Australia Australia - Marion Barter, 51, missing after trip to UK, Jun 1997 #4

[Itsapuzzle]

I’m very interested too. Marion had a freckle in her right eye (inside the iris). It’s possible that the optometrist might remember that, which could indicate that it was Marion.

3966DFQLD - Marion Barter

This is a great point Loxoli, if it was Marion this probably would have been noted by the optometrist. Oh boy!

 

[Deleted member 249471]

First news of the day - it's being called a 'suspicious disappearance' and a reward is being offered for the first time:

$250K reward as police probe ‘suspicious disappearance’ of Gold Coast woman Marion Barter.

 

[Meligator]

Does anyone know if Marion would have had to surrender her Marion Barter (1996) passport before acquiring the Florabella one? Or could she possibly had both?

Interestingly, in mid 1996 Marion applied for a passport under the name of Marion Barter. She did not travel on this passport and it is unknown why she applied for a passport at that time.

• 3 November 1996, Marion made a will with Sally as her executor and beneficiary of the majority of her estate.
• December 1996, Marion told her parents she was going to travel in the new year, despite her father being sick with cancer. It is around this time the podcast mentions that Marion’s family first started seeing a change in her and that she was stressed and not herself.
• 13 May 1997, Marion changed her name by deed poll to Florabella Natalia Marion Remakel.
• 16 May 1997, Marion made an application for a new passport under her new name.
• This was witnessed by dentist Raymond Walduck from the ‘Health Hub’ which was a service available to teachers. Marion had been there previously and seen other doctors, so there’s nothing unusual there, I don’t think.

Q: What’s the earliest date you reckon Marion became aware she was heading overseas? What could have prompted it? Are there clues she is running away being careless and impulsive, or planning ahead and being considered and smart?

 

[Deleted member 249471]

Excellent question Meligator.

There is no mention on whether she surrendered it or not. However, according to inquest:

• she did not travel on the 1996 Marion Barter passport
• Police don't know why she applied for it seeing as she didn't use it
• they have been searching for Marion/Florabella overseas.

 

[Brissie Sleuth]

Does anyone know if Marion would have had to surrender her Marion Barter (1996) passport before acquiring the Florabella one? Or could she possibly had both?

according to the aus gov website you cant have two australian passports in teo different names, there marions old passport would be invalid

 

[Deleted member 249471]

The Department of Foreign Affairs are a witness so hopefully more will be revealed. They will speak about Florabella’s travel in and out of Australia.

She departed Australia on 22 June 1997 to South Korea on a Korean Airlines flight at 9.38pm. The passenger card says:

• she was divorced
• an Australian resident for 53 years departing permanently for Luxembourg
• her occupation was home duties
• was signed as Florabella.

She arrived in Australia on 2 August 1997 from Hong Kong on a Cathy Pacific flight at 10.11am. The passenger card says:

• she was married
• her country of residence was Luxembourg
• was returning to Australia as a visitor for a 8 days to see family
• staying at Novotel in Brisbane
• her occupation was home duties
• was signed as Florabella.

The key differences are that she left as an Australian resident who was divorced on her way to Luxembourg, and returned as married and only visiting Australia for a short period of time.

 

[Meligator]

Colored contacts to hide the freckle perhaps?

This optometrist could be very interesting. If Marion needed a prescription, did she return to pick it up when it was ready? Or did she get a referral, and did she turn up for that? Did he keep all his old records ....wouldn't that be great, especially if Marion filled out a form with her address on it. Yes indeed, this Dean Evans could have some important info to share. Here's hoping.

 

[Deleted member 249471]

The inquest will also hear about all the postcards, letters and phone calls Marion made from her travels.

The following is conjecture, not words from the inquest:

- A she was leaving Australia via South Korea, she may have stopped in Japan as per the Narita stationery.

- In a letter to Sally, she said she stored some of her 4 suitcases at Heathrow as they would not fit in the car she hired.

- Her postmarked letters from London, and then through south east of England (Brighton, Kent, Sussex Coast) may indicate she was making her way to Luxembourg via the Eurotunnel.​

The tunnel connects Folkestone (Kent) with Coquelles (France). From Coquelles, it's just a four hour drive to Luxembourg.

Perhaps this is why she cancelled her trip on the Orient Express? She may have preferred to cross the English Channel on a fun and exotic train ride, but whoever she was with preferred to do it privately by car, so as not to have so many witnesses?

 

[Deleted member 249471]

Official NSW Police announcement This is really good news! The press release has a lot of substance to it. Now that Police are using these kind of words to tell Marion's story, the news and media can start reporting it as such. I believe we are moving forward, finally!

$250,000 reward announced for information into 1997 disappearance of Marion Barter

 

[sunnybree]

Official NSW Police announcement This is really good news! The press release has a lot of substance to it. Now that Police are using these kind of words to tell Marion's story, the news can start reporting it as such. I believe we are moving forward, finally!

$250,000 reward announced for information into 1997 disappearance of Marion Barter

I’m so happy for Sally and her family. I hope that it results in new information but at the least it is a validation of Sally’s efforts.

 

[Brissie Sleuth]

Colored contacts to hide the freckle perhaps?

good pick up

 

[Deleted member 249471]

Appeal for info from Sally via video for Gold Coast Bulletin

 

[Deleted member 249471]

I like how at the beginning of the week, news reports were saying Marion was ‘definitely seen, months after she disappeared' (they were repeating the old Salvos letter).

But thanks to the new Police press release, the narrative has changed to Marion ‘was last seen at the bus stop’, ‘suspiciously disappeared abruptly’ and ‘an unknown person accessed her bank account’.

Graham Childs and other police spent 24 years saying they believed Marion was missing ‘because she was capable of behaviours of this nature’ and that 'she wanted to secretly start a new life’.

Now, Marion’s behaviour is considered ‘out of character’.

I'm just really pleased that the right story is finally being told And now that news are widely reporting the correct story, hopefully there'll be new tips and leads.

 

[Brissie Sleuth]

I like how at the beginning of the week, news reports were saying Marion was ‘definitely seen, months after she disappeared'.

But thanks to the new Police press release, the narrative has changed to Marion ‘was last seen at the bus stop’, ‘suspiciously disappeared abruptly’ and ‘an unknown person accessed her bank account’.

Graham Childs and other police spent 24 years saying they believed Marion was missing ‘because she was capable of behaviours of this nature’ and that 'she wanted to secretly start a new life’.

Now, Marion’s behaviour is considered ‘out of character’.

I just really pleased that the right story is finally being told And now that news are widely reporting the correct story, hopefully there'll be new tips and leads.

yes the police are finally acknowledging that there was a complacency and not proper investigation of proof of life

 

[Deleted member 249471]

Today is a small victory I'm sorry it took 24 years Marion, but everyone's listening now.

 

[Deleted member 249471]

Today's 7 News video update

 

[Deleted member 249471]

The new podcast episode is coming out Sunday midnight.

 

[sunnynz]

I like how at the beginning of the week, news reports were saying Marion was ‘definitely seen, months after she disappeared' (they were repeating the old Salvos letter).

But thanks to the new Police press release, the narrative has changed to Marion ‘was last seen at the bus stop’, ‘suspiciously disappeared abruptly’ and ‘an unknown person accessed her bank account’.

Graham Childs and other police spent 24 years saying they believed Marion was missing ‘because she was capable of behaviours of this nature’ and that 'she wanted to secretly start a new life’.

Now, Marion’s behaviour is considered ‘out of character’.

I'm just really pleased that the right story is finally being told And now that news are widely reporting the correct story, hopefully there'll be new tips and leads.

Yes it will be interesting to see how the attitude of marion’s sisters may change now that this is the public approach of the police. From what I’ve been able to ascertain the sisters seem to have had the view Marion disappeared by choice and as such have not wanted to assist with things. Surely now they may be more helpful to sally?

 

[sunnybree]

Yes it will be interesting to see how the attitude of marion’s sisters may change now that this is the public approach of the police. From what I’ve been able to ascertain the sisters seem to have had the view Marion disappeared by choice and as such have not wanted to assist with things. Surely now they may be more helpful to sally?

Perhaps they will. Having said that, Marion’s sisters are elderly ladies. They have tried to grieve and move on in their own way. That does not make them bad or uncaring. The podcast has, in my opinion, been rather harsh towards anyone they perceive as being “unhelpful”.

 

[limnody]

according to the aus gov website you cant have two australian passports in teo different names, there marions old passport would be invalid

That's right. From memory in the 90s you didn't surrender the passport. They just used to cut a large strip of the back cover off when you got a new passport.