly, that would be nice.
The inquest hasn’t finished yet nor the podcast so I suspect at some stage it will be addressed. And to be honest who’s to say an apology has not been made privately. We dont know if the man of many names knew the real FR or vice versa. So let’s wait snd see. At the time of going to Belgium that was the only Remakel. And if it was my mum I’d have done exactly the same thing. I’m sure it will be addressed at the appropriate time.
 
I really agree with the difference in manners with the FR encounter - I’m from the UK and lived in Belgium for a while and found the manners thing really hard. Australia is less formal than the UK so I think it would be even harder for them. There really was a “set” way of doing stuff, a set way to greet people when you saw them, a set thing to say - it’s really not the same here where you might walk into work and say “morning!” and just walk off - you had to kiss people on the cheek and say certain things, it was really confusing and I looked rude a lot of the time!

When FR was saying “you should have said…” it was SO familar as people would sometimes lecture me like that, but it was meant to be helpful. I got told off in the post office for pronouncing a word wrong! It’s just a different culture and FR was very firmly of that culture. What seems standoffish and suspicious to an Australian/UK audience wouldn’t seem like that to someone from Luxembourg, I’m sure.
 
What make me really upset...

is we know there was activity up until the 15 Oct 1997, when the $80k was withdrawn in Ashmore.

Owen's birthday is on the 18 Oct.

Where was Marion that she could not make the call? This just breaks my heart.

And the fact Sally knew something was wrong and went to police on 22 Oct.

She was so close.

It makes me furious.
 
It's fascinating how this case is progressing and I'm so very pleased for Sally and her family that it seems the answers are finally coming after all these years, my heart absolutely goes out to them. But I also very much care for the real FR and his partner, and I simply can't believe there's been no apology yet - an altruistic approach is necessary here. These innocent people in their 70s were dragged into this. People would have been looking sideways at them thinking he's done something to Marion. He was filmed at his private residence for all to see, secretly with a phone by the looks of it, recorded, phoned twice at 7 am and recorded, accused of having a manipulative personality by a lady who used to work for him! What in the world. Who isn't disliked by someone in the office - and he didn't deserve that to be played to 9 million listeners, and counting. He got told at his front door that he wrote an ad in 1994 (he didn't, of course). His wife said "what you do to us on the internet, ooii" - "why are you doing this to us." Fernand says he's never been to Australia - the word "illogical" comes up from him quite a bit. They mentioned an ad on the internet from a lady who met him in Australia and was looking for him! Planted suspicion in our minds "ooh, he's been to Australia" - that ad was obviously fake placed by a sleuthing snoop. Shameful. They even phoned his ex-wife hoping she'd say something derogatory about the poor fella, but all she said was "I loved that boy", "he's a good guy." Many episodes are very accusatory of FR and planted suspicion in the mind of the listeners. Luxembourg culture, manners, it's very different to Australia. Anyway, I just can't believe there's been no public apology, nothing. I actually can't stand it. People are still downloading the podcast and discovering about the case. Maybe Sara from the Luxembourg Wort will do a big story about it and vindicate him publicly, that would be nice.


well said Puzzel - I don't get why they don't get it .. Sally of all people would know what its like to live with untruths in your life that others believe !!! it's devastating for people, and obviously good people. She seems to dismiss it as a means to an end, and that is not nice, and taints my view of her TBH.

I am enjoying the case and thankful they have this result but unfortunately it is bittered by their treatment of the real FR
 
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