Found Deceased Australia - Russell Hill, 74, & Carol Clay, 72, Wonnangatta Valley, 20 March 2020 #3

[SouthAussie]

Looking at the area maps (as I am not familiar), Mount Hotham is in the opposite direction from where Russell and Carol - and possibly the perps - live/d. This could be seen as another way for the perps to distance themselves from the crime. To travel 2½-3 hours further out of their way to dump evidence.

But there is a direct route/main roads from Mount Hotham back to the Drouin/Pakenham areas. So, an easy exit from the Mount Hotham area, IF the perps are known to Russell and Carol and came from their areas.



Google Maps

If I was the police, I would want to be searching those secondary roads between Wonnangatta and Mount Hotham - but what a task that would be.

 

[SouthAussie]

With the covid lockdown/restrictions about to happen, when Carol and Russell went missing, do we think that it is possible that Russell had decided to stay at Carol's place during lockdown/restrictions? Perhaps not wanting to be apart for too long - or for an undetermined amount of time.

Just wondering if Russell actually planned to immediately return home to Drouin when they returned from camping. And if not, who might have known of - and disagreed with - these plans.

 

[curiouser and curiouser]

I’d still like to know if they searched the roadsides/embankments of the zeka spur track and Cynthia tracks (or whatever it’s called closer in to Won), so much opportunity to chuck stuff over the edge. Massive search job though.

I’m starting to think the shovels aren’t connected, it all seems so unlikely. Like the opposite of that occams razor thing.
In saying that though, there’s probably plenty of people quite familiar with both Won and Hotham, and potentially live up past Hotham to go ditching things on their way home. But still.

And also, why would you choose a white metal shovel for shoveling snow (if that’s what they were for)? It would get stupidly cold and camouflage itself everytime you took your eyes off it?

 

[spiritseeker31]

Is it just me? I don't get what all this hubaloo is over finding two shovels on the side of the road nearly 50 miles from where they were camping. They're talking about a big break thru but still requesting people to call in if they spotted someone a year ago.
I would think if they were close to solving the case they'd have all their ducks in a row. I understand they don't share everything with the public but I feel like it's all just talk.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

It did cross my mind that they would not have wanted to be apart from each other.

i had thought earlier that maybe one or the other might have had something seriously wrong which would have meant a change for them being able to see each other. More likely to have been Russell I thought.
What if Russell had ended up in hospital and things went from bad to worse and he ended up in a nursing home.
Those are some of the things I thought about in the beginning.

With the covid lockdown/restrictions about to happen, when Carol and Russell went missing, do we think that it is possible that Russell had decided to stay at Carol's place during lockdown/restrictions? Perhaps not wanting to be apart for too long - or for an undetermined amount of time.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I don't think that anything that LE says would be just talk.

There has to be a very good reason for them to move the search. I doubt very much they would put all their resources into a new search for no good reason at all.

For good reason, they can't reveal everything they know.

 

[all_things_resolved]

What if they are still in won & Hotham is on the way back from where they came from & disposed of shovels ,ect there? Or have gone the long route around for less surveillance and calm down from a terrible deed.. I do wonder who's boot print could be on that missing mirror

Can someone explain the boot print on the missing mirror mentioned please?

 

[Kemug]

Interesting how we've all now decided that they were murdered, isn't it. Not some other barely possible option. And not by Buttons. But definitely murdered by person or persons known or unknown.

 

[SouthAussie]

Can someone explain the boot print on the missing mirror mentioned please?

I had to look that up as well - do a thread search. It is a member's theory as to why Russell's vehicle doesn't have a side mirror on the passenger side.

See post 193 in this link.
Deceased/Not Found - Australia - Russell Hill, 74, & Carol Clay, 72, Wonnangatta Valley, 20 March 2020 #3

 

[Marchalot]

Hi all_things. It was just a theory bc of the missing passenger side mirror on Russell’s truck that maybe it was kicked off or come off when driven too close to something like tree ect.. The boot print on a mirror doesn't exist. Just a theory

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I thought I hadn't heard of the boot print as a fact.

Also re why no side mirror.

I know it seems that Russell was pretty up on keeping his car in good condition but I have known one man who didn't seem to think the passenger side window was that important. They said they could drive perfectly well without it and no amount of saying anything got through to them. I think the more you mentioned it, the more stubborn they got.

When they got it fixed was when they had to, for registration.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I missed the side mirror, for doing my makeup

I was glad when a new one was there

 

[Marchalot]

I thought I hadn't heard of the boot print as a fact.

Also re why no side mirror.

I know it seems that Russell was pretty up on keeping his car in good condition but I have known one man who didn't seem to think the passenger side window was that important. They said they could drive perfectly well without it and no amount of saying anything got through to them. I think the more you mentioned it, the more stubborn they got.

When they got it fixed was when they had to, for registration.

It crossed my mind, like many other things, possibilities. Certainly there was never a mention anywhere of a boot print or any thing written about the side mirror that I've seen or heard

 

[JLZ]

It did cross my mind that they would not have wanted to be apart from each other.

i had thought earlier that maybe one or the other might have had something seriously wrong which would have meant a change for them being able to see each other. More likely to have been Russell I thought.
What if Russell had ended up in hospital and things went from bad to worse and he ended up in a nursing home.
Those are some of the things I thought about in the beginning.

It seems to me that with a wife and a committed girlfriend and a reasonable amount of money Russell was ideally placed to refuse to go into a nursing home.

 

[MissUnderstood]

If the place where the shovels were found is in a place where no human has been as the article states, how where they spotted? I think someone is talking. Looks like they had to go down an embankment and the shovels were covered. That’s some mighty good eyesight to see that from the side of a road!
Moo

 

[Marchalot]

He didn’t look like he needed a nursing home.

It seems to me that with a wife and a committed girlfriend and a reasonable amount of money Russell was ideally placed to refuse to go into a nursing home.[/QUOTE

 

[srper2]

I thought I hadn't heard of the boot print as a fact.

Also re why no side mirror.

I know it seems that Russell was pretty up on keeping his car in good condition but I have known one man who didn't seem to think the passenger side window was that important. They said they could drive perfectly well without it and no amount of saying anything got through to them. I think the more you mentioned it, the more stubborn they got.

When they got it fixed was when they had to, for registration.

I understood the statement was meant to present thoughts on what could have happened to the mirror. The missing side mirror on RH's vehicle could be very relevant.

 

[Questions123]

I was under the impression the shovels were found after someone gave police the tip to search that specific area where they were found?

 

[dotr]

Apr 15, 2021
Third party 'clearly' involved in mysterious disappearance of campers
"I don't think that it is so significant because they are shovels and not spades and you can't dig holes with shovels, but it has to be looked at," he said.
Looming theories suggest the couple were secret lovers because Mr Hill was married.
When asked if the affair theory would play a part in the investigation, Mr Bezzina said detectives would investigate "all avenues of inquiry".

Missing Victorian campers Carol Clay and Russell Hill. (9News)

The shovels will be forensically examined for any links to the case by investigators. (Nine)
"I think from the very outset as an investigator you look at all avenues of inquiry you have got," he said.
"The fact is they were having a clandestine affair of sorts and I think from the early aspect of the crime scene it was apparent to me that a third party was involved."
The expanded search area is 80km away from where Mr Hill and Ms Clay were last seen in the Wannangatta Valley in the Victorian Alps, in March last year.
It is the first time police have moved their search since the duo's burnt-out campsite was found near the Dry River Creek Track on March 21.''

 

[MissMarpleAU]

i agree and have always felt that russels vehicle is quite key in this, it being saved from burning and locked up after rummaging says quite a lot i think
sorry, meant as a reply to 55663s post

I’ve been thinking about Russel’s locked up vehicle. I don’t know much about cars, however mine can be programmed to lock automatically after a few minutes of engine turned off. Could be the same? IMO