Found Deceased Australia - Russell Hill, 74, & Carol Clay, 72, Wonnangatta Valley, 20 March 2020 #2

[Fox Mulder = the truth]

What is the exact timeline from when RH picked up CC? Others have

I have been thinking about that. Where ( if they did) would they have done a shop for food/ drinks for their time away? Last town enroute? Heyfield?

We know from some pics RH enjoy a beer or two when camping, so wondering if he picked up supplies enroute and/or anyone remembers them?

Might help with timings and more importantly how days worth of rations they were planning for..

 

[SouthAussie]

I have been thinking about that. Where ( if they did) would they have done a shop for food/ drinks for their time away? Last town enroute? Heyfield?

We know from some pics RH enjoy a beer or two when camping, so wondering if he picked up supplies enroute and/or anyone remembers them?

Might help with timings and more importantly how days worth of rations they were planning for..

- Russell picked Carol up at 7:30am on Thursday 19th March in Pakenham.

- Drove through Heyfield, Licola and Licola North to get to the Wonnangatta Valley .... then took the Zeka Spur Track.

- Radio call from Wonnangatta Station on Friday March 20th ended at 6:30pm.

- On Friday 27th March their burned campsite was reported.
Although I believe it was first seen by someone else at around 2pm on Saturday March 21st. There is a window of some 18 hours when Russell and Carol disappeared, as determined by police.


We don't even know where they stayed on the night of 19th March. It is such a loose timeline that has been given. 35 hours (for a stated approx 6 hour trip) from when they left Pakenham until Russell ended his ham radio call (not at the burned campsite).

Nor do we know exactly when they moved camp (if they moved camp) to near Dry River Creek track at Billabong, where the burned campsite was discovered - from Wonnangatta Station, where the last ham radio call was made.


Police say drone could hold vital clues about disappearance of elderly campers
Four people have gone missing within a 60km radius in the past year. Their fate remains a mystery

 

[SouthAussie]

Nothing significant ... just wanted to mention that I noticed a round metal tub in the back of Russell's vehicle (up near the roof). This could account for the round bin-like object we noticed in the remains of the burned campsite.



Fresh twist in mysterious disappearance of pair as mobile phone is found at their burnt out campsite | Daily Mail Online

 

[SouthAussie]

Also, there is no mobile phone reception (or wasn't any in 2017) at Wonnangatta Station - so there goes my unmentioned theory that police may have traced any mobiles pinging from that location on the evening of Friday 20th March ... when Russell was making his last radio transmission.



COMMUNICATIONS:
- There is no Mobile Phone reception in this area.
- UHF CB is required for vehicle to vehicle communications on the MVB club channel 27 for the trip.
I will have HF Radio equipment and GPS Spot for Emergencies. GPS Live Tracking will be running
live. A link will be placed on this page closer to departure for all those who are interested.
Wonnangatta Station 4x4 Trip Weekend

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Six months after they went missing, Victorian police have renewed calls for assistance in the baffling case of Wonnangatta campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay.

Missing persons squad chief Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said police were still hopeful of getting answers for the Hill and Clay families.

“Six months is a long time to be waiting by the phone for information, however, police haven’t given up,” he said.

“When the weather allows, our investigators and specialist search teams will return to the area to conduct further searches in the hope of finding any clues about what has happened to Russell and Carol.”

https://7news.com.au/news/missing-person/new-calls-to-find-missing-vic-campers-c-1329764

 

[trujac]

Six months after they went missing, Victorian police have renewed calls for assistance in the baffling case of Wonnangatta campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay.

Missing persons squad chief Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said police were still hopeful of getting answers for the Hill and Clay families.

“Six months is a long time to be waiting by the phone for information, however, police haven’t given up,” he said.

“When the weather allows, our investigators and specialist search teams will return to the area to conduct further searches in the hope of finding any clues about what has happened to Russell and Carol.”

https://7news.com.au/news/missing-person/new-calls-to-find-missing-vic-campers-c-1329764

For some reason LE have re-energized their search--upgrading the caliber of professionals and equipment to go back into the valley and look for RH and CC. There must be some compelling evidence (even hypothetical evidence) that supports the theory that RH and CC's remains are still in the area where investigators previously searched for them 5 months ago. IMO, Crime intelligence analysts have spent considerable amount of time reevaluating all of the known and unknown facts surrounding the disappearance of RH and CC, and have now come to the conclusion RH and CC were not "carted out of the valley." It wouldn't surprise me if investigators initial interpretation of what they found at the campsite, along with travel/personal information about RH and CC, their family/friends resulted in a misleading pattern in their conclusions of what happened. I hope LE is able to find RH and CC, and come to a definitive reason(s) behind their disappearance and the mystery of their campsite fire.

 

[SouthAussie]

Six months after they went missing, Victorian police have renewed calls for assistance in the baffling case of Wonnangatta campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay.

Missing persons squad chief Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said police were still hopeful of getting answers for the Hill and Clay families.

“Six months is a long time to be waiting by the phone for information, however, police haven’t given up,” he said.

“When the weather allows, our investigators and specialist search teams will return to the area to conduct further searches in the hope of finding any clues about what has happened to Russell and Carol.”

https://7news.com.au/news/missing-person/new-calls-to-find-missing-vic-campers-c-1329764

So, they have addressed a missing piece of info .. where Russell and Carol stayed on the first night.


"They then travelled through Licola, spending one night at Howitt High Plains before heading into Wonnangatta Valley on March 20."

And ... BBM
"Detectives are also keen to speak to anyone who was in the area of Howitt Plains and Zeka Spur Track on March 19 or 20, and the Wonnangatta Valley and Wonnangatta Station between March 20 and 24."

And ... BBM again
"Investigators have been told that Hill took his drone with him but it is yet to be recovered."

I also like that they have now identified that there were people from 5 different states - they may even have their license plate info - in the area at the time.

And Howitt area has mobile phone reception - perhaps possible to pull from the tower any phone numbers that were in that area at the time.


Mobile Phone Coverage
Is generally excellent, especially on the higher ridges, and where there is a direct line through to Mount Buller. It tends to drop out in the gullies and can be patchy in the southern (more remote part) of this area.
Bluff - Howitt Area - WikiSki

 

[trujac]

So, they have addressed a missing piece of info .. where Russell and Carol stayed on the first night.


"They then travelled through Licola, spending one night at Howitt High Plains before heading into Wonnangatta Valley on March 20."

And ... BBM
"Detectives are also keen to speak to anyone who was in the area of Howitt Plains and Zeka Spur Track on March 19 or 20, and the Wonnangatta Valley and Wonnangatta Station between March 20 and 24."

And ... BBM again
"Investigators have been told that Hill took his drone with him but it is yet to be recovered."

I also like that they have now identified that there were people from 5 different states - they may even have their license plate info - in the area at the time.

And Howitt area has mobile phone reception - perhaps possible to pull from the tower any phone numbers that were in that area at the time.


Mobile Phone Coverage
Is generally excellent, especially on the higher ridges, and where there is a direct line through to Mount Buller. It tends to drop out in the gullies and can be patchy in the southern (more remote part) of this area.
Bluff - Howitt Area - WikiSki

I guess some people wouldn't acknowledge to LE that they were passing through a remote area where a crime occurred unless they had actually seen or heard something out of the ordinary. I try to put myself in that situation, and I think a lot of people would be afraid to come forth just to volunteer that were in the vicinity but didn't see anything. It is one thing for LE to come to you, and ask for information--quite another to volunteer your proximity to a crime scene you were unaware of and had no information concerning it. jmo

 

[SouthAussie]

I guess some people wouldn't acknowledge to LE that they were passing through a remote area where a crime occurred unless they had actually seen or heard something out of the ordinary. I try to put myself in that situation, and I think a lot of people would be afraid to come forth just to volunteer that were in the vicinity but didn't see anything. It is one thing for LE to come to you, and ask for information--quite another to volunteer your proximity to a crime scene you were unaware of and had no information concerning it. jmo

I would be the opposite. "We were there at that time. We did/didn't see Russell and Carol."
I wouldn't want them coming after me and wondering why I didn't tell them.

 

[trujac]

I would be the opposite. "We were there at that time. We did/didn't see Russell and Carol."
I wouldn't want them coming after me and wondering why I didn't tell them.

Yes, I understand your response--that's the most responsible thing to do. Unfortunately, there are so many instances where people who were clearly around a crime scene (the JFK assassination comes to mind), chose to go incognito and ignore LE's plea for help and information.

 

[MissUnderstood]

It has been mentioned that the drone is missing many times but do we know if the other required parts like remote control and charger are also missing? If Russell was using it at the time they disappeared then he would/should have the remote with him, the charger at the camp.
Hoping the family gets answers soon, waiting would be so hard. Moo

 

[trujac]

Nothing significant ... just wanted to mention that I noticed a round metal tub in the back of Russell's vehicle (up near the roof). This could account for the round bin-like object we noticed in the remains of the burned campsite.

View attachment 264329

Fresh twist in mysterious disappearance of pair as mobile phone is found at their burnt out campsite | Daily Mail Online

This is an old article--LE later said no cell phones or chargers were found in the fire rumble.

 

[SouthAussie]

It has been mentioned that the drone is missing many times but do we know if the other required parts like remote control and charger are also missing? If Russell was using it at the time they disappeared then he would/should have the remote with him, the charger at the camp.
Hoping the family gets answers soon, waiting would be so hard. Moo

I was interested that the police "have been told" Russell had his drone with him. It is the first time that I have noticed it described in that way. It was always a definite before.

Do they not necessarily believe that? And, if not, why? Because no-one can find any flight data or uploads from that time? Or some other reason?

 

[SouthAussie]

This is an old article--LE later said no cell phones or chargers were found in the fire rumble.

Yes, I know. The point of posting the link is because we must post the relevant link if we post a pic. As per TOS.
It is the pic I am speaking of, and the metal tub in the pic.

 

[trujac]

I was interested that the police "have been told" Russell had his drone with him. It is the first time that I have noticed it described in that way. It was always a definite before.

Do they not necessarily believe that? And, if not, why? Because no-one can find any flight data or uploads from that time? Or some other reason?

Yes...that now appears to be what is happening about the "drone" information...a slow retraction of verifiable information about it. It looks like there was a rush to pin the tail *tale* on the donkey *drone* of what possibly happened to RH and CC--based on what RH's family and friends were telling LE. Subsequently, the news media ran with the story of RH's new drone purchase and the pictures of him holding it, building it into a plausible reason for RH and CC's disappearance.

 

[trujac]

Yes, I know. The point of posting the link is because we must post the relevant link if we post a pic. As per TOS.
It is the pic I am speaking of, and the metal tub in the pic.

I caught in minutiae...thanks for clarifying....

 

[Kemug]

So if LE is backtracking a bit about the presence or absence of Russell's drone, what else might they be reconsidering?

 

[SouthAussie]

So if LE is backtracking a bit about the presence or absence of Russell's drone, what else might they be reconsidering?

And where do they think Russell's drone may be?

 

[bearbear]

i find it interesting that that russells cherished 4wd was saved from burning,
which could point to it being a controlled burn by someone who had some attachment to it, family, friend,
maybe russell?

 

[bearbear]

if it was there, the drone may have been burnt with the phone in the tent?

Inspector Stamper says both items could have been destroyed beyond recognition in the fire, but it would have been out of character for Russell to leave expensive items in a tent

Four people have gone missing within a 60km radius in the past year. Their fate remains a mystery