Australia Australia - Marion Barter, 51, missing after trip to UK, June 1997 #9

[CrowGirl87]

Didn't DdH say in her testimony that she only found out about Marion last year after they went to the police station as he told her on the way home in the car and he said it was WRONG!? It was only a fleeting affair of two days.

Today RB is saying that DdH knew as he left the ad around and she saw it.

I wonder why he is saying that? Who's telling the truth? Maybe he predicts that police know more about DdH's involvement or is he going to blame her for everything as he does with all the other women?

yesss this is so true that one of his stories is "My wife didn't know about the affair and I didn't want her to know"
and now it's "... oh she knew about it, I told her about it in 1997"

so why life to the police on June 8th and say you didn't know anything about Marion Barter if not to keep the secret from your wife?

I really do think his wife knew beforehand - I'll have to go back over her questioning to see if I can find her answer again where she says she "knew of Marion already".

 

[CrowGirl87]

Remember, there's still an active homicide investigation. They could arrest him at any time if they find something new. Just bracing myself that an arrest might come before the April inquest resumes. If that happens, then the inquest will be paused until criminal case is over.

It did just cross my mind, maybe Casselden is also stalling?? Hoping they find more evidence to pin him down...

 

[vivienbee]

possible name options:
Mr Yacht de Freedom
Prof. Polygraph
Mr Adam Casselden

The last one cracked me up omg

 

[ikarka]

possible name options:
Mr Yacht de Freedom
Prof. Polygraph
Mr Adam Casselden

Bewitchered by the Boa

 

[ikarka]

It did just cross my mind, maybe Casselden is also stalling?? Hoping they find more evidence to pin him down...

I hope there is something to this. They (RB/DdH) have given lots of information that could be researched. I mean, members here have already found quite a few things - imagine what else the police have access to. I really hope they find what is needed to hold this guy accountable for what he's done. I still think he's responsible for Marion's disappearance but for the cons alone he should be jailed.

 

[mishy66]

I think he is using excessive detail to make it seem as though there really was an ad. It creates a tangible image in the mind of all those listening. Because there was no ad. He targeted her and stalked her.

The image he created of physically touching and keeping the ad was foiled when Casselden pressed him that it was unrealistic that he kept the ad out in the open. But by then it was too late to take back. IMO

I am feeling like a seesaw at the moment. Going from the theory @KeenSleuth17 has to yours. Both resonate with me.

Personally I can't imagine Marion placing an advertisement given the information I have read of her character.
Nor can I imagine old mate just randomly leaving a lonely hearts club ad in the open for his wife and kids to see at any time given his secrecy for decades.

Maybe it is somewhere in-between both of these theories.
He places the ads, DdeH takes the calls and he stalks them out to see if they are worth the effort. DdeH helps out by doing all the bookings of adventures and potentially has various passports as well?
Something went wrong with Marion and their plans and it escalated into something else.

 

[TheCoolestNeopian]

Can I just say, if the subject of the day is harlots, there’s only one person in this story I know who’s been jetting off around the world carrying his own knickers “in his hands” and/ or feasibly not wearing any knickers at all.

Amirite?

 

[Estelle]

I think he is using excessive detail to make it seem as though there really was an ad. It creates a tangible image in the mind of all those listening. But there was no ad. He targeted and stalked her.

The image he create of physical toughing the ad was foiled when Casselden questioned if it was unrealistic that he kept the ad out in the open. But by then it was too late to take back. IMO

Wasn't his Le Courier ad placed in 1994? It makes much more sense to me that that is the ad which attracted Marion's attention. Did she find this paper in a doctor or dentist's office and could read enough French to understand it or Google translated it for her later?

What was Marion's relationship status at the time?

Maybe she answered at the time as I don't believe him when he said he had no replies. But maybe he did not respond to her at the time (if she sent her photo) as she looked so "old-fashioned" but he kept her details for further research. I don't believe they ever met in Switzerland.

Just as he did with JO by talking to her husband, did RB see the publicity about Marion in the local media about her winning "Teacher of the Year" and use that as an excuse to phone her to congratulate her and remind her that she had answered his ad as he had matched her photo to the one in the media?

What date was that article published?

Does anyone have a copy of that article so that we can see how much information about Marion was given in that article?

Maybe initially Marion was in a relationship or busy with teaching so chose not to meet him then? But he kept phoning her on and off? So this could have progressed at a slower pace than it did with JO and GB.

Or was DdH involved at some stage and she encouraged and supported RB to scam Marion? I think that DdH could have passed for Marion when younger by matching her hairstyle and clothes.

 

[Eyespywithmylittleeye]

This might be a bit far fetched… but could DdH and RB have been working together? She’s located the ad, cut it out for him. For the purpose of finding vulnerable women to scam for their money so they can continue living a life to their liking, buying properties as they see fit, without having to work a day in their life.
He or she has then made contact with Marion and provided a phone number that went to DdH to take messages for RB. Hence why LC queried her on receiving a phone call from a woman seeking out RB, and LC asking RB today if he had someone taking messages for him. Just a thought.

The ad is BS let alone him cutting it out

 

[Eyespywithmylittleeye]

This !

It’s not sounding far fetched at all

 

[Eyespywithmylittleeye]

Wasn't his Le Courier ad placed in 1994? It makes much more sense to me that that is the ad which attracted Marion's attention. Did she find this paper in a doctor or dentist's office and could read enough French to understand it or Google translated it for her later?

What was Marion's relationship status at the time?

Maybe she answered at the time as I don't believe him when he said he had no replies. But maybe he did not respond to her at the time (if she sent her photo) as she looked so "old-fashioned" but he kept her details for further research. I don't believe they ever met in Switzerland.

Just as he did with JO by talking to her husband, did RB see the publicity about Marion in the local media about her winning "Teacher of the Year" and use that as an excuse to phone her to congratulate her and remind her that she had answered his ad as he had matched her photo to the one in the media?

What date was that article published?

Does anyone have a copy of that article so that we can see how much information about Marion was given in that article?

Maybe initially Marion was in a relationship or busy with teaching so chose not to meet him then? But he kept phoning her on and off? So this could have progressed at a slower pace than it did with JO and GB.

Or was DdH involved at some stage and she encouraged and supported RB to scam Marion? I think that DdH could have passed for Marion when younger by matching her hairstyle and clothes.

I don’t believe Switzerland his story is ridiculous.
I don’t believe Marion placed an ad in or around 97.
I believe she responded to his ad in 94 and caught up on and off.
It is very possible that D has been involved simply because ultimately she knows he’s a fraud.

 

[Estelle]

I do wonder why after a minimum of three failed marriages, how he has managed to stay married for over 40 years. You cant be on a pension and travel and buy what they did surely? I think she knows alot more.

IMO if DdH doesn't leave him by April, she is not innocent. Otherwise, I would predict that they have been in this scam and maybe others as a team.

 

[Eyespywithmylittleeye]

IMO if DdH doesn't leave him by April, she is not innocent. Otherwise, I would predict that they have been in this scam and maybe others as a team.

This!

 

[Eyespywithmylittleeye]

Today we heard a town we’d never heard… visited there in 99 to see his brother Desire David… it was during the time jo was in uk can anyone remember the town? Yes I’m trying to avoid scrolling through the pain of his testimony again and my ears bleeding from the sound of his BS

 

[Seriallyaddicted]

yesss this is so true that one of his stories is "My wife didn't know about the affair and I didn't want her to know"
and now it's "... oh she knew about it, I told her about it in 1997"

so why life to the police on June 8th and say you didn't know anything about Marion Barter if not to keep the secret from your wife?

I really do think his wife knew beforehand - I'll have to go back over her questioning to see if I can find her answer again where she says she "knew of Marion already".

I’m pretty sure Diane said she didn’t know anything about Marion until Rick was interviewed by the cops in September last year.
I doubt that is true in my opinion. I think she knew what her husband was up to all along.

 

[F.Knab]

I'm catching up now with the inquest on 1.5 speed, if I hear the town name I'll post it.

 

[MrsWattle]

What if Diane got jealous and hurt Marion?. IMO She is just as greedy as Willy Wonka. 50 years of partnership in crime, setting up Trust funds for the kids.
Sick, sick family secrets beyond repulsive. Pure evil protecting each other. If that was my father I would scream at him to tell Police where Marion is. Why doesn't he just give in and confess now.

 

[F.Knab]

Some thoughts:

The only job you can prove this man ever held was with the gendarmerie due to the pension he is receiving from Belgium and I'm not convinced this is even true. I assume the Coroner can get his centrelink records.

I think the only job his wife ever had was probably in her parents coffee shop.

These two have been grifting off the Australian tax payer for decades. He on a DSP and and the wife on a carer pension. My conservative estimate of just his DSP payment alone, for 30 years is $780,000.

It's really shameful that he was allowed to get away with all the things he has done since the 70's. I would love to see this guy convicted then deported back to Belgium, they are welcome to have him back - I think Australia has done more than enough for him.

 

[Deleted member 249471]

Hey, so on the topic of Flamme, I think there is something explosive in the restricted document. Casselden was discussing JO, then went to Flame and revealed nothing, then went back to JO. I may be very wrong, but I think Casselden might be saving it for some reason. Perhaps until after RB digs himself into a deeper hole with Marion? In my imagination, then Casselden will finally divulge its contents and catch RB on a big whopper. IDK.

Oh boy, to be a fly on the wall, within the restricted document.

 

[Belleandsebastian]

Hey, so on the topic of Flamme, I think there is something explosive in the restricted document. Casselden was discussing JO, then went to Flame and revealed nothing, then went back to JO. I may be very wrong, but I think Casselden might be saving it for some reason. Perhaps until after RB digs himself into a deeper hole with Marion? In my imagination, then Casselden will finally divulge its contents and catch RB on a big whopper. IDK.

Oh boy, to be a fly on the wall, within the restricted document.

It seems from what was said today that Andree Flamme was an old lady who he took advantage of and stole from. I would wager that his trips to visit his "family" consisted of him visiting old ladies and stealing their valuables, then either selling them in Europe or bringing them back to Australia to sell.