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

[jenpil]

What does everyone make of the strange shaped black scorch marks on the side of the ute? It looks like something square or rectangular in shape was in front or up against it and stopping it getting scorched in the middle. It's left an outline. Scorch marks on either side.

Plus of course, the plastic yellow cool box that didn't melt!

 

[srper2]

You'd think the person who was camped close-ish by might have heard something. Sound travels at night. Maybe he did and has explained what he heard. Or maybe he is too scared to speak of anything.

I haven't read about anyone coming forward and saying they were camped near to RH and CC, do you have a link to an article that says this, it would be good to read it?

 

[SouthAussie]

I haven't read about anyone coming forward and saying they were camped near to RH and CC, do you have a link to an article that says this, it would be good to read it?

It was mentioned in the Under Investigation show. The guy who took offense at the drone being flown over his campsite. He saw Russell's vehicle arriving. Presumably he wasn't particularly far away. At least close enough for the controlled drone flight, and probably close enough to hear sounds of violence on a quiet night.

Under Investigation 2021 Ep 1 High Country Mystery, Watch TV Online

 

[srper2]

It was mentioned in the Under Investigation show. The guy who took offense at the drone being flown over his campsite. He saw Russell's vehicle arriving. Presumably he wasn't particularly far away. At least close enough for the controlled drone flight, and probably close enough to hear sounds of violence on a quiet night.

Under Investigation 2021 Ep 1 High Country Mystery, Watch TV Online

He was the worker camping there to spray blackberries. Yes, you would think he would have heard something if there was a violent altercation and also have been able to clarify if he heard people shooting around nearby that night too. Seems that (hopefully) Police aren't talking about all the info. this person could/should have been able to give them, also did he contact them or did he say nothing until they found him? Currently he is the last person to see them and he was also annoyed with RH flying his drone over his camp site the night they disappeared. A few questions like when did he finish his work and leave? Did he go past their camp site when he left? Why didn't he notice that there was smoke and flames when the camp burned down? As Bailey Sarian would say....suspish....

 

[srper2]

What does everyone make of the strange shaped black scorch marks on the side of the ute? It looks like something square or rectangular in shape was in front or up against it and stopping it getting scorched in the middle. It's left an outline. Scorch marks on either side.

Plus of course, the plastic yellow cool box that didn't melt!

I think it looks like the Square tent front verandah area that was held up with two poles. I have one with the same thing. The verandah area protected that area of the canopy from the flames of the burning main tent and burnt last and the poles fell when the ropes burnt. I am still suspicious that when some of the pics showing the side of the 4WD canopy are enlarged, you also can clearly see several (5-6)small round indentations into the metal surrounded by soot. The pristine cool box is strange!

 

[SouthAussie]

I think it looks like the Square tent front verandah area that was held up with two poles. I have one with the same thing. The verandah area protected that area of the canopy from the flames of the burning main tent and burnt last and the poles fell when the ropes burnt. I am still suspicious that when some of the pics showing the side of the 4WD canopy are enlarged, you also can clearly see several (5-6)small round indentations into the metal surrounded by soot. The pristine cool box is strange!

Yes, the untouched esky plus the unscorched tyres were mentioned in the Under Investigation show. Signs that the hot fire was also put out quickly. Before it could spread and cause further damage or a bushfire.
It was mentioned that Russell always kept his esky either in his vehicle or under his vehicle.

It makes me think that the arsonist(s) had time to prepare well. To get water from the river to extinguish the fire, prior to setting the fire. To also perhaps dampen down the surrounding area to stop fire spread.

Perhaps a sign that the arsonist(s) are locals/people who are aware of bushfire danger and how to avoid it?

For example, notice how the two large drums/bins (water carriers?) in the fire remnants appear unburned. As if they were thrown in after the fire had been extinguished. While all other contents are severely burned from a fast and hot fire.

If those large drums/bins were used to carry water, then more than one person is involved. imo
They would have been very heavy and difficult to carry, once filled with water.


Mystery of missing campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay may have gone up in flames without a trace | Daily Mail Online


Vital new evidence discovered after pair mysteriously disappear from campsite

 

[jenpil]

To get water from the river to extinguish the fire, prior to setting the fire.

How far is the river? I think you'd need a heck of a lot of water to put this fire out. What would they carry it in?

PS. Yes, the small black round holes in the side of the ute do look like bullet holes. Like the perpetrators shot it as a final act of disrespect.

 

[SouthAussie]

How far is the river? I think you'd need a heck of a lot of water to put this fire out. What would they carry it in?

PS. Yes, the small black round holes in the side of the ute do look like bullet holes. Like the perpetrators shot it as a final act of disrespect.

They were close to the river. And I explained in my above post how the water might have been carried, and used prior to the fire as well as to put the fire out.

If the area around the tent had been pre-dampened, it wouldn't have taken that long for the limited contents of the tent/camping excursion to burn down and then be extinguished. Perhaps a few bins of water, a few trips back and forth. As the fire would have been contained.
There was not a huge amount of fuel to continue burning in that fire.

More than one person required though.

 

[jenpil]

To pre-plan putting out a fire, rather than just letting it all burn, just sounds odd.....like someone has done it before and knows how to control a fire, or has knowledge of arson.

Faffing about making repeated trips to the river will take longer and may cause attention.

Thing is, why not just let it all burn and then get away from there ASAP....?

 

[SouthAussie]

To pre-plan putting out a fire, rather than just letting it all burn, just sounds odd.....like someone has done it before and knows how to control a fire, or has knowledge of arson.

Faffing about making repeated trips to the river will take longer and may cause attention.

Thing is, why not just let it all burn and then get away from there ASAP....?

Perhaps because they had illegal hunting to do. And they didn't want a huge bushfire. That would be counter-productive if illegal hunting was a regular source of income.

There was no-one about - that they knew of. It is not a well-travelled area. You can't even go more than 10kph on the long entry track into that remote area.

Did you watch the Under Investigation show?

 

[jenpil]

Perhaps because they had illegal hunting to do. And they didn't want a huge bushfire. That would be counter-productive if illegal hunting was a regular source of income.

There was no-one about - that they knew of. It is not a well-travelled area. You can't even go more than 10kph on the long entry track into that remote area.

Did you watch the Under Investigation show?

No, I didn't watch it. I'm not in Australia.

No-one about, but there were other campers and also employees (musterers, the blackberry sprayer etc.) in the area. There's always someone about, or the potential for it.

Also, if I had just murdered 2 people, disposed of their bodies and set their campsite alight, I wouldn't hang around to do some illegal hunting later that night. I would be well out of the area and not come back. (Even if I lived close by, I'd stay away and hunt in another area a few kms away. )

 

[srper2]

Perhaps because they had illegal hunting to do. And they didn't want a huge bushfire. That would be counter-productive if illegal hunting was a regular source of income.

There was no-one about - that they knew of. It is not a well-travelled area. You can't even go more than 10kph on the long entry track into that remote area.

Did you watch the Under Investigation show?

Don;t forget that the worker spraying weeds was about that night and was annoyed that RH flew his drone over his campsite.
If water has been used to put out a fire it can be pretty obvious, maybe if this did happen police have not said anything, although it does appear the fire was left to burn itself out.

 

[SouthAussie]

No, I didn't watch it. I'm not in Australia.

No-one about, but there were other campers and also employees (musterers, the blackberry sprayer etc.) in the area. There's always someone about, or the potential for it.

Also, if I had just murdered 2 people, disposed of their bodies and set their campsite alight, I wouldn't hang around to do some illegal hunting later that night. I would be well out of the area and not come back. (Even if I lived close by, I'd stay away and hunt in another area a few kms away. )

I will send you a YouTube link to the show, so that you can watch it and get familiarised with the area and situation.
The blackberry sprayer is the only one who was known to be in the area. But the investigating musterer (in the initial search) saw many bodies of dead deer in the direct area - a fairly recent kill (2 or 3 days old) just 50 metres from Russell and Carol's campsite.

And also if you read about our devastating bushfires, you may understand.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

He hasn't been named as a person of interest.

Just saying...

He was the worker camping there to spray blackberries. Yes, you would think he would As Bailey Sarian would say....suspish....

 

[srper2]

He hasn't been named as a person of interest.

Just saying...

Not saying he is suspicious, but that he may have been able to tell police more than they have let out and he may have seen and heard things we don't know about yet...

 

[SouthAussie]

Not saying he is suspicious, but that he may have been able to tell police more than they have let out and he may have seen and heard things we don't know about yet...

Agreed. He may have even provided the description of the last vehicle that the police are seeking. As perhaps could have Button Man.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

DBM.

I have no idea where the Police got the information about the vehicle from.

I am just guessing along with everyone else here.

Agreed. He may have even provided the description of the last vehicle that the police are seeking. As perhaps could have Button Man.

 

[srper2]

I will send you a YouTube link to the show, so that you can watch it and get familiarised with the area and situation.
The blackberry sprayer is the only one who was known to be in the area. But the investigating musterer (in the initial search) saw many bodies of dead deer in the direct area - a fairly recent kill (2 or 3 days old) just 50 metres from Russell and Carol's campsite.

And also if you read about our devastating bushfires, you may understand.

I can't imagine the type of person who would kill 2 people in cold blood, burn their tent and dispose of their bodies would be concerned about starting a fire, honestly. If they were concerned about starting a bush fire, they would not have burnt the tent in the first place. (If it was deliberately burnt).

 

[JLZ]

I was thinking that he may have provided the description of the vehicle to the Police.

Just wish he had been able to provide at least a partial number plate, that's if he thought of it, or was close enough to see it or it seemed suspicious to him which most likely it didn't.

He most likely thought they were just another camper, or if it was close to Russell and Carol's camp, he may have thought they were friends of theirs.

It hasn't been said who claimed to have spotted the vehicle? Because if it was only one person, and that person a nearby camper, there's got to be some question of whether the vehicle exists.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Yes it's just a guess really as to who it was provided the info re the vehicle being there.

Maybe the Police have someone's dashcam video of it.

Or even drone footage of a local looking for their animals.

Maybe not all the drone noise was Russell's.