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

[TootsieFootsie]

Yes the article says that a blue nissan towing a trailer was snapped by a camera at Mt Hotham and that it would have taken about four hours to get there from the locked gate.

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?

 

[JLZ]

Yes the article says that a blue nissan towing a trailer was snapped by a camera at Mt Hotham and that it would have taken about four hours to get there from the locked gate.

Would have, if it had been there, and the times allegedly fit. It's a good theory. But the car that turned back could have gone elsewhere.

 

[Awakening]

Our trailer has a different registration to our car registration and we are in Victoria.

 

[sapphire blue]

Would have, if it had been there, and the times allegedly fit. It's a good theory. But the car that turned back could have gone elsewhere.

if I recall mt Hotham is consistent with where the vehicle would have exited the valley since the Myrtleford gate was closed. I believe they have the vehicle on camera going into the valley and also exiting the valley, in my opinion they know it’s the same vehicle. Especially when you consider they have been able to eliminate every other vehicle in the valley except the Nissan patrol.



I’m sure I saw that sticker online recently, ugh it’s frustrating that I can’t find the page I saw it on.

 

[jsiar]

Our trailer has a different registration to our car registration and we are in Victoria.

They have different reg numbers but once the police figured out who the blue patrol is registered to (at the time), the trailer most likely would have been registered in the same name.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Same in New South Wales, the trailers have a different registration.

Our trailer has a different registration to our car registration and we are in Victoria.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Can someone point me in the direction of the sticker.
I want to use my magic Hercule Poirot magnifying glass on it.

I’m sure I saw that sticker online recently, ugh it’s frustrating that I can’t find the page I saw it on.

 

[JLZ]

if I recall mt Hotham is consistent with where the vehicle would have exited the valley since the Myrtleford gate was closed. I believe they have the vehicle on camera going into the valley and also exiting the valley, in my opinion they know it’s the same vehicle. Especially when you consider they have been able to eliminate every other vehicle in the valley except the Nissan patrol.



I’m sure I saw that sticker online recently, ugh it’s frustrating that I can’t find the page I saw it on.

Mt Hotham is over 70km from Wonnangatta Station. No, it is not the only way out if the Myrtleford gate is closed. Russell and Carol didn't come in by either of those routes; and then there's Dargo exit. Or remain camping in the alpine region for a time.

I would be very interested to know if there is footage of the vehicle entering and exiting the valley. At what distance from Russell and Carol's campsite? If that's confirmed please share a link.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Is this the sticker, on the back right side window ?

Police hunt Nissan Patrol over disappearance of missing campers

 

[sapphire blue]

Mt Hotham is over 70km from Wonnangatta Station. No, it is not the only way out if the Myrtleford gate is closed. Russell and Carol didn't come in by either of those routes; and then there's Dargo exit. Or remain camping in the alpine region for a time.

I would be very interested to know if there is footage of the vehicle entering and exiting the valley. At what distance from Russell and Carol's campsite? If that's confirmed please share a link.

it may not be the only way out, however every other vehicle entering and exiting the valley has been accounted for.
imo they have the vehicle on footage during the day entering and the night at mt Hotham.

Mt Hotham is over 70km from Wonnangatta Station. No, it is not the only way out if the Myrtleford gate is closed. Russell and Carol didn't come in by either of those routes; and then there's Dargo exit. Or remain camping in the alpine region for a time.

I would be very interested to know if there is footage of the vehicle entering and exiting the valley. At what distance from Russell and Carol's campsite? If that's confirmed please share a link.

‘The vehicle is now central to the investigation because painstaking video analysis has managed to account for every car exiting the remote valley that weekend - except the blue 4WD.

'Throughout our extensive and significant investigation over the last 20 months, we have not been able to eliminate this blue four-wheel drive from our enquiries,' Inspector Andrew Stamper said in a public alert.

'We have witness statements that put this blue vehicle and its trailer in the valley at the time Russell and Carol were there, and indeed near the spot that they had set up their camp.'

Police hunt Nissan Patrol over disappearance of missing campers Russell Hill, Carol Clay, Victoria | Daily Mail Online

 

[sapphire blue]

Is this the sticker, on the back right side window ?

Police hunt Nissan Patrol over disappearance of missing campers

Yes

 

[JLZ]

it may not be the only way out, however every other vehicle entering and exiting the valley has been accounted for.
imo they have the vehicle on footage during the day entering and the night at mt Hotham.


‘The vehicle is now central to the investigation because painstaking video analysis has managed to account for every car exiting the remote valley that weekend - except the blue 4WD.

'Throughout our extensive and significant investigation over the last 20 months, we have not been able to eliminate this blue four-wheel drive from our enquiries,' Inspector Andrew Stamper said in a public alert.

'We have witness statements that put this blue vehicle and its trailer in the valley at the time Russell and Carol were there, and indeed near the spot that they had set up their camp.'

Police hunt Nissan Patrol over disappearance of missing campers Russell Hill, Carol Clay, Victoria | Daily Mail Online

It's interesting that someone near the campsite saw a vehicle matching the description. So if there were two of them, neither driver has come forward. But the one at Mt Hotham didn't have to come from the valley at all. The vast, vast majority of vehicles at Mt Hotham did not get there via the Wonnangatta Valley, unless you count Dargo High Plains Road, which at its nearest point is more than 30km as the crow flies from Russell's campsite.

 

[Awakening]

Yes

7 years ago when I had to visit clients in and around that area it was common to see a "Bright" (the town in Victoria) sticker on cars.

 

[JLZ]

From the article you linked, Sapphire Blue (Police hunt Nissan Patrol over disappearance of missing campers):

A witness reported seeing a vehicle which matches the Nissan Patrol's description parked near their campsite on the night they went missing.

Another recalls hearing it leave the area around midnight and getting stuck on a closed road before turning around.

That is extraordinary perception that can distinguish the make and model and apparently colour of a car from hearing alone.

What if the first witness is the killer, was not driving a vehicle of that description, did attempt to exit via the Myrtleford gate, and described a vehicle belonging to someone else who lived or frequently drove at Hotham? The driver of the blue vehicle has up until now had no reason to come forward because he was never anywhere near Wonnangatta Station.

 

[sapphire blue]

If the driver of the blue vehicle hadn’t been in the valley how do you account for it being caught on camera more than once?

Are you suggesting the police don’t know what they are doing, that they are following a red herring?

Occam’s razor and all that.

 

[otto]

Is anyone else curious whether this has anything to do with the local chapter of the Women's Institute? Her role within the organization, linked upthread, was a violation of credence.

 

[Kemug]

Sightings of the blue vehicle certainly seem to fit the relevant places and times. So we now have between about 6pm and midnight to fill in. This timeline (IMO) eliminates several possibilities that we've been considering. ie This "window" of 6 hours was nearly all at night, with a bit of twilight first - so flying a drone, searching for a lost drone, and going for a stroll IMO didn't happen. Also at night, who are you going to have an argument with? The people near you, not the ones further away that you can't even see.

 

[Zabble]

Sightings of the blue vehicle certainly seem to fit the relevant places and times. So we now have between about 6pm and midnight to fill in. This timeline (IMO) eliminates several possibilities that we've been considering. ie This "window" of 6 hours was nearly all at night, with a bit of twilight first - so flying a drone, searching for a lost drone, and going for a stroll IMO didn't happen. Also at night, who are you going to have an argument with? The people near you, not the ones further away that you can't even see.

So what’s your theory? I’m starting to wonder if this was an opportunistic murder.

 

[Kemug]

I think you may be right Zabbie, and that it all came about because of 2 lots of people camping next to each other. Whether they knew each other previously or not. I think words were exchanged first, and then it got out of hand. And possibly alcohol may have been a factor?

 

[Sher Lock]

Opportunistic? Maybe! I still cant fathom somebody deliberately killing two elderly, defenseless people. Even if say killing Russell was an accident ie: he was knocked over and hit his head on a rock or something along those lines, then the perpetrator would then turn his attentions to Carol and kill her next. I'd have thought a decent person would have obviously freaked out and then sought medical assistance. The perpetrator could not possibly been of sound mind or perhaps just plain evil. And, surely he/they would realise that other campers were aware of who was in the area given that somebody drove past and was able to identify R & C camping and then the blue Patrol camped or just parked nearby. Truly a strange situation!