Australia Australia - Marion Barter, 51, missing after trip to UK, June 1997 #6

[vivienbee]

I wasn't sure if we already knew that one lol.

He's really scraping the barrel with the names at that point.

 

[KiwiNZ]

RB Claimed to own Property in Nymboida, New South Wales 2460, Australia - 41kms south of Grafton

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Court adjourned til 12.

Half an hour from now for our overseas members.

Morning tea break.

 

[vivienbee]

Court adjourned til 12.

Half an hour from now for our overseas members.

Morning tea break.

Thank you for the time conversions because I'm always like...okay, guess we'll see when the video starts playing again.

 

[caitlincurious]

Who is being interviewed today my sleuth friends? I am working again but will be catching up with the recordings this weekend. Crazy he has even more aliases!

 

[KiwiNZ]

These 2 ladies must be the tip of the iceberg, he doesn't seem to waste much time between victims.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Yes I was just thinking what a fast worker he was and that there have to be many many more of his victims out there.

 

[brjakj]

I would love to know what his other half thought of all the time he was away, and all the money coming in. Wonder what story he told her, or if she knew what he was really up to.

 

[vivienbee]

Does anyone know what day RB is being questioned?

 

[Deleted member 249471]

JO is this morning's witness.

Her and her husband used to go to coin meets in Ballina and met RB there in the late 1990s. She divorced her husband and RB suddenly started calling her and visiting. He 'gave her a job' to go through his emails and correspond with his coin clients and even made her bid at auctions in place of him. He suggested he could help her go to London to sell her coins there.

Then they started a romantic relationship and he suggested they move to the French Riviera, Spain or Algeria to have a fresh start. He told her he had 12 million dollars and would fund her life overseas, yet in Aus he lived 'with friends' in Ballina and didn't seem to own a car. At least, she never saw a car, even when he went to her place which was out of the way and very secluded.

While she was dating him, she knew him as Ric West but she saw that he also went by the name Richard Lloyd Westbury, and changed his name to Rich Richard via deed poll during this time, so she started calling him Rich.

That's the summary so far. Court took a break and starting back again now.

Before leaving overseas, they both got new passports and he suggested she change her hair to blonde! TBC...

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I think it's the 14th February.

Does anyone know what day RB is being questioned?

 

[vivienbee]

Every time this guy has to say 'Rich Richard' you can tell that he's like..."babe, you didn't think to question this in any way? incredible"

 

[brjakj]

Every time this guy has to say 'Rich Richard' you can tell that he's like..."babe, you didn't think to question this in any way? incredible"

Every time I hear it all I can think of is Richie Rich

 

[roland625]

I wonder if he had mnemonics for remembering which name he was using at any one time? I understand undercover cops etc. will often wear a particular ring or clothing article to remind them what name they are using.

 

[Deleted member 249471]

He buried a black tube in her backyard omfg

 

[vivienbee]

He buried black tube in her backyard omfg

I think she just means like one of those coin tubes?

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Change of hair colour, to maybe look similar to someone else ?

 

[Deleted member 249471]

Sorry, my mind jumps to the worst conclusion. I guess I am eager to know where Marion is.

This testimony is incredibly difficult to hear, anxiety and panic inducing! She basically handed over everything to him, everything of value, her power of attorney, anything to identify her with, any clue she ever existed. And this was just a business trip. With a one way ticket

 

[TootsieFootsie]

My blood is running cold listening to the inquest today.

 

[vivienbee]

My blood is running cold listening to the inquest today.

Based on everything we've heard so far and all the steps he was putting in place, I am genuinely shocked that this woman is still alive.