Found Deceased Australia - Russell Hill, 74, & Carol Clay, 72, Wonnangatta Valley, 20 Mar 2020 #4 *ARREST*

[JLZ]

I couldn't find where the Myrtleford gate was in relation to the Wonnangatta Valley either, but here's a map of Mount Hotham to Myrtleford.

View attachment 321525
Myrtleford to Mount Hotham - 1h 10m – 83.7 km (52 miles)

Then there's this:

View attachment 321542

The Alpine Gate Cafe is 38 Great Alpine Rd, Myrtleford, so maybe the gate is closer to Myrtleford than we thought.

If it's close to Myrtleford, they surely wouldn't need to go back as far as the valley and then come out via Dargo. I think they'd take several roads and tracks and emerge on the Great Alpine Road at Bright. If they then went through Hotham that means they were heading south or east. But in that case why go so far north to Myrtleford?

 

[Sher Lock]

I've just seen an interesting article just published in the HS. No Cookies | Herald Sun

These couple of lines got my attention.

"The challenging nature of the road network in the area means that it would have taken about four hours to get there from the locked gate.

One theory is that the bodies of Mr Hill and Mrs Clay were disposed of somewhere between the locked gate and the camera."

 

[SouthAussie]

If it's close to Myrtleford, they surely wouldn't need to go back as far as the valley and then come out via Dargo. I think they'd take several roads and tracks and emerge on the Great Alpine Road at Bright. If they then went through Hotham that means they were heading south or east. But in that case why go so far north to Myrtleford?

I reckon that the gate has to be before reaching Abbeyard - because Abbeyard is a 55 min drive from Wonnangatta Valley.

The recent HS article posted immediately above, by Sher Lock, says that the gate is about 45 mins from where they were camped. And that witnesses heard the vehicle doing a 20-30 point turn at the gate (to turn around).

Google Maps

 

[Trackergd]

Flying a high resolution camera drone up and down both sides of the road should yield some signs of graves. As the bodies decompose, the ground sinks. I doubt the actor(s) took the time to dig deep graves, so there is the real possibility of wildlife digging them up and scattering the bones around. Sorry to be so graphic.

 

[Sher Lock]

Flying a high resolution camera drone up and down both sides of the road should yield some signs of graves. As the bodies decompose, the ground sinks. I doubt the actor(s) took the time to dig deep graves, so there is the real possibility of wildlife digging them up and scattering the bones around. Sorry to be so graphic.

I tend to think they'd be very shallow graves as the ground in the high country is shale (rock) and not easy digging from what I've read previously.

 

[Sher Lock]

Here's a map of the track that could have been used from Wonnangatta to Myrtleford.
https://www.4wdvictoria.org.au/iconic4wd/images/tracks/info/info_wonnangatta.pdf

 

[SouthAussie]

The other thing they mentioned in the HS article (for those who may not be able to access the article) is that they think the perp intended Russell's camp to blow ... by leaving the gas cylinder in the burning tent.


Explosive theory in missing camper's case

 

[Sher Lock]

Here's a better view of the possible track from Wonnangatta to Myrtleford. Not sure where the gate is though.

Google Maps

Apologies SouthAussie ... I've just noticed you've posted the same map but I'm unable to delete this post! Eeek

 

[JudgeJudi]

Here's a map of the track that could have been used from Wonnangatta to Myrtleford.
https://www.4wdvictoria.org.au/iconic4wd/images/tracks/info/info_wonnangatta.pdf

Thanks, that's a great map. I was getting a stiff neck looking at it sideways so I've put it into landscape format but couldn't fit the legend in.

 

[sapphire blue]

Detectives say they’re getting “very close” to solving the case. I believe they’ve identified the killer’s vehicle and its number plate. If so, they know the registered owner, but this doesn’t necessarily mean he committed the crime. They still need a witness who can ID the driver and/or place him at the campsite/crime scene.

The image of the rear of the trailer is very dark so I lightened it up and a number plate is visible. Hopefully LE have the technology to display its details.

View attachment 321397 View attachment 321398

Police believe it’s unlikely that the items located inside the burnt-out tent would have been put there by the missing couple.

An item of interest has been handed in to detectives but they wouldn’t reveal what that was. I’m wondering if the “significant breakthrough” could possibly be a shell casing because they’ve said one theory they’ve considered is that it could have been a rogue shooter or hunter. With a campground nearby, I wouldn’t have thought it an ideal spot to be shooting at all, let alone by a rogue shooter.

Case close to being solved

I'm confident they are close to solving this. It would be a bit embarrassing to say it's close to being solved and then it isn't.

looks like there’s quite a distinctive sticker on the rear side window.

 

[nao]

Moo Australia fors not have have predators to move bones bodies around unless dingo or dog. Moo

 

[SouthAussie]

I have been thinking about the pics of the 4WD. The trailer pics.

In the actual CCTV photo, the trailer appears to have a board or hardtop over the top of it.
In the artist's rendition, the trailer appears to have a tied bundle within it.

I am thinking that maybe these both reflect what the police can see of the vehicle and trailer. Perhaps one trailer scenario as the vehicle arrived in the area, and the other trailer scenario as the vehicle left the area.




Cops closer than ever to cracking mystery case of missing campers

 

[BreakingNews]

A 20-30 point turn would have taken quite a long time.
Also are there any large boulders in that area? Could easily have dropped bodies between them.

 

[SouthAussie]

A 20-30 point turn would have taken quite a long time.
Also are there any large boulders in that area? Could easily have dropped bodies between them.

I can imagine the panic, as he did a 20-30 point turn late at night.
If Russell and Carol were in that trailer during those tedious back and forth manoeuvres.

I, too, think Russell and Carol may have been 'deposited' somewhere - as opposed to burying them - with the late night rush to get out of the valley.
With maybe a bit of concealment also ... branches, leaves, twigs ... that kind of thing.

IIRC Russell and Carol would have been setting up camp in the evening - after the 6pm ham radio call. And this vehicle is known to have been exiting the area by around midnight.
Whatever happened, happened quite soon after Russell and Carol's arrival at their campsite. imo

 

[BrumbyJack]

Yeah sorry just saw you all asking about the gate, it’s up at the Harry Shepherd and Van Damme, about 20k from gatta, the bit posted above about taking 45mins is about right *if* you’re not towing. So being dark and towing would take a good hour I reckon. It’s maybe 6k as the crow flies so someone doing a U-ey would be easily heard, and would have to come back out past camps so I reckon everyone would be sticking their heads out to see who it was.

gimme a sec and I’ll try and post a map.

 

[BrumbyJack]

from there to get to Myrtleford you’d either head up Riley and onto East Buffalo, then all the way out to Myrtleford, or head up Harry Shepherds onto West Buffalo and follow it up to where it meets East Buffalo, and out to Myrtleford. Both are okay for towing, EB is better, but slower, and WB is rougher but faster.

Not close to Myrtleford

 

[JLZ]

Yeah sorry just saw you all asking about the gate, it’s up at the Harry Shepherd and Van Damme, about 20k from gatta, the bit posted above about taking 45mins is about right *if* you’re not towing. So being dark and towing would take a good hour I reckon. It’s maybe 6k as the crow flies so someone doing a U-ey would be easily heard, and would have to come back out past camps so I reckon everyone would be sticking their heads out to see who it was.

gimme a sec and I’ll try and post a map.

THANK YOU! I thought you'd know.

Where you're marking, it looks like the intersection of Wonnangatta Track, East Riley Road and Van Dammes Track, and there's a lookout with a panoramic shot on Google Maps; but Harry Shepherds Track is a bit further north, after Van Dammes meets Selwyn?

Would the gate only prevent them going north or would it block East Riley Road and the southern side of Van Dammes Track as well?

 

[jsiar]

I think they know who it is. I don’t think there would be that many old, blue patrols, with roof racks, registered in Vic (I believe the person is familiar with the area due to knowing the best site to go to, and the seeming familiarity with the roads). And just to tie it all up with a neat bow, the person also has a matching trailer registered.
The 60 minutes segment was strategic. They are applying maximum pressure.
The CCTV photo: I think was taken on the way in, as there are definite tree shadows on the vehicle. And they will have captured the number plate for sure. It looks like they have blurred it out.
IMO, there will be some big news soon.

 

[MissUnderstood]

Hoping someone puts some clues together and knows who this is!!! We have a car and trailer description. We have a time away from home. We have a missing drone. Does someone you know have that type of car, was away from home and acquired a drone in March 2020? Maybe gifted it it a friend or relative, or sold at cash converters??

 

[JLZ]

I've just seen an interesting article just published in the HS. No Cookies | Herald Sun

These couple of lines got my attention.

"The challenging nature of the road network in the area means that it would have taken about four hours to get there from the locked gate.

One theory is that the bodies of Mr Hill and Mrs Clay were disposed of somewhere between the locked gate and the camera."

I couldn't access the article. Did they say the photograph is from Mt Hotham? What is the evidence that the vehicle in the photograph is the same one heard to turn at the 'Myrtleford' gate?